JERUSALEM (JTA) — United States Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano is in Israel to check on joint security projects between the two countries.
Napolitano visited Israel Monday and Tuesday as part of a multi-country tour that has included stops in Ireland, Afghanistan and Qatar. She will head to Belgium to meet with European Union and World Customs Organization officials, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
"The United States and Israel have a strong and enduring partnership, and the reason for my visit is to make sure that all the things that we’re doing in partnership with Israel — aviation security to cyber-security, to science and technology, research that we are undertaking together focused on security — that all of those activities are being done in a productive and robust fashion," Napolitano said Monday during a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Also Monday, Napolitano visited the Western Wall and Yad Vashem, where she participated in a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. She also met with Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor, who is the minister of Intelligence and atomic energy, and Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz to discuss threats from terrorism and the ongoing security partnership between the United States and Israel, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security.
During the meetings, Napolitano reiterated her commitment to promoting enhanced international aviation security and sharing information and best practices with Israeli aviation authorities in order to counter threats of terrorism, according to the DHS.
Napolitano met seperately Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich, and visited the Ben Gurion International Airport to meet with airport officials to discuss enhancing global aviation security while streamlining travel and trade.
