IDF Chief of Staff Gantz: No country can remain isolated from terrorism

Gantz says terrorism is "the common challenge of the countries of the world."

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz (photo credit: REUTERS)
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz
(photo credit: REUTERS)
No country can remain isolated from the threat of terrorism, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz said Thursday, in reference to the deadly shooting attack by jihadi gunmen in Paris.
Speaking before 300 cadets at the National Defense University (NDU) in Washington DC, Gantz said terrorism is "the common challenge of the countries of the world," and called for a joint effort to combat it, including sharing information.
The old Sykes-Picot borders of the Middle East are being redrawn with a paintbrush of violence by the Islamic State, Gantz continued. "In the past, when you wanted to have an influence, you had to maneuver. Today, to have an influence, you have to maneuver ideas, not forces," he added.
Gantz is a graduate of the NDU. During his address, he shared highlights of his tenure as chief of staff.
He said that current decisions being taken on the military's future structure and equipment will shape events for a decade to come. "We will have to know to adjust the activation [of military forces] not according to what we planned, but according to the reality that has developed in the meantime," he said.
On Tuesday, Gantz met with his Canadian counterpart, General Tom Lawson on Monday in Ottawa. Gantz is in North America for a five-day visit.
During their meeting, Gantz and Lawson discussed bilateral Canadian-Israeli strategic cooperation, as well as common threats and ways of dealing with them.
General Lawson stated that “Israel is Canada’s closest ally in the Middle East and our two countries enjoy strong military relations on a variety of fronts. This bond has been strengthened under Lt.-Gen Gantz’s watch, and reinforced by today’s meeting." The visit comes after Israel and Canada signed a memorandum of strategic understandings in January 2014, in which both have committed to advance bilateral ties in defense, security, and government.
Canada has leased and purchased a number of Israeli defense products, including drones and counter improvised explosives equipment.