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Top US Generals Discuss Cooperation With Israel
Top US Generals Discuss Cooperation With Israel
Barbara Opall-Rome 3:02 p.m. EST March 3, 2016
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/international/mideast-africa/2016/03/03/dunford-breedlove-israel-yaalon-cooperation-joe-biden/81270504/
TEL AVIV — US Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford and Air Force Gen. Philip
Breedlove held high-level talks in Israel on Thursday, meeting with Defense
Minister Moshe Ya’alon and senior security officials on plans to further
strategic cooperation in the face of chronic regional instability.
Among topics of discussion, sources in Israel said, were ways in which both
countries are coordinating deconfliction protocols with Russian forces
waging war beyond Israel’s northern border on behalf of Syrian President
Bashar Assad; the role of Turkey in the region; and Israel’s requirements as
it works to conclude a new 10-year military aid package with Washington.
Security talks held in Israel will be followed by a visit next week by US
Vice President Joe Biden, hosted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu.
In his second visit here in less than five months, Dunford, chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he is committed to strengthening
military-to-military ties, which he recognizes is just one aspect of the
ties that bind the two nations.
Turning to Breedlove, commander of US European Command (EUCOM), which is
responsible for Israel, Dunford noted that EUCOM works daily to hone
strategic cooperation with its Israeli partners.
“Gen. Breedlove works it every day; and I’m committed to building on his
efforts,” Dunford told Ya’alon.
Earlier in the day, the two generals visited US and Israeli military
personnel participating in the closing session of the joint Juniper Cobra
air defense exercise, followed by professional talks hosted by Lt. Gen. Gadi
Eisenkott, Israel Defense Forces chief of staff.
During a high-level working meeting Thursday afternoon, Ya’alon told
American officials he welcomed the opportunity to discuss cooperative ways
of addressing myriad regional challenges.
“Looking around at the Mideast together, with instability in the region, we
see many challenges ahead of us. I’m glad for another opportunity to discuss
the developing situation,” Ya’alon said.
To which Dunford replied: “We do have a lot of issues. And the thing that
gives me confidence that we can deal with these challenges is the fact that
we’re partners and allies.”
Email: [email protected]
Source: http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=70121
