The meeting in Manama was reportedly attended by “senior military officials from Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt”, in addition to Halevi and Kurilla.
Israeli Chief of Staff, General Herzi Halevi, met earlier this week with his counterparts from several Arab countries to discuss regional security cooperation, the American news website Axios reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
“The meeting, which was kept low-profile due to the political sensitivities surrounding the Gaza conflict, took place under the auspices of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM),” Axios said.
According to the report, US Gen. Michael ‘Erik’ Kurilla also took part in the discussions.
“Despite public criticism of Israeli military actions in Gaza, this meeting signaled ongoing military dialogue and cooperation between Israel and Arab countries under CENTCOM,” Axios noted.
The meeting in Manama was reportedly attended by “senior military officials from Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt”, in addition to Halevi and Kurilla.
The Israeli army and CENTCOM reportedly refrained from commenting.
Visiting Israel
Kurilla also visited Israel at the invitation of Halevi last weekend, according to the Israeli military.
This visit occurred alongside Israel’s massacre of at least 274 Palestinians and the wounding of nearly 700 others in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, during an operation to rescue four hostages.
“Kurilla and Halevi held an operational situation assessment, discussed recent regional challenges and the strengthening of the strategic partnership against the Iranian threat,” Israeli occupation army spokesman Avichai Adraee said on X on Tuesday.
“They also discussed developments in the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and ongoing Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon,” the post added.
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Ongoing Genocide
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 37,202 Palestinians have been killed, and 84,932 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Moreover, at least 7,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
