by Shlomo Cesana, Yoni Hersch, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff
James Mattis embarks on first regional tour since taking office, will visit Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Djibouti to discuss efforts to defeat terrorism • Mattis to meet with PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Lieberman and President Rivlin.
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis
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Photo credit: Reuters  |
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis is
scheduled to visit the Middle East this week, his first regional tour
since taking office, the Pentagon said Saturday. Mattis is set to visit
Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Djibouti between April 18 and
April 23.
The Defense Department said the purpose of the
trip was to "reaffirm key U.S. military alliances," and "discuss
cooperative effort to counter destabilizing activities and defeat
extremist terrorist organizations."
The Pentagon chief is expected to arrive in
Israel on Thursday. He is scheduled to meet with Defense Minister
Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday and with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
on Friday.
Mattis is also scheduled to meet with President Reuven Rivlin and visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum.
Lieberman and Mattis met in Washington on March 7, where both underscored the close defense ties between the U.S. and Israel.
Mattis' visit to Israel will take place
against the backdrop of efforts by Washington and Jerusalem to reignite
the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Mattis has said in the
past that he believes the Judea and Samaria settlement enterprise was
"obstructing the possibility of a two-state outcome" between Israelis
and Palestinians.
According to the Pentagon, Mattis' first stop
in the Middle East will be Saudi Arabia, where he will hold a series of
meetings with key international counterparts "to strengthen commitments
to the U.S.-Saudi security partnership."
He will then travel to Egypt to discuss
regional security issues and participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at
the Unknown Soldier Memorial in honor of fallen Egyptian soldiers.
After concluding his visit to Israel on
Friday, Mattis will continue on to Qatar. From there he will travel to
Djibouti, where he will meet with President Ismail Omar Guelleh to
further the U.S.-Djibouti commitment to promoting regional stability.
Shlomo Cesana, Yoni Hersch, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=41791
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