In the middle of escalated regional tensions following a reported air strike on
Syria last week, IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen Benny Gantz traveled to the US on
Sunday for a five-day previously planned visit as the guest of US Gen. Martin
Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The two are expected to
discuss security challenges and assess the latest Middle East regional security
picture.
The air strikes in Syria, attributed by foreign media sources to
the Israel Air Force, and their effect on the security situation will likely
dominate the discussions, as well as the remaining threat posed by Syrian
instability and strategic weapons in the country.
Gantz’s deputy,
Maj.-Gen.
Gadi Eizenkot, will fill in for him during the
visit.
Gantz will be accompanied by the IDF’s attache to Washington,
Maj.-Gen.
Yaakov Ayash, and the head of the IDF’s Planning Branch,
Maj.-Gen. Nimrod Shefer.
Last week, shortly before the air strikes in
Syria, the head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Aviv , traveled to
Washington for talks with senior Pentagon officials.