The Jewish community of Hebron was excited to host former US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen.
The high level delegation toured the City of Abraham with the international spokesperson of the Jewish community of Hebron Yishai Fleisher. They met with chairman of the community council Rabbi Hillel Horowitz, Hebrew spokesperson Dr. Noam Arnon and Uri Karzen, CEO of the Jewish community committee.

 

“Great honor for Karen Pence and I to travel to Hebron today to visit the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs at the Cave of Machpelah that Abraham bought to bury Sarah nearly 4,000 years ago,” he wrote on Twitter. He added that Abraham is revered by three “great world religions and it was a joy for Karen and I to be able to visit his final resting place.”

Hebron representatives expressed their appreciation for Mr. Pence’s clear support for the Jewish people and the Land of Israel and especially for his stance regarding the UNESCO declaration declaring Hebron to be an exclusively Palestinian heritage site.

In 2017, the World Heritage Center of the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization declared the Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs to be a Palestinian heritage site in danger from Israel.

 

The site is the burial place of the forefathers and mothers of the Jewish people and features the Herodian structure built over the cave during the Second Temple period. It existed thousands of years before the term “Palestinian” came into use to refer to Arab residents," the Jewish community said. In response to this decision, the United States decided to withdraw from UNESCO.

At the time, US Vice President Mike Pence delivered a powerful speech explaining their decision. He spoke at length about Abraham of the Bible with admiration and reverence. In another speech he stated, "to see Israel is to see how the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob keeps his promises."

The former Vice President and his wife received gold coins produced by the Jewish community of Hebron depicting the Biblical Abraham and Sarah and an image of the Cave of the Patriarchs complex.

While walking past the Tomb of the Patriarchs long-time Hebron resident and Member of Knesset Itamar Ben-Gvir approached Mr. Pence and his delegation to express his thanks.

During their visit to the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, Mr. Pence and his wife received a special blessing from Rabbi Hillel Horowitz, and together recited a short prayer next to the memorial marker for Abraham which indicates the burial chamber in the cave below.

Pence expressed encouragement to the residents of Hebron for their steadfastness and voices support to their right to reside and thrive in the city.

 

 

* Pence travels to Hebron as Biden wants back in UNESCO - Fox News

* Yishai Fleisher podcast discusses Pence Visit

* Mike Pence walks in Abraham's footsteps in Hebron - Jerusalem Post

* Mike Pence tweet about Hebron 1

* Mike Pence tweet about Hebron 2

* Muslim leader slams Pence, vows Tomb is for Muslims only - Jerusalem Post

* Mike Pence Stands Strong with the Patriarchs and the Bible in Hebron - Israel365

* Former VP Pence visits Tomb of Forefathers & Mothers in Hebron - Israel Unwired

* Pence becomes most senior global leader to visit Hebron - JNS

* Mike Pence Visits Hebron - Jewish Press

* Why the United States Is Saying Goodbye to UNESCO - Time Magazine, 2017

 

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