BICOM

Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman met Defence Secretary Mattis and Vice President Pence in Washington yesterday.

The US Defence Secretary held extensive talks with Lieberman in the Pentagon to discuss the security situation in the Middle East. The Defence Department said that “Lieberman shared his perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the region”. According to Lieberman’s office, he raised concerns over the direction being taken by Lebanon’s new President Michel Aoun, who Lieberman said is “turning the Lebanese Army into part of the array of forces led by Hezbollah”. Lieberman called for “an active America in our region” in order to help “remove obstacles to stability in the Middle East”.

Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said that Mattis reaffirmed “the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security now and in the future”.

Later in the day, Lieberman met Vice President Mike Pence at the White House. The White House said both leaders agreed to “counter threats posed by Iran and its proxies as well as terrorist organisations”. Pence underscored the “unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to upholding Israel’s qualitative military edge”.

Lieberman will today meet with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

In a briefing yesterday, State Department spokesman Mark Toner elaborated on comments last month by President Trump about Israel ‘holding off’ on settlement construction. Toner said: “We’re in discussions with Israel about how exactly that would look like that… It’s under consideration.”

Also yesterday, the head of the US Army’s European Command, Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti visited Israel and inspected Israel’s Arrow missile interception system as well as touring the Gaza border region. Scaparrotti met Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin and visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, where he was escorted by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot.