U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will travel to Israel and Egypt in December, the White House said on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.
Pence's visit to the region is at President Donald Trump's request, the report said.
The vice president will visit Israel during the holiday of Hanukkah, according to AP. While there, he will discuss the prospects for a Middle East peace agreement in separate meetings with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Pence is also expected to address U.S. policy toward Iran and highlight Israel's space program.
From Israel, Pence will head to Egypt where he will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and highlight U.S.-Egypt cooperation on security issues, according to the report.
The vice president also plans meetings with government and religious leaders to discuss combating the persecution of religious minorities - including Christians - in the broader Middle East.
In recent months, the Trump administration has been leading an initiative to resume peace talks between Israel and the PA.
As part of those efforts, Trump's Middle East peace negotiator, Jason Greenblatt, visited the region several times.
PA officials have expressed pessimism that Washington's peace efforts can bear fruit, but Trump recently said he believes there is a "chance" for a Middle East peace settlement.
Pence is a supporter of Israel and has repeatedly expressed the Trump administration’s commitment to Israel.