Noem Visits Israel Amid Tensions Between Trump and Netanyahu
Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, met with officials in Israel on Sunday and Monday as she underscored American support for Israel amid policy disagreements between the two countries.
Ms. Noem met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and attended a ceremony on Monday that commemorated two Israeli embassy aides who were killed last week in a shooting in Washington.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Noem said President Trump 'extends his greetings and his grief to all of you, and he stands with you as we fight this hatred in the world.' She also spoke of 'a unity among us that will help us defeat our enemies.'
Israeli leaders presented her visit as proof of strong United States-Israel relations, following disagreements between Mr. Trump and Mr. Netanyahu over how best to approach Iran and its proxies in Yemen, and Mr. Trump's growing frustration with the continuation of the war in Gaza. Mr. Trump did not visit Israel during a recent tour of the Middle East, an omission interpreted as a sign of tension with Mr. Netanyahu.
According to Mr. Netanyahu's office, Ms. Noem spoke in a meeting on Sunday of her 'unwavering support for the prime minister and the state of Israel.' She also expressed 'great appreciation' for Mr. Netanyahu's conduct of the war, his office said.
Ms. Noem also met on Sunday with her Israeli counterpart, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister for national security. Mr. Ben-Gvir's office said he 'thanked his counterpart for American support for Israel and for President Trump's immigration plan,' referring to the president's proposal in February to displace Gaza's residents while the United States leads the rebuilding of the territory.
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