Pentagon chief visits Israel amid West Bank violence, anti-Netanyahu protests
- Lloyd Austin’s visit was rescheduled after a surge in street demonstrations against PM Netanyahu, and where hours earlier Israeli forces had killed three men
- He said discussions with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were frank and candid and the US was firmly opposed to ‘acts that could trigger more insecurity’
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 have seen simmering violence amid the Palestinians’ long-stalled goal of statehood.
“The United States [remains] firmly opposed to any acts that could trigger more insecurity, including settlement expansion and inflammatory rhetoric,” Austin told reporters after his meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
“We’re especially disturbed by violence by settlers against Palestinians,” Austin said, adding that his discussions were frank and candid.
He met Netanyahu earlier at the airport for more than an hour and a Pentagon readout of the meeting said Austin called for “immediate steps to de-escalate violence and work towards a just and lasting peace”.
