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 office 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.