Israel and Arab countries that share worries over Iran should build up their military capabilities with the backing of the United States, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Tuesday ahead of a visit to the region by President Joe Biden.
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The US president's July 13-16 tour will include Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Saudi Arabia, an official statement by the White House said. It also said that the president will attend a summit with the leaders of Gulf states, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq.
Gantz cited Israel's security ties with the Gulf States it had normalized ties with under the Abraham Accords, as well as Egypt and Jordan, and said there were efforts to expand such cooperation.
"In the face of Iranian belligerence ... what is needed is not just cooperation, but also a regional force buildup, under American leadership, which would strengthen all parties involved," he said, according to an official transcript. "On this, we are working continually, for the sake of the security of Israel's citizens."
Saudi Arabia signaled its backing for the Abraham Accords under which the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain forged official ties with Israel in 2020. However, Riyadh has stopped short of formally recognizing neighboring Israel.
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