During his recent visit to Israel, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin emphasized that “America’s commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad:”
“Our bond is rooted in far more than just shared interests. It’s rooted in the shared values of democracy and freedom and the rule of law, and those values remain essential.”
U.S. assistance to Israel is robust: $3.3 billion annually for security assistance as well as additional funding for cooperation on missile defense. This past January, the two countries participated in a joint military exercise that Secretary Austin called “a key step forward in interoperability, helping us both to better address regional threats.”
In his discussions with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Secretary Austin told reporters Iran was a major topic:
“Iran remains the primary driver of instability in the region, and we remain deeply concerned by Iran’s support for terrorism, its dangerous proxies, its nuclear advances, its aggression at sea, its cyber threats, and its proliferation of attack drones and advanced conventional weapons.”
Secretary Austin underscored President Biden’s pledge that Iran will never be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon. He noted the United States continues to believe that diplomacy remains the best way to prevent Iran from doing so.
Secretary Austin’s visit to Israel occurred at a time of elevated tension between Israel and the Palestinians. The two defense ministers, Secretary Austin said, “had a very frank and candid discussion among friends about the need to de-escalate, lower tensions and to restore calm.”
“As we always have, we’re calling on the Palestinian leadership to combat terrorism and to resume security cooperation to condemn incitement. And as I always have, I was very clear about Israel’s right to defend itself,” he said.
“We are urging everyone to de-escalate in terms of activities in the West Bank. Our focus remains on working with Israel and the Palestinians and other regional partners to de-escalate and restore calm,” Secretary Austin said, “And I look forward to continuing to work together to make Israel even more secure over the long haul.”
