Peres hosts NJ’s Christie, calls him ‘outstanding friend’

Governor brings delegation of NJ business and religious leaders to expand ties

New Jersey Governor Christ Christie (left) meets with Israeli President Shimon Peres Tuesday (photo credit: Mark Neyman/Flash90)

JERUSALEM (AP) — President Shimon Peres welcomed New Jersey’s governor Tuesday, hailing Chris Christie as “an outstanding friend to Israel.”

Christie, on his second day of a trip to Israel, said he brought a delegation of New Jersey business and religious leaders to Israel to look for opportunities to expand commercial ties and strengthen the already “extraordinarily strong” bond between the Jewish state and his own.

The governor, who has been batted around as a possible Republican vice presidential nominee, said, “New Jersey stands with Israel in all its endeavors.”

Christie also visited Israel’s national Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem, and was to tour Teva Pharmaceuticals, a global generics giant, later on Tuesday.

New Jersey is home to many of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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