Pentagon chief visits Israel amid West Bank violence, anti-Netanyahu protests

• Published date: 09 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin told Israeli leaders on Thursday to take steps to reduce tensions in the occupied West Bank, amid growing worry in Washington that the situation could distract the allies from their effort to counter Iran.

Austin, who is on a regional tour, landed in Ben Gurion Airport for a visit that had been hastily rescheduled due to a surge in street protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judiciary.

Hours earlier, Israeli forces killed three Islamic Jihad gunmen in the West Bank, among territories that has seen simmering violence amid the Palestinians' long-stalled goal of statehood.

"Secretary Austin called for a halt in unilateral actions that undermine the enduring goal of two states with Palestinians and Israelis enjoying equal measures of freedom, security, opportunity, justice, and dignity," a Pentagon readout of Austin's meeting with Netanyahu said.

He met Netanyahu at the airport for more than an hour.

The United States is Israel's closest ally and both countries are increasingly concerned about Iran military activities in the region and its nuclear program.

"Secretary Austin is perfectly capable of having conversations about both issues (West Bank and Iran)," said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

But Israel's preoccupation with the West Bank "detracts from our ability to focus on what the strategic threat is right now and that is Iran's dangerous nuclear advances and continuing regional and global aggression", the official said.

He was greeted on the tarmac by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and was due to have a meeting with his counterpart and Netanyahu at a nearby aerospace industry compound.

Austin had originally been due to arrive on Wednesday and stay overnight in Tel Aviv, where Israel's Defense Ministry is based. But those plans were...