James Comer: “At the beginning of August, I was able to join the majority leader and a number of my fellow freshmen on an 8-day trip…”

“At the beginning of August, I was able to join the majority leader and a number of my fellow freshmen on an 8-day trip to Israel. I would like to thank Leader McCarthy for organizing this informative and memorable visit, which taught me so much about the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship and the numerous challenges and opportunities facing our two countries and our other allies in the region. It is impossible to visit Israel without feeling the weight of history, from Biblical times to modern day. Staying in Jerusalem, seeing Bethlehem up close, viewing Israel from atop the Golan Heights, and traveling all along the Jordan River, all made a lasting impression. My time in Israel also impressed me on Israel's undeniable security needs in the face of the persistent threat from Iran and its proxies in Syria and Lebanon, as well as the instability and violence stemming from the long-running conflict with the Palestinians. Listening to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's presentation to our congressional delegation greatly enhanced my level of support for Israeli foreign aid, just as listening to the Palestinian Authority's presentation greatly enhanced my opposition to foreign aid for Palestine. For these reasons, I believe U.S.…”