US defense chief delays arrival to Israel, will meet Netanyahu near airport
Defense Minister Lloyd Austin will conclude his Middle East in Israel Thursday morning, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has shortened a planned visit to Israel amid security concerns in Tel Aviv ahead of mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul.
Austin was originally scheduled to arrive in Israel on Wednesday night after meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and top military officials in Cairo.
He is now set to arrive in Tel Aviv on Thursday morning and will meet Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu near Ben Gurion Airport, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed in a statement to Al-Monitor.
“At the request of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the location of Secretary Austin’s bilateral meetings Thursday in Tel Aviv with Israeli leaders will be relocated from the Ministry of Defense to a location near the airport,” Ryder said.
