The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Military held extensive meetings with IDF officials and the Minister of Defense
On Sunday (June 27), the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, met with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Military, Admiral Michael G. Mullen. The two of them held a private meeting, as well as a larger discussion with senior commanders of the General Staff, including Deputy Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. Benny Ganz, the head of Israel Defense Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, the Head of the Strategic Planning Directorate, Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel, the Military Attache to Washington, Maj. Gen. Gadi Shamni, and the Commander in Chief of the Israeli Navy, Maj. Gen. Eliezer Marom. The meetings focused on the cooperation between the two militaries and on mutual security challenges.
At the end of the meetings, Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi commented that the two of them completed a professional conversation on a number of topics, mutual challenges and issues on the agenda. Admiral Mullen emphasized that he always extends his knowledge when visiting Israel. “I always try to see the threats and the challenges from an Israeli perspective,” he said, and added that while the interests at hand are specifically Israeli, they are also important for the United States in the area.
Earlier during the day, Minister of Defense Ehud Barak met with Admiral Mullen in his offie in Tel Aviv. “We are very happy to receive Admiral Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Military, at our defense system staff and the General Staff, for a short work visit,” said Minister Barak.
“Admiral Mullen is responsible for a very large area in the Middle East as part of his responsibility towards worldwide security. We value his contribution to the security and stability of the area and to the close work relationship between the IDF and the Pentagon and the US Military very much, and really are happy to see him here as someone who contributes a lot to the security of the entire area and the State of Israel,” he added.
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