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New US Defence Secretary pledges “unwavering commitment” to Israeli security
(Photo: Gen James Mattis speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, Washington D.C, on 27 July 2010. Photo by Luke X. Martin. Flickr.)
The US Defence Secretary spoke with his Israeli counterpart yesterday and pledged his commitment to advancing defence relations.
According to a Pentagon statement, Secretary James Mattis called Avigdor Lieberman “during his first week [in office] to emphasise his intent to advance the US-Israeli defence relationship and to protect Israel’s qualitative military edge”. Mattis also used the opportunity to “underscore his unwavering commitment to Israel’s security”.
The statement added that Mattis and Lieberman discussed “regional security challenges in the Middle East and the need to create common approaches to challenges facing the region,” and that “both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the US-Israeli defence relationship, and look forward to meeting in person in the future”.
Last September, the US signed its largest ever military aid package, pledging approximately £30bn to Israel over the next ten years.
Also yesterday, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani met Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. According to reports, Giuliani, who is considered a close confidant of US President Trump, was laying the groundwork for Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to Washington.
Giuliani told Fox News that the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu is not new, “but now obviously it’s a much more important one”.
It was reported byNew York Times earlier this week that Trump intends to sign an executive order to drastically reduce or terminate funding to international organisations, UN bodies, which grant full membership to the Palestinian Authority (PA) or Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).
The New York Times says that the order, titled “Auditing and Reducing US Funding of International Organisations,” would see “at least a 40 per cent overall decrease” in remaining American funding of such international organisations. The executive order would also reportedly trigger a review process regarding US membership of multilateral treaties.