During his visit to the United States, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant conducted meetings with US government officials, including the White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Brett McGurk, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, and the US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
During his meeting with White House Coordinator Brett McGurk, Minister Gallant raised the importance of expanding the Abraham Accords to include additional partners in the region. He also emphasized the importance of security arrangements for this purpose.
Minister Gallant expressed his appreciation to the Coordinator for his ongoing investment in normalization efforts between Israel and countries in the region. He also raised the importance of preserving Israel’s qualitative military edge.
During the discussions, Minister Gallant briefed the US officials on Iranian actions that undermine stability in the Middle East region. In this regard, he emphasized Israel’s commitment to defending its citizens against any threat.
In his meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, Minister Gallant also discussed IDF counterterrorism efforts in Judea and Samaria. He detailed Iranian support for terrorism in the region – including the transfer of funds and arms.
Minister Gallant reiterated the defense establishment’s proactive approach against terrorism while operating in a precise manner, which aims to isolate terror operatives from the civilian population.
Minister Gallant expressed his deep appreciation for the US government’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism and for the US Administration’s commitment to Israel’s security.