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Pence arrives in Israel on third leg of Middle East trip
Jerusalem, Jan 22 (IANS) US Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Israel on Sunday evening for a three-day visit, the third stop in his delayed trip to the Middle East.
Pence landed in the Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv, where he was welcomed by Israel’s Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, Xinhua news agency reported.
Pence’s schedule only includes meetings with Israeli Jewish leaders after Palestinian leaders said they will boycott the visit due to the recent US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Pence will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and with President Reuven Rivlin on the following day.
Also on Monday, Pence will address the Knesset (parliament) plenum, a session that all lawmakers with the Arab-Jewish Joint List, Israel’s third largest party, said they will boycott.
On Tuesday, Pence is scheduled to visit the Western Wall in East Jerusalem, a Jewish holy site on the foot of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint site sacred to both Muslims and Jews and a focal point of the unrest in East Jerusalem.
The Vice President has met Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi Saturday and held talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah II earlier on Sunday, before arriving in Israel.
Pence arrived in the region amidst heightened tensions in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s statement on December 6.
Changing a long-held US policy, Trump said he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that the US will relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
A White House official said the issue of Jerusalem is expected to come up during the meetings. “We are prepared for that topic,” he was quoted as saying by CNN.
“The main theme for the vice president is going to be looking forward,” the official said. “And how can all of the parties work together at this juncture and try to find out the best path forward for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”
Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it shortly after, claiming it as part of its indivisible capital. The move, however, has never been recognized internationally.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.