RAMALLAH, West Bank, 10 November 2007 — Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transportation Shaul Mofaz and US Undersecretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns on Thursday conducted a strategic dialogue in Washington to strengthen the already close strategic cooperation between the two countries, a report said yesterday.
According to Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot, this is the third strategic dialogue between Israel and the US this year. The last one took place in June.
The report added that the US and Israeli teams discussed Iran’s destabilizing regional impact. They shared their latest assessments of Iran’s nuclear program and diplomatic efforts under way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, the United States plans to rush aid to the restive West Bank city of Nablus to try to support Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ government ahead of a US-sponsored conference on statehood.
Though tiny in US budget terms at around $1 million, the projects are meant to give a face lift to the battered city, a frequent flash point between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants, according to US, Western and Palestinian officials.
