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Israel Defense Minister Benny Gantz
Photo: Corinna Kern / REUTERS
Israel is apparently working with other countries in the Middle East on an air defense alliance.
This was announced by Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz, according to the AP and Reuters news agencies.
The alliance should therefore be created with the support of the USA.
Military cooperation would be another step in Israel's efforts to improve its relations with Arab states in the region.
Gantz's statements mark the first time that Israel has spoken openly about such cooperation in the region.
Several countries share Israel's concerns about Iranian attacks or have been the target of attacks themselves.
According to reports, Israel had previously suggested defense cooperation, but the Arab states have so far been reluctant to make public commitments.
Announcements a few weeks ahead of Biden visit
Defense Minister Gantz told members of an influential parliamentary committee that cooperation was already taking place within the so-called "Middle East Air Defense Alliance".
So far, however, there has been no confirmation or other information from other countries.
Israel's announcement comes weeks ahead of US President Joe Biden's first visit to the region.
"For the past year, along with my partners in the Pentagon and the US administration, I have been leading a program designed to strengthen cooperation between Israel and other states in the region," Gantz was quoted as saying in an official transcript.
According to the minister, Iranian attacks have already been thwarted through military cooperation in the region.
Which states are participating in the program and what kind of attacks are said to have been involved were not mentioned.
The US initially did not confirm the Israeli information.
According to Reuters, however, the cooperation is primarily about synchronizing the air defense systems between the partner countries and not about sharing military facilities.
Two years ago, Israel established full diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
There are also said to be behind-the-scenes contacts with Saudi Arabia.
Closer cooperation in the Middle East would also be advantageous for the USA in order to isolate arch-enemy Iran.
Last week, Israel warned citizens against traveling to Turkey because they could become the target of Iranian attacks there.
fek/Reuters/AP
