Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar departed for Washington on Sunday night for a series of diplomatic meetings, the Foreign Ministry announced.
Sa’ar is slated to meet US Secretary of State Marcio Rubio on Wednesday, marking their second meeting this year. The two previously conferred in February during Rubio’s visit to Jerusalem.
The visit comes as Israel weighs a possible IDF ground operation to retake Gaza City from Hamas, nearly two years into the ongoing war against the terror group.
While in Washington, Sa’ar is also scheduled to meet with US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. The two last met in Jerusalem in May, shortly after the murder of two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington.
This marks Sa’ar’s first official visit to Washington since assuming the role of foreign minister in November.
In addition to meetings with US officials, Sa’ar will hold talks with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, meet with AIPAC leadership, and host a reception honoring American Jewish leaders and Christian supporters of Israel.