US State Department
US State DepartmentiStock

David Schenker, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, will travel to Israel and Oman in the coming week, the State Department announced on Saturday night.

According to the statement, the visit will take place between January 27 and 30.

“In Israel, Assistant Secretary Schenker will meet with government officials to discuss bilateral and regional issues, and he will also participate in the Institute for National Security Studies’ annual conference in Tel Aviv,” the statement said.

In Oman, it added, Schenker “will meet with officials to express his condolences on the passing of Sultan Qaboos, reaffirm US commitment to the strong US-Oman bilateral relationship, and discuss regional security issues, including the Iranian regime’s destabilizing activities.”

While in Muscat, he will also meet with business leaders to discuss opportunities to increase bilateral US-Oman trade and investment ties, the statement noted.

Schenker’s visit to Israel takes place on the same week that Washington is expected to unveil its long-awaited peace plan for Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Trump announced on Thursday that the plan would be unveiled next week, before Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz arrive in Washington to discuss the plan.

Gantz on Saturday night announced that he plans to accept Trump's invitation to visit the White House next week, after previously considering rejecting it due to a fear that it was a trick by Netanyahu, who suggested that Gantz be invited.