Romney to visit Jerusalem

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JERUSALEM, July 11 (UPI) -- Presumptive U.S. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is planning a $60,000-a-plate fundraiser in Jerusalem, a source told The Jerusalem Post.

The Post said in an exclusive report attendees would fly in from the United States for the July 29 event.

After the fundraiser, Romney was reported planning to host a conference in Jerusalem where he will outline his Middle East policy.

Jonny Daniels, an Israeli Republican political consultant, told the newspaper Romney would meet with President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, opposition leader Shelly Yechimovich and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"It's going to be a statesmanlike visit because [Romney] needs to be careful how everything is perceived," Daniels said.

Romney is likely to face a request from both Netanyahu and Peres to free convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, a U.S. intelligence analyst convicted of spying for Israel and sentenced to life in 1987, Daniels said. Repeated requests from Israel to release Pollard have been routinely rebuffed.

Romney was scheduled to leave Israel July 31, with a possible stop in Germany en route back to the United States, Daniels said.