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PM Netanyahu Meeting with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

The 37th Government
13.10.2023

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently meeting with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Kirya in Tel Aviv.

Prime Minister Netanyahu at the start of their meeting:

"I'm very happy to see you today. I'm very appreciative of the strong stance of the President, you, Secretary Blinken, the American people and the American government.

Hamas is ISIS, and I think what you said and in many ways the President has said, in many ways Hamas is worse than ISIS. And just as the entire civilized world united to fight ISIS, the united civilized world has to unite to help us fight Hamas. I know that you stand with us and I appreciate it mightily."

US Secretary of Defense Austin:

"We're with you, Mr. Prime Minister. As the President said, we have your back. And it's an awful week. Disgusting acts by this terrorist group. And as you know, I was the guy that initially put the ISIS campaign together. And I know a lot about ISIS, and this is worse than what I saw with ISIS. We do stand with you, Mr. Prime Minister."

Also attending the meeting are:

For the Israeli side - Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi and the Prime Minister's Military Secretary Maj.-Gen. Avi Gil.

For the American side: The Secretary of Defense's Chief of Staff Kelly Magsamen, the Secretary of Defense's Senior Military Assistant Gen. Ronald P. Clark and Acting US Ambassador to Israel Stephanie L. Hallett.