Pompeo in Jerusalem to discuss annexation with Israeli leaders

JERUSALEM - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Israel on Wednesday for talks with Israeli leaders on Israel's plan to annex portions of the occupied West Bank and other issues.

His brief visit began with meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the official prime minister's residence in Jerusalem.

In joint remarks at the start of the meeting, Pompeo accused Iran of attempting to "foment terror" during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"The campaign that we have been part of to reduce resources has born fruit," he said, referring to the nuclear-related sanctions the US has imposed on Iran.

Referring to US President Donald Trump's Mideast peace plan, Pompeo said that "there remains work to do."

Pompeo will also meet with Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, Gabi Ashkenazi, a lawmaker with Blue and White party who is expected to be appointed foreign minister in the new unity government, and Yossi Cohen, chief of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.

Pompeo landed in the morning at the Ben Gurion international airport outside Tel Aviv, wearing a mask in the colors of the US flag. He headed directly to Jerusalem, receiving an exemption from the Israeli two-week quarantine requirement.

His visit is the first visit to Israel by an official since January and the beginning of the coronavirus-related restriction.

His visit comes a day before the swearing-in ceremony of a new power-sharing government led by Netanyahu and Gantz.

Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to annex the Jordan Valley, part of the occupied West Bank. Under the unity deal signed by Netanyahu and Gantz in April, he could do the move starting from July.

The annexation is part of Trump's peace plan, but it was not immediately clear if the US will back the timing of the move.

The plan is objected by the Palestinians and the Arab world as well as international forums such as the United Nations, which denounced the plan as a violation of international law.