US, Israel hold 1st foreign policy dialogue. - 3.3 billion US dollars in military aid

The United States and Israel held their first foreign policy dialogue here Monday to discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest, the US State Department said in a statement.


The dialogue touched upon opportunities for cooperation in Africa on development, economics, and counterterrorism; ways to advance shared interests in the Asia Pacific region; and efforts to advance shared approaches to regional engagement in the Americas in collaboration with the Organization of American States, the department said in a statement.

The dialogue also focused on digital diplomacy and recent developments in research and social media technology.

The gathering was co-chaired by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon and Yuval Rotem, director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Both sides expressed their interest in continuing the dialogue on a regular basis in Washington and Jerusalem.

Earlier Monday, the State Department announced that it would provide 3.3 billion US dollars in military aid for Israel in its fiscal year 2019 budget proposal.

It noted that Washington is also "prioritizing funding for a US embassy facility in Jerusalem which will begin once design and construction plans are finalized."
 (chinamedia)
 13/2/18