Defense Minister Ehud Barak
Photo: Gil Yohanan
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Photo: AP
WASHINGTON – At the end of meetings held between Defense Minister Ehud Barak,
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other senior US officials in Washington DC, the White House announced Wednesday that the US will continue its "unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security,
including through our continued support for Israel’s military and the unprecedented security cooperation between our two governments".
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In addition to Clinton, other officials who took part in the meeting included US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and National Security Advisor Tom Donilon. This is the first meeting between an Israeli official and senior US government officials since the beginning of the crisis in Egypt which caused concern in Israel over the status of existing peace agreements and the level of preparedness for the post-Mubarak era.
A White House statement noted that Barak and the US officials discussed "the latest developments in Egypt, the need to move forward on Middle East peace, efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and other regional and bilateral issues". They also agreed that the US and Israel would "continue to consult closely on common challenges and issues across our shared agenda".
During his two-day visit to the US, Barak held a series of meetings with senior US officials. On Wednesday he met with CIA Chief Leon Panetta, as well as National Security Council senior official Dennis Ross. Ross has a decisive role on the council with regards to the Iran nuclear issue and is involved in efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian process.
Barak also met with Eric Cantor who serves as Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, and Stanley Hoyer who serves as Democrat minority leader in the House. On Thursday Barak will meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York. He will also be representing Israel at a special UN assembly marking the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
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