Israel News for 7-8-2022
News Update
Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met Thursday in Ramallah to discuss security coordination ahead of U.S. President Biden’s visit next week. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the men conducted their meeting in “positive terms,” and that Gantz wished Abbas and the Palestinian people a happy Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday beginning this weekend. President Herzog and Prime Minister Lapid also spoke with Abbas and wished him a good holiday.
Speaking at the IDF officer’s graduation ceremony, Gantz said that Lebanon was responsible for acts of aggression by Iran backed Hezbollah emanating from its territory.
Defense Minister Gantz said that since the signing of the Abraham Accords, Israeli defense and military officials have held more than 150 meetings with regional allies and signed defense procurement deals with Arab states worth over $3 billion.
Gantz, along with senior Defense Ministry and Israel Air Force officials, is expected to present Israel’s new, locally developed, laser-based missile defense system Iron Beam to U.S. President Biden during his visit to Israel next week. The system, in which Israel has invested over one billion shekels, was successfully tested earlier this year and is said to be able to intercept missiles, drones and mortars shells. Israel will seek financial support from the U.S. for the completion of the project.
The US and Israel are working on getting the Arab states to join a combined air defense system. For more, click here.
