Washington ( CNN ) -- Indiana Gov . Mike Pence met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday , as part of a nine-day trip to the nation that 's sure to set tongues wagging about his plans for the 2016 presidential race . Netanyahu 's Twitter account sent out a quick clip of the two during their meeting Monday in which Pence expressed support for Israel , and said he believes `` the strong and broad and bipartisan support for the state of Israel ... will be reflected in the decisions our United States Congress makes in the months ahead . '' The meeting was part of a busy day in Israel for Pence , which included stops at a Holocaust memorial and a meeting with the Israeli minister of economy . It 's the first of three days he 'll spend on an `` economic development mission to bring jobs and investment to Indiana , '' his office said â€ ” Â and part of a broader nine-day trip that 's included a visit to the Western Wall and time spent with Israeli troops . Pence 's office said Pence and his wife 's expenses during the cultural visits are being paid for by Christians United for Israel , and the economic development portion of the trip is being covered by the Indiana Economic Development Foundation . The state is paying for his security detail . It 's the governor 's fifth `` international job-hunting mission '' as governor , according to his office , and while the trip was ostensibly organized around an economic development agenda , it 's also a signal he 's contemplating a presidential run . Strong support for Israel will be a litmus test for any GOP presidential contenders hoping to compete in the primary , and a trip to the nation has become a traditional pilgrimage for potential candidates looking to burnish their foreign policy credentials . South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham , another Republican who has left the door open to 2016 , visited Israel this weekend , physician Ben Carson was there last week and former Arkansas Gov . Mike Huckabee , also contemplating a run , is planning another trip there in February .
Israel Prime Minister Pence met with Israel Gov . Mike Pence on the first of three days . Benjamin Netanyahu is touring the region on an economic development mission . Taking a trip to Indiana is a common early destination for presidential hopefuls .