Wilson, Phillips, Spartz Travel to Israel, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia
Washington, D.C. – Representatives Joe Wilson (R-SC), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, Dean Phillips (D-MN), Subcommittee Ranking Member, and Victoria Spartz (R-IN), recently traveled to Israel, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia. While there, the bipartisan delegation met with senior government officials to discuss deepening bilateral security ties and regional normalization efforts.
In Israel, the Members went to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem where they met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, cabinet and government officials to discuss strengthening United States-Israel cooperation, expanding the Abraham Accords, and countering Iran’s malign activities.
The delegation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The delegation continued on to Ankara and Istanbul, Türkiye, and met with senior members of the government and parliamentarians to discuss ways to enhance the U.S.-Türkiye relationship and our shared goal of supporting Ukraine, including Sweden’s admission to NATO. Discussions were also held with civil society leaders, including those with the Syrian humanitarian organization White Helmets to talk about how the U.S. can further support the Syrian people and hold the Assad regime accountable for war crimes. Finally, a meeting took place with representatives from AmCham Istanbul to discuss the robust economic ties between the U.S. and Türkiye.
Chairman Wilson visits Kemal Atatürk’s gravesite in Türkiye.
The trip concluded with a stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There, the delegation met with the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss the U.S. and Saudi Arabia’s shared goals in the Middle East and how we can work together to achieve them. The Members also sat down to a roundtable with representatives from U.S. businesses in the country to discuss how to further enhance business relationships between our two countries. They also spoke about Boeing’s historic deal with Saudi Arabia for up to 121 Dreamliner 787 aircraft, manufactured in South Carolina, with suppliers across Congressman Wilson’s district, valued at nearly $37 billion.
Congressman Wilson shares date fruit with the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have led this important congressional delegation to some of America’s key allies in the Middle East. Each stop provided my colleagues and I a platform to discuss a variety of issues of mutual importance to our countries, while further enriching our relationships. The hospitality provided and friendships shared through these exchanges are invaluable and appreciated by not only the United States, but also my home state of South Carolina,” said Representative Wilson.
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