WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine joined members of a U.S.-Israel Parliamentary Committee as they left Sunday on a weeklong trip to Israel.

Collins is one of only four congressional members to be taking part in the visit. The other three are Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., and Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. They are scheduled to hold meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Sharon, Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, General Security Services Chief Avi Dichter, Senior Adviser Dore Gold, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Quriea, and King Abdullah of Jordan.

They will also be meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, with whom Collins plans to discuss possible Israeli defense contracts with Maine businesses.

“It is important that we, as political leaders in the U.S., understand the complexities of the volatile relationship between Israel and the Palestinian people so that we may best provide our assistance and guidance in the peace effort,” Collins said before leaving.

Kyl and Harman are members of the U.S.-Israel Parliamentary Committee, an ad hoc group of American and Israeli political leaders which includes two other U.S. congressional delegates and four members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliamentary body.