Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant departed for the United States on Wednesday evening for meetings at the United Nations in New York.
The minister is scheduled to hold talks with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan.
Notably, Gallant will not meet with his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin. This is due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s directive for ministers to not meet with their U.S. colleagues until the premier receives a White House invitation from U.S. President Joe Biden, Israel Hayom reported.
Gallant will also brief ambassadors of U.N. Security Council member states on Israel’s security situation and visit the Defense Ministry’s mission in New York.
He will also participate in a fundraising event for Friends of the IDF, focusing on the “Impact” scholarship program for combat soldiers.
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen will stand in for Gallant while he is out of the country, according to Israeli media reports.
