KRTV - Daines Meets with Israeli President Shimon Peres

News Article

By Marnee Banks

U.S Representative Steve Daines (R-MT) and his wife Cindy met with Israeli President Shimon Peres on Tuesday.

Daines is traveling throughout Israel this week to promote Montana's economic relationship with the country and also learn about Israel's national security issues.

The Montana Television Network spoke with Daines on the phone as he was traveling.

He said they talked about peace negotiations with the Palestinians and the nuclear threat of Iran.

Daines also met with a retired Israeli general who was able to discuss how he dealt with the war on terror and border security. These are two issues Daines says he will be looking at as he begins his work on the Homeland Security subcommittee.

"Everything is just so close over here. We are used to growing up in Montana, great big wide open spaces where our physical enemies in the world are a long ways away," Daines explains. "For Israel, they are literally like being a county or two away, if I could think about it in Montana terms. This just adds another dimension to conversations on border security, and on terror when Israel's enemies are located just literally in their backyard."

Later this week Daines will meet with Palestinian leaders.

He will also be discussing a Montana business which is helping to develop a missile defense system for Israel.

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