Los Angeles Times: Sarah Palin traveling to India and Israel

Los Angeles Times: Sarah Palin traveling to India and Israel
Reporting from Washington— Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin makes two high-profile overseas stops this weekend amid continued uncertainty about the Republican's political future.

On Saturday evening, Palin will deliver the keynote address at the India Today Conclave in New Dehli, a gathering that also features Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed El Baradei and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The theme of the conclave, in its 10th year, is "The Changing Balance of Power." Palin's speech is entitled, "My Vision of America," according to the program.

"I'm very excited to visit India," Palin said in a statement to the Indian press. "Americans have a great respect for the world's largest democracy and the U.S. are partners in trade and business affairs. Working together our two nations can build a more peaceful and prosperous world."

On Sunday, Palin will travel to Israel, where she reportedly will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss "key issues," according to a statement from her office. She follows a long list of potential candidates who have made the pilgrimage to meet with the Israeli leader.

Foreign policy has been considered a weak point for the former vice presidential nominee; her portrayal on "Saturday Night Live" saying she "could see Russia from my house" was one of the 2008 campaign's iconic moments.

Domestically, Palin has continued to limit her public appearances largely to hits on Fox cable channels and comments through social media outlets. Last week she attacked President Obama over gas prices in a Facebook posting, where she also teased readers about her future.

"2012 can't come soon enough," she closed the posting with.

But she has made targeted appearances. In February, Palin delivered a speech at a Long Island business conference. She's set to travel to Florida next week for the Naples Town Hall distinguished speakers series, an event that is open only to local reporters.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll released this week showed Palin's favorable rating among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents had dropped to just 58%, while more than a third view her unfavorably.

An average of public polling by RealClearPolitics shows Palin ranks third in a national horserace of Republican candidates, behind former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.