2014-01-18-24 Middle East

On January 18th, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Laureen Harper depart Ottawa for Israel. On the 19th, they arrive in Tel Aviv, Israel for their first official visit to the Middle East. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Laureen Harper learn about the old city from Dr. Haim Cohen at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, Israel. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper arrive at the Office of the Prime Minister and are greeted by His Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, and his wife Sara Netanyahu. They have dinner at the official residence in Jerusalem, Israel.

On the 20th, Prime Minister Stephen Harper tours the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Prime Minister Stephen Harper participates in a welcoming ceremony at Muqa'ata, the Presidential Compound, in Ramallah, West Bank, with Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority. Later that day, Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivers a speech at the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, in Jerusalem. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper are presented a key to the Knesset from Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, Speaker of the Knesset. Prime Minister Stephen Harper pays his respects after laying a wreath at the Eternal Flame Memorial Monument at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, Israel.

On the 21st, Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel, in Jerusalem. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, participate in a joint press conference in Jerusalem, Israel. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Israel. Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with the leader of the opposition, Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, Israel. Prime Minister Stephen Harper attends and performs at the Jewish National Fund dinner with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Israel.

On the 22nd, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Laureen Harper depart via helicopter for the Sea of Galilee. They tour Capernaum and the Mount of Beatitudes. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Laureen Harper visit the site of the future Hula Valley Bird Sanctuary Visitor and Education Centre, Israel. Prime Minister Stephen Harper receives an Honorary Doctorate from the Tel Aviv University. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Laureen Harper arrive in Amman, Jordan and are greeted by the Jordanian Minister in Attendance, the Jordanian Chief of Protocol, Bruno Saccomani, Ambassador of Canada to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and Nicole Saccomani.

On the 23rd, Prime Minister Stephen Harper participates in a business roundtable while in Jordan. Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrives at Al Husseinieh Palace and is greeted by His Majesty King Abdullah II in Amman, Jordan. Prime Minister Stephen Harper participates in a tête-à-tête with His Majesty King Abdullah II. Prime Minister Stephen Harper participates in delivers remarks during a working lunch with His Majesty King Abdullah II at Al Husseinieh Palace in Amman, Jordan. Prime Minister Stephen Harper then participates in a tête-à-tête with Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour at the Prime Ministry in Amman, Jordan. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, joined by his wife Laureen Harper and Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie, offers his condolences to all those affected by the L'Isle-Verte fire while in Amman, Jordan. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper visit the residence of Ambassador Bruno Saccomani on the 8th anniversary of Stephen Harper's election as Prime Minister while in Jordan.

On the 24th, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper visit the Za'atari Refugee Camp during their first official visit to Jordan. They tour the Petra Archaeological Park and they visit Bethany, Jordan. The following people are also depicted in the photographs: Laureen Harper, Ed Fast, Carl Vallée, Stephen Staley, Jason MacDonald, Haim Cohen, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sara Ben-Artzi, John Baird, James Moore, Christian Paradis, Joe Oliver, Vivian Bercovici, Vera Baboun, Rula Maayah, Jason Kenney, Stockwell Day, Mahmoud Abbas, Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, Peter Kent, David Sweet, John Carmichael, Bruno Saccomani, Nicole Saccomani, Ray Novak, Myles Atwood, Abdullah II, King of Jordan, Ray Novak, Jason MacDonald, Meredith Lilly, Shimon Peres, Isaac Herzog, Abdullah Ensour.