House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said his first foreign trip will be to Israel to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its statehood.
Mr. McCarthy, California Republican, said he will address the legislature — the Knesset — during his stay, making him the second U.S. speaker to do so after Newt Gingrich in 1998.
“The U.S.-Israel relationship is as important as ever,” Mr. McCarthy tweeted in announcing he accepted an invitation from Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.
In his own message, Mr. Ohana said he is excited to welcome the U.S. speaker.
Mr. McCarthy is expected to bring a bipartisan delegation to mark statehood celebrations and shore up the U.S.-Israel relationship. They will arrive April 30, and Mr. McCarthy will deliver his speech on May 1, according to Axios.
Israel in recent weeks has been rocked by internal discord over judicial overhauls pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who says he is putting the changes on hold.
Mr. McCarthy backed Mr. Netanyahu, while President Biden urged the Israeli leader to back away from his plans.
There have also been clashes at Jerusalem holy sites between Israelis and Palestinians in recent weeks.
Mr. McCarthy had planned to visit Taiwan this year, but given the turmoil with China over the island, he met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California during her trip to the Americas.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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