In Israel, Austin pledges more military aid and ‘ironclad’ support

TEL AVIV — US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel today, marking a high-level show of support for Israel as the country’s war with Hamas enters its seventh day.

Austin was met by the Ministry of Defense Director General Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, alongside IDF Deputy Chief of General Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, when he arrived in an American cargo plan at Nevatim air base in southern Israel, according to a statement by the MoD. He arrived with “armaments for the use of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The supplies were procured and transported to enhance the preparedness of Israel’s security forces for the ongoing conflict,” the statement read said.

The meeting between Austin and his team and their Israeli colleagues took several hours on Friday, with a scheduled press conference ultimately delayed by four hours due to the talks. The two men spent time in Israel’s “war room” in the Ministry building. When Austin and Gallant finally spoke to the press, Gallant said he had briefed the American delegation on operations and strategic developments.

“Defense cooperation, and US support, in the Pentagon, in the White House, and in Congress, ensure freedom of operation, and enforce our capabilities,” Gallant said.

“The United States will make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself, and Israel has a right to protect its people,” Austin said, noting the presence of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and stating that, “The US Department of Defense stands fully ready to deploy additional assets, if necessary.” (What additional aid may be coming wasn’t clear from Austin’s remarks, but he said it could include munitions and air defense capabilities. Gallant indicated in his comments that will include further interceptors for the Iron Dome system.)

Austin called the US relationship with Israel “ironclad” and “non-negotiable,” while condemning Hamas for its attack in terms that will resonate back in the US.

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“As a former commander of Central Command, the deliberate cruelty of Hamas vividly reminds me of ISIS: bloodthirsty, fanatical and hateful, and like ISIS, Hamas has nothing to offer but zealotry and bigotry and death.” He later said, in response to a question, that Hamas’ crimes “ takes that evil to another level.”

And Austin, like other American officials, made an effort in his comments to encourage the region to stay at as low a boil as possible, saying “For any country, for any group or anyone thinking about trying to take advantage of this atrocity to try to widen the conflict or to spill more blood, we have just one word: Don’t.”

The American visit comes at a time when Israel appears poised to move forward with a land war into Gaza. Israel has now told Palestinian residents of the northern Gaza Strip to move south, in what appears to be a prelude for an enhanced attack, following the more than 700 airstrikes carrier out overnight by Israeli jets. Israel also reportedly has announced plans to shut down the internet in Gaza over the next 24 hours.

It also comes at a time when Israel is facing increasing criticism abroad for its massive attack in Gaza, which has been condemned as indiscriminate killing of civilians. The issue has been divisive in the US, with pro-Palestinian marches and protests — often matched with pro-Israeli ones — popping up around the country.

Gallant defended Israeli actions, saying “Israel never and ever, will not shoot civilians on purpose. Therefore we are asking all the civilians in Gaza City to go south of Gaza. And the reason is that [we] don’t want to harm them … So those who want to save their life, please go south. We are going to destroy Hamas infrastructures, Hamas headquarters, Hamas military establishment, and take these phenomena out of Gaza and out of the Earth. They cannot live among human civilized people.”

Asked directly whether Israel bears “moral culpability for those Palestinian deaths,” Austin restated his support for Jerusalem before emphasizing the “professionalism” of the IDF.

“My experience in working with the Israeli forces is they are professional, they’re disciplined, and they are focused on the right things. And so I expect that going forward, they will continue to exhibit that same degree of professionalism that we’ve seen in the past,” he said. “The international community fought ISIS who in some cases was embedded deeply in built-up areas, and that international coalition fought valiantly and protected civilians and created corridors for humanitarian movement even in the midst of a pretty significant fight. So again, this is a professional force. It is well led and I have every expectation that it will be disciplined.”

The visit also comes amidst increased tensions along the northern border with Lebanon, where small exchanges of rocket fire and Israeli returns trikes have been ongoing since last weekend. A Reuters photographer was today killed by fire along the border, reportedly by Israeli fire.