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Pentagon Declares Israel Commitment 04/12 06:04
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday declared an "enduring and
ironclad" American commitment to Israel, reinforcing support at a tense time in
Israeli politics and amid questions about the Biden administration's efforts to
revive nuclear negotiations with Israel's archenemy, Iran.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday
declared an "enduring and ironclad" American commitment to Israel, reinforcing
support at a tense time in Israeli politics and amid questions about the Biden
administration's efforts to revive nuclear negotiations with Israel's
archenemy, Iran.
Austin's first talks in Israel since he became Pentagon chief in January
come as the United States seeks to leverage Middle East diplomatic progress
made by the Trump administration, which brokered a deal normalizing relations
between Israel and several Arab states.
By coincidence or not, the defense secretary arrived as Iran reported that
its underground Natanz nuclear facility lost power just hours after starting up
new advanced centrifuges capable of enriching uranium faster. If Israel caused
the blackout, it would further heighten tensions between the two nations,
already engaged in a shadow conflict across the wider Middle East. Iran called
it an act of "nuclear terrorism," but did not immediately blame anyone directly.
After meeting with Defense Minister Benny Gantz in Tel Aviv, Austin said he
had reaffirmed "our commitment to Israel is enduring and ironclad." Austin made
no mention of Iran. Gantz, in his own remarks while standing beside Austin,
said his country views the United States as a "full partner" against threats,
"not the least, Iran." Neither official took questions from reporters.
"The Tehran of today presents a strategic threat to international security,
the entire Middle East and to the state of Israel," Gantz said in his prepared
statement. "We will work closely with our American allies to ensure that any
new agreement with Iran will secure the vital interests of the world and of the
United States, prevent a dangerous arms race in our region and protect the
state of Israel."
Yoel Guzansky, a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security
Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, said Austin's visit is important in part
because it is the first by a member of President Joe Biden's Cabinet.
"They want to show that they did come here with clean hands and they want to
listen," Guzansky said. "They want to listen to Israel's worries and perhaps
other partners' worries about the negotiation about Iran."
Austin is steeped in the finer points of Middle East defense and security
issues. He served four years as head of U.S. Central Command, capping a 41-year
Army career that included commanding U.S. forces in Iraq.
Flying overnight from Washington, Austin arrived in Tel Aviv in the tense
aftermath of the country's fourth inconclusive election in the past two years.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin last week gave embattled Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu the difficult task of trying to form a new government.
The key backdrop to Austin's visit is the Israeli government's concern about
the Biden administration's attempt to work out an arrangement to reenter the
Iran nuclear deal, which in Israel's view is fatally flawed. Netanyahu has for
years described Iran as an existential threat to his nation due to Iran's
alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon and its support for militant groups like
Lebanon's Hezbollah.
Netanyahu, leading a state with its own secret nuclear weapons program, has
accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons to use with its ballistic missiles.
Iran has maintained its nuclear program is peaceful. Netanyahu has also kept up
his criticism of the Iran nuclear deal, which, if followed, strictly limits
Tehran's ability to enrich and stockpile uranium, blocking it from being able
to make a weapon.
"History has taught us that deals like this, with extremist regimes like
this, are worth nothing," Netanyahu said last week.
Last week, an Iranian ship said to be acting as a Revolutionary Guard base
off the coast of Yemen was struck by an explosion. Iran blamed Israel for the
blast.
In addition to repeated assurances by Republican and Democratic
administrations that the United States will endeavor to preserve Israel's
qualitative military edge over its regional adversaries, Washington for years
has invested heavily in helping Israel develop missile defense technologies.
Iron Dome is one of the most-touted successes in Israel missile defense. It
is a mobile anti-rocket system developed to intercept short-range unguided
rockets. It has shot down more than 2,000 projectiles fired from the Gaza Strip
since it was deployed a decade ago. The U.S. Army recently bought two Iron Dome
batteries at the request of Congress to counter cruise missiles.
There are questions in Israel about U.S. intentions in shifting military
priorities away from the Middle East in order to focus more intensively on
China and Russia as more significant threats to U.S. security.
Iran is the central source of concern by Israel and by support groups in the
United States. The Jewish Institute for National Security of America, or JINSA,
argued in a report last week that such a shift in U.S. priorities would "send
the wrong" signal as the Biden administration begins indirect talks with Iran
on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal with international powers. President Donald
Trump withdrew from it in 2018.
"With reduced defensive capabilities and perceived American retrenchment
from the region, Tehran and its proxies will only be incentivized to pursue
even more dangerous actions to destabilize its neighbors," the JINSA report
said.
Michael Makovsky, the president of JINSA and a former Pentagon official,
said Austin's visit is especially timely, given the Biden administration's
moves toward engaging Iran on its nuclear program.
"Embracing and strengthening Israel sends a pointed signal to Iran, which
will only enhance a credible military option against Iran and U.S. leverage in
the talks," Makovsky said in a statement.
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