Defense Policy Advisory Group Meets in Tel Aviv

Max Samis — June 28, 2012 – 2:06 pm | Israel Comments (0) Add a comment

During President Barack Obama’s tenure in the White House, the United States’ strategic partnership with Israel has only grown stronger and deeper. This week, The Jerusalem Post reported that a meeting between military officials from both countries took place in Tel Aviv. During the meeting, efforts to improve Israel’s military edge in the Middle East were discussed, as well as how the situations in Iran and Syria might affect Israel.

Yaakov Katz wrote:

In a sign of increased ties between the United States and Israel, a meeting of the joint Defense Policy Advisory Group took place on Wednesday in Tel Aviv to discuss ways to ensure Israel’s military edge in the region.

The main focus of the talks was the West’s ongoing standoff with Iran over its nuclear program as well as the instability in Syria and Israeli concerns that Syria’s sophisticated weaponry and chemical arsenal will fall into rogue hands.

The US was represented at the two-day talks by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy James Miller. Israel was represented by top Defense Ministry officials including director-general Udi Shani and head of the Diplomatic-Security Bureau Amos Gilad.

Discussions were also expected to focus on the continued US support for Israel’s missile defense systems.

While the Obama administration has allocated $275 million since 2011 for the program, Israel is interested in creating a multiyear plan with the US that would ensure a regular budget for missile defense systems that Israel will need to purchase over the coming years.

In October, the US and Israel will hold a massive missile defense exercise called Austere Challenge in the framework of which America will deploy PAC-3 and Aegis defense systems in the country.

The Defense Policy Advisory Group was first established in 1999 under then-president Bill Clinton and prime minister Ehud Barak. Over time though, the group fell into disuse but was revamped and beefed up after President Barack Obama took office in 2009.

The purpose of the group is to meet regularly to discuss ways to ensure that Israel retains a qualitative military edge in the Middle East.

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In addition, Israel Hayom notes that five cadets from West Point trained with the Israeli Defense Force in a week-long seminar, the fifth year such a program has taken place. Lilach Shovel wrote:

A delegation of five cadets and an officer from the United States Military Academy at West Point arrived in Israel last week for a week long training seminar at the Israel Defense Forces’ Tactical Command College, located 5 miles north of Tel Aviv.

The U.S. delegation, who departed from Israel Saturday night, toured the country with trainees from the IDF college and their commanders and learned about the Israeli soldiers’ expertise in counter-terrorism.

The visit marks the fifth year in a row in which West Point cadets arrive in Israel. An IDF spokesperson highlighted the significance of the visit, calling it another example of the close ties between the Israeli and U.S. militaries.

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