Intel: Israel’s defense chief heads to Washington after Gaza war
Gantz’s visit will be his first during the Biden administration.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz will meet with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington on Thursday, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
Why it matters: The visit is Gantz’s first during the Biden administration and comes on the heels of an 11-day conflict with Palestinian militant factions in the Gaza Strip.
The fighting, which killed more than 240 Palestinians in addition to 12 people in Israel, was halted by a cease-fire May 21.
Additional US military support and Israeli concerns about the Biden administration’s negotiations with Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal are likely to be high on the agenda for Gantz’s visit. According to Israel’s Kan news, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi will join Gantz on the trip after missing a security delegation's trip to Washington in April.
