US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stand inside a sukkah in Jerusalem, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. Photo: Sebastian Scheiner / Pool via Reuters.

i24 News – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to the Middle East on Friday for a 10-day tour during which he is expected to make stops in Israel, the Arab Gulf states, and Europe.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Pompeo is expected to hold talks with the leaders of seven different countries, with his first stop in Europe to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

The top diplomat will then sojourn in Istanbul and meet with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, “to discuss religious issues in Turkey and the region and to promote our strong stance on religious freedom around the world,” the State Department said in a statement.

Pompeo will also make an appearance in Tbilisi, Georgia before meeting Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, where the two are expected to discuss the Abraham Accords “and our joint efforts to address Iran’s malign activities.”

Following his visit to the Jewish state, Pompeo is set to meet with UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayd, Israel’s newest regional ally, in Abu Dhabi “to discuss security cooperation and regional issues.”

Pompeo’s final stop will take him to Riyadh where he will meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the State Department said in its press release.

The Secretary of State is also slated to meet with the Qatari royal family during his trip.