US defense chief Esper canceled visit to Israel after Soleimani hit
Esper was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Naftali Bennett. It would have been Esper’s first visit to Israel as secretary of defense.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFU.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper holds his first news conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., August 28, 2019(photo credit: REUTERS)
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper was supposed to visit Israel this week but canceled following the targeted killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani on Friday, The Jerusalem Post has learned.Esper was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Naftali Bennett. It would have been Esper’s first visit to Israel as secretary of defense. Netanyahu last met Esper in September during a brief trip to London.Esper took up the top Pentagon role in July. He graduated from West Point alongside Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and served in the 101st Airborne Division as an infantry officer, participating in the Gulf War with the “Screaming Eagles.” He served as secretary of the army from 2017 to 2019.He spent years as a senior defense industry and policy expert, serving as senior policy adviser to former Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel. Esper was also senior professional staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Government Affairs committees, as well as policy director for the House Armed Services Committee.
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