Friends,

I recently traveled to Israel, the Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah, Jordan, and Iraq on my first official trip as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee that focuses on the Middle East. I was joined by the subcommittee’s ranking member, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT). With the aim of getting a sense for the issues and concerns of people in that part of the world, and for evaluating our national interests in the region, Senator Murphy and I met with embassy and government officials in each location.

As we had expected, the pending proposal from the Administration for a peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians is of great interest in all four places. Anxiety about the plan, particularly in Jordan and Ramallah, was palpable. Local officials there fear that a proposal that fails to meet the hopes of Palestinians could lead to widespread disruption. The message from our Administration, however, is that the proposal will encompass the aspirations of both parties.

In Iraq, the message from the President, the Prime Minister, and the Speaker of the Council of Representatives was more encouraging than we had expected. My concern was that the government was inclined toward falling under the shadow of Iran. But these officials made compelling arguments that their desire is to be a strong and independent nation with ties to all its neighbors, not just Iran. They expressed appreciation for the presence of our troops in the country, convinced that our coalition was a stabilizing force.

Even so, Iraq’s challenges are daunting. The economy is extremely weak, nearly a million citizens are displaced from their homes, ISIS fighters who lost territory in Iraq and Syria are returning to their Iraqi homes, vast energy resources are being wasted, and corruption continues. The road ahead is long and dangerous.

The perspectives we heard were valuable in educating us about the region’s challenges, and I am pleased that Senator Murphy and I are able to work so well together. As I move forward in my role as subcommittee chairman, I will do my best to remain abreast of the issues in the region so I can effectively represent our interests in the Middle East, and around the world.


 Here are some highlights of our trip:

Israel is our most important ally and friend in the Middle East. In Jerusalem, Senator Murphy and I met with U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman to discuss security concerns in the region.


 

In between meetings, Ann and I toured the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem.

 

Brigham Young University’s Jerusalem Center offers students immersive courses in biblical studies. While in the Holy Land, I was able to visit the Center to meet with current students—and take in its magnificent views of the Old City.
 



Senator Murphy and I visited the Al-Salam Palace to meet with President of the Republic of Iraq, Barham Salih to discuss the security, economy, and future of the region.

 


While in Iraq, we also met with the Speaker of Iraq’s Council of Representatives, Mohamed al-Halbousi. I expressed our appreciation for Iraqi leaders, like the Speaker, who are working hard, as good faith partners of ours, to ensure a peaceful and stable future that all Iraqis deserve.



 
Our men and women in uniform are our nation’s best and brightest. Senator Murphy and I made sure to thank the Marines who protect our U.S. Embassy in Jordan for their service.

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