Pence was to deliver a speech to the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, later Monday before holding a joint news conference with Netanyahu. The two men were then to have dinner together in Jerusalem.

The US president has previously expressed confidence in facilitating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, stating during a meeting with Abbas earlier this month that "it is something that I think is frankly maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years."

President Donald Trump has arrived in Israel, a visit aimed at testing the waters for jumpstarting the region's dormant peace process. "We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to this region and to its people," Trump said

Shimon Peres, who served twice as Israel's prime minister and once as president, has died at the age of 93.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement he was shocked that Hamas leaders "chose to welcome this attack."