Netanyahu meets Pompeo on US withdrawal from Syria

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Brazil, in talks that are set to focus on the US military withdrawal from Syria.

“We have a lot to discuss,” Netanyahu tells reporters ahead of the meeting. “We’re going to discuss the intense cooperation between Israel and the United States, which will also deal with the questions following the decision, the American decisions on Syria, on how to intensify even further our intelligence and operations cooperation in Syria and elsewhere to block Iranian aggression in the Middle East, to roll it back.

“That’s a common aim, and I have to say that I’m also very appreciative of the support, strong support and unequivocal support that you and the president gave our efforts at self-defense against Syria and Hezbollah just in the last few days,” adds Netanyahu.

Pompeo says the American commitment to Israel’s security is unchanged, despite the US pullout.

“Our effort to counter Iranian aggression continues, and our commitment to… the protection of Israel continues, in the same way before that decision was made,” says the US secretary of state.

— with Raphael Ahren