Vice President Pence said late Wednesday that he plans to travel to the Middle East in December, The Associated Press reported.

Pence made the remarks during a keynote speech at a dinner for the nonprofit In Defense of Christians.

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“President Trump has directed me to go to the Middle East in late December,” said Pence, according to the AP.

The vice president said “one of the messages that I will bring on the president’s behalf to leaders across the region is that now is the time to bring an end to the persecution of Christians and all religious minorities.”

The wire service said Pence will visit Israel in a trip coinciding with Hanukkah. He will also travel to Egypt.

The vice president will meet individually with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about peace negotiations.

Pence will also meet with Egypt’s leader, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on that leg of the trip.