Israeli intelligence chief visits U.S. amid row over Iran
Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevy is scheduled to meet U.S. defense officials and attend a pro-Israel fundraising event
Israel’s top intelligence officer will visit the United States this week, sources with knowledge of the itinerary said; a sign that security cooperation continues despite disputes between the countries’ leaders over strategy over Iran.
Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevy, commander of Israeli military intelligence, is scheduled to meet U.S. defense officials and attend a pro-Israel fundraising event, the sources said. It is his first U.S. trip since being appointed in September.
Bilateral ties have been strained by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech in the U.S. Congress last week against President Barack Obama’s negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
However, Obama has emphasized his administration’s continuing defense assistance to the Israelis.
One source described Halevy’s trip as routine and an opportunity for the general to familiarize himself with Washington’s counterpart agencies.
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