U.S. Defense Undersecretary Frank Wisner has met with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and leaders of the security establishment about U.S.-Israel military cooperation and military challenges in the region.
Wisner is the highest-ranking Pentagon official to visit Israel since the Clinton administration took office.
Last week’s visit came at a time when the United States is reviewing its defense capabilities with an eye toward possible reductions.
Wisner’s visit is being seen here as a gesture of continuing U.S. military support for Israel and was not expected to produce new agreements. It followed Rabin’s meeting in Washington with Defense Secretary Les Aspin, who pledged continued cooperation and support.
Defense Ministry sources would say only that Wisner was briefed on “the military situation in the Middle East” and Israel’s defense capabilities.
Sources also said the threat of Iran and expanding Islamic fundamentalism were discussed.
According to recent reports, this month Iran will receive and test North Korea’s surface-to-surface Rodong ballistic missile, which has the capacity to strike Israel.
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