President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton will arrive in Israel on Sunday, to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two are expected to hold a joint dinner at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem, then meet again Monday morning for an official working session in Netanyahu’s office.
Bolton’s visit to Israel will be the first since his appointment in March.
Bolton will eventually continue to Geneva, where he will meet with his Russian counterpart, Director of the Russian Federal Security Service Nikolai Patrushev, in what the White House called a direct continuation of the July 16 Trump-Putin meeting in Helsinki.
The two security advisers are expected to discuss the situation in Syria and the relations between the United States and Iran.
Bolton, who served as US ambassador to the United Nations for the GW Bush administration, is known for his tough approach to Iran and is considered a major factor in the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement. Prior to his appointment to his current post, Bolton called on Trump to attack North Korea.
Bolton’s appointment which was announced last April, was welcomed by many in the Israeli coalition government, including Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who tweeted: “President Trump continues to appoint true friends of Israel to senior positions,” noting that “John Bolton is one of the most outstanding among them, an excellent appointment, Bolton comes with great experience and original thinking. The Trump administration continues to emerge as the most supportive of Israel ever.”
Education Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted that Bolton is a “true friend” and an “extraordinary” expert on matters of security.
