Hall County Commissioner Ashley Bell will be gaining new perspective on government thanks to an upcoming trip to Israel.

Bell leaves Sept. 5 for a 10-day trip to the Middle Eastern country, funded entirely through the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

"I want to be a part of our delegation to learn more about Israel and do everything we can to have a greater understanding of modern Israel and the role they play on the world stage, as well as understanding our role better as Americans," Bell said.

The trip will include meetings with Israeli leaders and members of the Palestinian Authority.

Bell said AIPAC contacted him about the opportunity, and he decided to take time off work to pursue it.

"I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said. "I think every Christian thinks about getting the chance to go to the Holy Land and see the sites that you read about in the Bible and get a chance to actually be in some of the most historical places on our planet."

Bell said he also has long been a supporter of Israel as well as AIPAC and has a personal interest in foreign policy.

Some of the issues tackled during the trip may not apply to county government, but Bell said there are certain things all governments deal with and getting a broader perspective can only help him think outside of the box at home.

"The more things you can throw into your pot when you're trying to figure out conflicts, problems, whether it's dealing with transportation issues or whether it's dealing with ways we dispose of our trash, I mean those are international issues that everybody in every country around the world has to deal with," he said.

"And I think different approaches and learning how different people deal with different issues is always helpful."