Hagel’s Trip to Israel: New Arms Deal for Israel “Significant Advance For Israel”

Jacob Miller — April 22, 2013 – 10:13 am | Foreign Policy | Iran | Israel | Military Comments (0) Add a comment

This week Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel took his first trip to Israel as Defense Secretary. While on the plane to Israel Secretary Hagel addressed why he was visiting Israel first on his Middle East trip:

Israel is my first stop, and you all have seen the schedule.  I’m going to be in five countries.  And I’m going to Israel first, because it is a nation that has—has had a very special relationship with the United States.  And it is a nation today in a very dangerous, combustible region of the world that in many ways finds itself isolated.  

And it’s very important for the people of Israel to know that the United States is committed to their security and that special relationship.  President Obama’s recent trip, I think, once again, reaffirmed that.   I will be there for some specific business, as I will be in two of the other countries that I’ll be visiting, but also to truly reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the state of Israel. 

Also on the plane to Israel, Secretary Hagel reiterated Israel’s right to defense itself against Iran:

Israel is a sovereign nation, and every sovereign nation has the right to defend itself and protect itself.  Israel will do that.  It must do that.  The United States will do that.

It is clear that, as I said, Iran presents a threat in its nuclear program.  And Israel will make the decisions that Israel must make to protect itself and defend itself.

Secretary Hagel also added that there is “no daylight at all” between Israel and the U.S. on the central goal of preventing a nuclear-armed Iran. Hagel stressed that, “In dealing with Iran, every option must be on the table.”

Photo Credit: Department of Defense

On the first afternoon of Secretary Hagel’s trip to Israel he visited Yad Vashem. After visiting the memorial he delivered some brief remarks:

There is no more poignant, more touching, more effective way to tell a story than this reality, as painful as it is.  But it is a reality.  It did happen.  And we must prepare our future generations and our time here for a clear understanding that we must never allow this to happen again…

To all those who have been responsible for building this institution, I thank you, certainly on behalf of the United States.  I know President Obama was much touched by his visit.  I saw him a couple of days ago, and we talked about my trip.  He specifically mentioned his Yad Vashem visit. 

Photo Credit: Department of Defense

Secretary Hagel also signed the Yad Vashem guest book:

For my friends of Israel,” the secretary read, “thank you for this magnificent institution, reminding all mankind of the depths of evil but also the promise and hope and courage of man—a beautiful and important tribute to those victims of the past and an instruction and reminder for the generations of the future. [Signed,] your friend, Chuck Hagel, United States secretary of defense.

 Photo Credit: Department of Defense

After visiting Yad Vashem Secretary Hagel met with his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon. Following a closed door meeting they held a joint press conference announcing the finalization of new arms sales to Israel. Secretary Hagel told a joint press conference with Ya’alon that the equipment includes items “that we have not given to any other country (to) ensure Israel’s air superiority in the future and allow the Israeli Air Force long-range capabilities.” The sale will include the V-22 Osprey, refueling tankers, advanced radar for Israeli fighter jets and anti-air defense missiles. A Department of Defense Official commented:

This not only sustains but augments Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region…This package is a significant advance for Israel.

Secretary Hagel said during the joint press conference:

It has been my personal pleasure to be here again in Israel and to renew friendships and to build a new working partnership with Bogie Ya’alon.  He was very generous to me yesterday, and in our meetings today, as he noted, we have had some very clear, direct conversations.  And I’m grateful for his time and his leadership at this important time in this relationship between our countries and our people.  And thank you, Bogie, for your own personal commitment, as well as your professional leadership.

As I noted, I personally—and I know President Obama and our country very much appreciates the strong working relationship between our two countries and the commitment to continue to strengthen and deepen U.S.-Israel relationships.  

Our countries share values, common interest, and an unbreakable bond that grows stronger over time.  These common interests include security for our citizens, a peaceful and stable Middle East, countering terrorism, countering nonproliferation, particularly our efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.  The United States has made clear to the Israeli people that we have a commitment to Israel’s security.  That includes our iron-clad pledge, reinforced by President Obama during his visit here last month, as Minister Ya’alon has noted, to ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge….

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit Yad Vashem.  That sacred living memorial is a reminder of the full potential of human evil, but also the strength and resilience of the Jewish people.  For 65 years, the state of Israel has embodied that strength, and it has had no better friend or ally than the United States of America.  President Obama and I are committed to a strong and secure Israel and to deepening the historic security cooperation between our nations.     

 

Photo Credit: Department of Defense

The second day of Hagel’s trip in Israel included additional meeting with Minister Ya’alon as well as a closed door meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres. Below are some of Secretary Hagel’s remarks with President Peres:

It is a personal pleasure to renew our friendship.  I recall vividly the first time we met.  You were very generous with your time to spend an evening having dinner alone with a very junior United States senator.  And I have relayed that story many, many times to many people as to what kind of a man Shimon Peres is, not just president, or former prime minister, or minister of finance, minister of defense, the entire portfolios’ array that you have held…     

As you spoke, Mr. President, I am reminded, once again, of why I have always ascribed “world statesman” to you personally, as I have told many people, not just from that first meeting, but your career, in what you have been about and what you have done in the time that you have been in these responsible positions.  And you have made a difference.  If, for no other reason, you have given inspiration to a whole new generation, a couple of generations of leaders…      

I will conclude this way by agreeing with you on what’s most important to people.  Aid is important, but it’s not lasting, to your point about science and technology and innovation and incentive, freedom to use the human spirit and the human mind.  And I appreciate you saying that because we tend, as you know, in our business of leadership today, with ricocheting from crisis to crisis, to be so consumed with the day to day, the minute to minute that we lose sight of the larger context.     

Secretary Hagel was also given an aerial tour of the Golan Heights. 

On the last day of Secretary Hagel’s trip to Israel he met with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Before entering a closed door meeting both delievered remarks.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said:

This is a special welcome. In the last four years, we’ve greatly enhanced the defense and security relationship between Israel and the United States, and I am absolutely confident that we will continue to further strengthen this under your stewardship of the American defense establishment. This is important because we face many challenges, as you well know, and I look forward to discussing with you how we overcome these challenges in our continued cooperation. 

Israel appreciates deeply, the support, the military and security support, that it enjoys from the United States - it reflects a very deep alliance between our two countries and the defense of our common interests and our common values.

Nowhere are these values and interests challenged more than by the arming of terrorist groups by Iran with sophisticated weapons, and equally, Iran’s attempt to arm itself with nuclear weapons. This is a challenge that Israel cannot accept, and as you and President Obama have repeatedly said, Israel must be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat. In any case, it is good to have you in Jerusalem.  It is good to have the support, friendship and alliance of the United States.  We deeply appreciate it.  Welcome to Jerusalem. 

Secretary Hagel said:

I’ve always appreciate this country, the people, the leadership and the courage that you represent and what has been produced in Israel.  It is a model for the world, and the relationship between our two countries, just as you have noted, is as strong as it’s ever been, not only measured by the military-to-military, all the other metrics that apply to relationships, but as you also noted, prime minister, it is based on common values and respect for others, and that is the foundation of any relationship.  

You noted that the region is not getting any less complicated.  This is a difficult and dangerous time.  This is a time when friends and allies must remain close, closer than ever.  I’m committed to continue to strengthen this relationship, secure this relationship, and as you know, one of the main reasons I’m here is to do that.  I’ve had very good conversations the last two days with your defense minister…

But I believe together, working with our allies and our friends, we will be able to do what is right for your country, my country, and make this region a better region and a more secure region, and make Israel more secure.  So I look forward to our conversation, and thank you for your many courtesies in welcoming me to Israel.  

Hagel wrapped up his three-day trip to Israel by visiting an special forces unit that trains military dogs to find hidden explosives and weapons. A senior defense official traveling with Secretary Hagel’ on his Mideast trip said: “In Hagel’s meetings with Israeli leaders - including Prime Minister Netanyahu - they repeatedly offered strong praise for President Obama. They believe he is strongly committed to Israel’s security and clearly understands how Israel views the security challenges in the Middle East. The President’s recent trip was, in their eyes, a major success.”

 

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