Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz speak to reporters following a meeting at the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, April 11, 2021. (Credit: Matty Stern, U.S. Embassy Israel)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
WASHINGTON – PENTAGON – Israeli Minister of Defense Benjamin “Benny” Gantz will meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin at the Pentagon Thursday to discuss security issues including Iran. Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby told reporters Wednesday at a press briefing the two defense chiefs will be discussing regional security issues, recent Israeli operations in Gaza, and “Iran’s continued activity” in the region.
“This is the continuation of a long series of discussions and conversations that the Secretary’s had with Minister Gantz — many over the phone, of course we met with him in person in Israel just a few weeks ago — and he reciprocated the invitation to the Minister to come to the United States and — and now he is. And so it’s an ongoing conversation between these two leaders, who know each other quite well, and there’s a — a whole range of things that — that I — I expect they will be talking about.”
-Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby
“Gantz expected to seek $1 billion Iron Dome restock during snap US visit” – The Times of Israel
The Pentagon press secretary declined to comment on media report that “Gantz during the visit will submit a billion-dollar request to the Pentagon to replenish the arsenal of the Iron Dome missile defense system, following the 11-day conflict between Israel and Gaza terror groups, US Senator Lindsey Graham revealed at a Tuesday press conference while visiting Israel.”
Kirby said: “I won’t get ahead of discussions between the secretary and Minister Gantz. I’m certainly aware of press reporting out there about their desires for resupply. The only thing I’d add is what we said many times, and that we take very seriously our commitment to Israel’s qualitative military edge and our commitment to assisting the Israeli government in its self-defense of its citizens and its — and its sovereign territory.”
Photo credit: Gary Raynaldo ©Diplomatic Times) Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby briefs reporters at the Pentagon in Washington DC.
In April, Defense Secretary Austin reiterated that the U.S. Commitment to Israel remains ‘enduring’ and ‘ironclad’ during talks with Israeli Defense Minister Gantz today in Tel Aviv.
Austin and Gantz agreed the two nations must work closely together to enhance U.S.-Israeli defense cooperation
“Middle East Still a Dangerous Neighborhood”
ISRAEL Concerned About “Threat” From IRAN
In his remarks at the April meeting in Tel Aviv, Gantz specifically pointed to the “threat” from Iran. The Defense Minister said Israel “regards the United States as a full partner across all operational threats, not the least, Iran.” The fundamentalist leaders in Tehran pose a strategic threat to international security to the entire Middle East and to the state of Israel, the Israeli leader said.
