US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel was meeting Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday at the end of a three-day trip which saw him touting strong backing for Israel despite differences over Iran’s nuclear project.
With US-Israeli relations strained over questions about the imminence of the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme and Hagel dogged by his past criticisms of Israel, the Pentagon chief has stressed his full-throated support for the Jewish state in his first visit as defence secretary.
Speaking on Monday, Hagel said he came away with a fresh perspective on Israel’s situation after a 90 minute helicopter tour of the occupied Golan Heights in the north, accompanied by his Israeli counterpart Moshe Yaalon.
“I had been in those areas in my many visits here. But I’d never seen it the way that the minister had it laid out for me, the north along the border,” Hagel told reporters.
“And when you have that experience, as you know so well, it really does shape the kind of challenges and the kind of world that Israel’s living with, and in a clear way.”
Later in the day, Hagel met Peres who welcomed him on what he said was a “timely and meaningful” visit.
“It means that the message coming from you is that you are determined, as really a leader of the free world, not to permit Iran to make this terrible mistake and become nuclear.