April 23, 2021
The Chief of the General Staff departs for his first visit to the United States
The Chief of the General Staff will discuss shared security challenges with his hosts
in the Department of Defense and the US Armed Forces
in the Department of Defense and the US Armed Forces
On Sunday, the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, will depart for a working visit to the United States, as a guest of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. (****) Mark A. Milley.
During the five-day visit, the Chief of the General Staff will hold meetings with senior officials at the US Department of Defense and the US Armed Forces, including the National Security Advisor, Mr. Jake Sullivan; the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Mr. Lloyd Austin; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. (****) Mark A. Milley; the Commander of CENTCOM, Gen. (****) Kenneth McKenzie; and the Commander of SOCOM, Gen. (****) Richard D. Clark.
This is the Chief of the General Staff's first visit to the United States in his current role. During the meetings, he will discuss shared security challenges, including issues related to the Iranian nuclear threat, Iran's entrenchment efforts (in the Middle East in general and in Syria-Lebanon in particular), Hezbollah's force build up efforts, the implications of the precision missile threat, as well as joint force design projects with the US.
The visit is taking place following the decision to transfer Israel to CENTCOM’s area of responsibility and the subsequent visit of the CENTCOM Commander to the IDF that took place in January. This visit is another step in strengthening ties and increasing cooperation between the two militaries.
Over the past few years, many collaborations have taken place, strengthening operational ties; as such, a series of additional future operational collaborations will be discussed during the trip.
The Chief of the General Staff will be accompanied by his wife, Ms. Yael Kohavi, and the Israeli Defense Attaché in Washington, Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fox. Also joining the visit are the Head of the Strategic Planning and Cooperation Directorate, Maj. Gen. Tal Kelman and the Head of the IDF International Cooperation Unit, Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin, who will simultaneously hold meetings with senior Pentagon officials.
Appendix: a tentative schedule for the Chief of the General Staff's visit to the United States:
Sunday - Orientation after arrival in Washington; intelligence update from IDF affiliates in the U.S.; and dinner with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. (****) Mark A. Milley and his wife.
Monday - A wreath-laying ceremony at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery; a meeting with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. (****) Mark A. Milley; participation in a panel led by Gen. Milley and in the presence of other senior U.S. military officials; and a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Mr. Lloyd Austin.
Tuesday - A meeting with the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, Ambassador Gilad Erdan; a meeting with the United States National Security Advisor, Mr. Jake Sullivan; a tour of the CENTCOM base in Tampa, Florida; and dinner with the Commander of CENTCOM, Gen. (****) Kenneth McKenzie and his wife.
Wednesday - a meeting with the Commander of CENTCOM, Gen. (****) Kenneth McKenzie; participation in a panel chaired by Gen. McKenzie and in the presence of other senior CENTCOM officials; and a meeting with the Commander of SOCOM, General (****) Richard D. Clark.
Thursday - a visit to the “West Point” U.S. Army Military Academy.
During the five-day visit, the Chief of the General Staff will hold meetings with senior officials at the US Department of Defense and the US Armed Forces, including the National Security Advisor, Mr. Jake Sullivan; the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Mr. Lloyd Austin; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. (****) Mark A. Milley; the Commander of CENTCOM, Gen. (****) Kenneth McKenzie; and the Commander of SOCOM, Gen. (****) Richard D. Clark.
This is the Chief of the General Staff's first visit to the United States in his current role. During the meetings, he will discuss shared security challenges, including issues related to the Iranian nuclear threat, Iran's entrenchment efforts (in the Middle East in general and in Syria-Lebanon in particular), Hezbollah's force build up efforts, the implications of the precision missile threat, as well as joint force design projects with the US.
The visit is taking place following the decision to transfer Israel to CENTCOM’s area of responsibility and the subsequent visit of the CENTCOM Commander to the IDF that took place in January. This visit is another step in strengthening ties and increasing cooperation between the two militaries.
Over the past few years, many collaborations have taken place, strengthening operational ties; as such, a series of additional future operational collaborations will be discussed during the trip.
The Chief of the General Staff will be accompanied by his wife, Ms. Yael Kohavi, and the Israeli Defense Attaché in Washington, Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fox. Also joining the visit are the Head of the Strategic Planning and Cooperation Directorate, Maj. Gen. Tal Kelman and the Head of the IDF International Cooperation Unit, Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin, who will simultaneously hold meetings with senior Pentagon officials.
Appendix: a tentative schedule for the Chief of the General Staff's visit to the United States:
Sunday - Orientation after arrival in Washington; intelligence update from IDF affiliates in the U.S.; and dinner with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. (****) Mark A. Milley and his wife.
Monday - A wreath-laying ceremony at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery; a meeting with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. (****) Mark A. Milley; participation in a panel led by Gen. Milley and in the presence of other senior U.S. military officials; and a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Mr. Lloyd Austin.
Tuesday - A meeting with the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, Ambassador Gilad Erdan; a meeting with the United States National Security Advisor, Mr. Jake Sullivan; a tour of the CENTCOM base in Tampa, Florida; and dinner with the Commander of CENTCOM, Gen. (****) Kenneth McKenzie and his wife.
Wednesday - a meeting with the Commander of CENTCOM, Gen. (****) Kenneth McKenzie; participation in a panel chaired by Gen. McKenzie and in the presence of other senior CENTCOM officials; and a meeting with the Commander of SOCOM, General (****) Richard D. Clark.
Thursday - a visit to the “West Point” U.S. Army Military Academy.
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