IDF chief lands in US for cross-country work visit

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot landed in the United States Sunday to meet with members of the American military and Department of Defense, as Jerusalem and Washington hammer out the final details of an aid package for the coming years.

He was slated to speak with his American counterpart, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford, along with other defense officials, as he travels through Washington, DC, Florida and Utah.

Eisenkot will inspect the squadron of Israeli F-35 fighter jets, which will be delivered to the Israeli Air Force by the end of the year, and will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington cemetery. He will also visit the US military’s special forces base in Florida, the army said in a statement.

“[Eisenkot and members of the US Department of Defense] will also discuss current security challenges, the regional security assessments in the Middle East and military cooperation,” the army said.

While Eisenkot is in America, he will be replaced by his deputy, Maj. Gen. Yair Golan.

“Eisenkot will be accompanied by his wife, Hannah Eisenkot, the Defense Attaché [to the US], Maj. Gen. Yaacob Ayish, and the head of international military cooperation, Brig. Gen. Erez Meizel,” the army said.

Last week, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that the acting head of Israel’s National Security Council, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yaakov Nagel, would travel to Washington on Sunday for meetings with his US counterparts in order to work toward the signing of a new 10-year Memorandum of Understanding on security assistance with the United States.

The current memorandum, which expires at the end of 2017, guarantees Israel $3 billion annually in assistance. The new agreement is widely expected to be larger, though most of the aid can only be spent in the United States.

JTA contributed to this report.