He is expected to deliver a “tough” message to Israel.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin began a one-week visit in the Middle East in Amman, Jordan, where he met with King Abdullah II. He is also expected to visit Egypt and Israel.
The Defense Department stated that the secretary’s goal is to reinforce the U.S. commitment to partnerships and security in the region.
“Secretary Austin will convey enduring U.S. commitment to the Middle East and provide reassurance to our partners that the United States remains committed to supporting their defense and increasing and strengthening the strategic partnerships with each of these countries,” said a senior defense official in advance of the trip.
“Secretary Austin will talk about, with each partner, the tremendous opportunities that we have because of cutting-edge innovation, emerging technology, shared assessments of what the threats are facing our partners in the region, [and] that now is the time to improve collective and shared defense,” the official said.
“In Israel, he will reaffirm his ironclad commitment to Israel[‘s] security, and Israel’s inherent right to self-defense,” the official said. “He’ll also be quite frank with Israeli leaders about his concerns regarding the cycle of violence in the West Bank and consult on what steps Israeli leaders can take to meaningfully restore calm before the upcoming holidays.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the defense secretary as he travels to Middle Eastern nations and meets with their leaders.
- For wisdom for U.S. officials as they respond to violence in Israel.
- For discernment for Israeli leaders as they deal with conflict in the West Bank.
Sources: Reuters, Washington Times, Department of Defense
