Washington, July 26: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates prepares to embark on a visit to Israel for talks on a range of joint military issues and the Iranian nuclear program.
Gates is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday to discuss topics such as the Iranian nuclear issue, the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Tel Aviv, and the regime’s missile plan.
“We’re talking about the threats and challenges that we see in the region,” a senior US defense official, commenting on the trip, told several reporters on Friday, Reuters reported.
The US defense official, who was not named by the news agency, also said that Gates, the only official President Barack Obama kept on from the Bush cabinet, would not be bringing any new US positions to Israel.
However he explained that the Obama administration, supported by its European allies, had asked “antsy” politicians in Tel Aviv to be patient over the dispute with Iran.
“Try to allow us to have diplomacy work” They say, “Try…We’re all for trying,” he said.
Gates visit to Israel comes just days after Israeli officials called off a joint test of the Arrow missile system, co-produced by Chicago-based Boeing Co., moments before it was scheduled to have been fired.
This is while a potential $15 billion US deal with Israel for the sale of 100 Lockheed Martin Corp’s radar-evading F-35 Joint Strike Fighters is being held up by reported technology transfer queries, Tel Aviv’s efforts for integration of Israeli-made electronic warfare equipment and cost issues.
After Israel, Gates will visit Jordan for talks with King Abdullah and his defense chief on how the situation would unfold in Iraq after full US troop withdrawal by the end of 2011.
“We see pretty eye to eye with the Jordanians on most of the security challenges,” the official said.
—-Agencies