General Martin Dempsey and Lt. General Benny Gantz delivering statements after their meeting in Tel Aviv.

Ambassador Dan Shapiro visited the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), on May 16, in Eilat. The shup, along with embarked Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU), arrived in Eilat, Israel for a regularly scheduled port visit, May 14.

Chuck Hagel, in his first official to Israel as U.S. Secretary of Defense, stressed that "military-to-military cooperation between the U.S. and Israel is stronger than ever, and will only continue to deepen in the future." Secretary Hagel and Israeli Minister of Defense Moshe "Boogie" Yaalon agreed that the United States will make available to Israel new advanced military capabilities, including anti-radiation missiles and advanced radars for its fleet of fighter jets, KC-135 refueling aircraft, and most significantly, the V-22 Osprey, which the U.S. has not released to any other nation. Secretary Hagel visited Yad Vashem and met with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sailors stationed aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) participated in a community engagement project at a Haifa women’s shelter during their port visit, Jan. 28.

US European Command and the Israel Defense Forces successfully concluded Austere Challenge 2012 Tuesday, a large-scale air defense exercise that included both field training and command post simulations.

Soldiers from Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command convoy from Tzuk, Israel to conduct a validation drill while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Joint Task Force Commander Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin and Israel's Air Defense Force Commander Brig. Gen. Shachar Shohat hold a press conference at Tzuk, Israel about Austere Challenge 2012 . Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command work alongside Israel's IDF soldiers to decontaminate vehicles and personnel after a notional chemical attack while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command convoy from Tzuk, Israel in preparation for DECON exercise while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Soldiers from Delta Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command participate in medical drill reacting to a simulated rocket attack on their post in Israel while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command greet the Israeli Minister of Defense, Ehud. The soldiers are participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Austere Challenge 2012 Medical Exercise. Soldiers from Delta Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command participate in medical drill reacting to a simulated rocket attack on their post in Israel while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Soldiers from Delta Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command participate in medical drill reacting to a simulated rocket attack on their post in Israel while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

As we wrap up high summer, it's a sensible time to look ahead at the fall and think about the big tasks facing the NATO Alliance and US European Command. The Olympics and the Jubilee fade to memory, and hopefully most folks have managed to break away for a short vacation to recharge. The autumn will be a busy time.

Sailors from the guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) participated in a mass-casualty drill with the Israeli Naval Force aboard the Israeli Sa’ar 5-class corvette INS Hanit (503) as a part of Exercise Reliant Mermaid 2012, Aug. 14.

Exercise Sea Breeze 2012 (SB12) concluded with a closing ceremony at the Odessa Officer's Club in Odessa, July 21.

Sabena Flight 571 was a scheduled passenger flight from Vienna to Tel Aviv operated by the Belgian national airline, Sabena. On May 8, 1972 a Boeing 707 passenger aircraft operating that service was hijacked by four terrorists from the Black September organization and landed at Lod Airport (later Ben Gurion International Airport) near Lod.

The 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C. on the 26th of March 1979, following the 1978 Camp David Accords.

Peace Prize awarded for Israel-Egypt Peace accords.

Guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) departed Haifa, Israel, after a successful port visit, June 16.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) held a change of command ceremony in the helicopter hangar bay while inport Haifa, Israel, Mar. 15.

There are often times where you see headlines of stories but they don’t explain some of the behind the scenes work that goes on with major events. I wanted to share some of the efforts that occurred at U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and specifically the Logistics Directorate that explains our support to Israel during their recent wildfire disaster. I think it serves as a great example of our commitment to our partner nations.

Last Friday I flew to my U.S. European Command (EUCOM) headquarters in Stuttgart to conduct an “All Hands” with the military and civilian personnel assigned to the headquarters at Patch Barracks. The flight from my NATO headquarters in Belgium was an airborne “sleigh ride,” and the landing a bit of a white knuckle experience. However, I really wanted to meet with the team and talk about the “way ahead” for 2010, share with them my perspective, and solicit their feedback.

Marines need to maintain a combat-ready mentality, even when in non-combative environments. Cpl. Emari Traffie reposts on Marines learning counter-terror tactics from Israeli defense instructors to prevent being caught off-guard.

HATZOR AIR FORCE BASE, Israel - More than 1,000 service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines are working together alongside Israeli troops during Juniper Cobra 2010 (JC10).

HATZOR AIR FORCE BASE, Israel - Approximately 70 sailors from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet arrived here, Oct. 25, in support of exercise Juniper Cobra 2010 (JC10).