Sec. Austin: US committed to Israel’s security

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is currently meeting with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in Washington.

At the beginning of the meeting with Bennett, Austin said that “the administration remains committed to Israel’s security and right to self defense. That is unwavering. It is steadfast, and it is ironclad.”

“You can also see that commitment as we advocate for the replenishment of the Iron Dome missile defense system. The administration is committed to ensuring that Iron Dome can defend Israeli civilian population centers targeted by terrorist attacks. We are working closely with Congress to provide all the necessary information to respond positively to your request for $1 billion in emergency funding, and it’s going to save more innocent lives,” the Defense Secretary said.

“The Department of Defense is also committed to maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge and to ensuring that Israel had defend itself against threats from Iran, its proxies, and terrorist groups. And in that vein, Mr. Prime Minister, I look forward to a frank discussion today about Iran’s alarming nuclear steps and continued regional aggression. Iran must be held accountable for acts of terrorism and aggression, in the Middle East or in international waters, like the July 30 attack on the Mercer Street commercial vessel,” he said.

“We’ve also been closely watching as Israel has been a global leader in the battle against COVID-19, and we’ll keep consulting closely with yo and sharing lessons learned,” he said. “And looking right next door, I am pleased that the United States is providing 500,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to the Palestinians.”

“Over decades of cooperation, the United States and Israel have built a strong and enduring partnership. And that partnership is rooted in trust, shared democratic values, and mutual security interests. Moving forward, we’re going to build on that, Mr. Prime Minister, and we’re going to seek lasting security for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” Austin added.