Paul Ryan. Photo: wiki commons.

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney selected 42-year-old Paul Ryan, a Republican congressman from Wisconsin and chairman of the House Budget Committee, as his vice-presidential running mate over the weekend. Ryan is perceived to be a very supportive voice for Israel.

“Not only is Israel the region’s only fully functioning democracy, with a government based on popular consent and the rule of law, but it is also a valuable ally against Islamic extremism and terrorism,” Ryan has said. “America should not pressure Israel to agree to a peace deal that is unlikely to result in peace and security,” he also wrote on his website.

Ryan visited Israel in 2005 with a delegation of newly elected Republican congressman, organized by the American Israel Education Foundation.

Kory Bardash, co-chairman of  Republicans Abroad in Israel , who recently met Ryan at a Republican summit in Park City, Utah, spoke highly of the vice-presidential candidate.

“He has co-sponsored pro-Israel legislation, he is very strong against pressuring Israel to make concessions to the Palestinians, and he is very critical of Hamas, which he called ‘an Islamic terrorist organization,'” Bardash said.