WASHINGTON Ñ The United States has cancelled an air force exercise
with Israel amid regional tensions.
U.S. officials said the decision to cancel the exercise was issued by
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld after a review of threat assessments to
American military personnel in the Middle East. The exercise was to have
begun on April 15 and was to have included troops and aircraft.
An Israeli military source confirmed the cancellation of the U.S.
exercise, Middle East Newsline reported. The source said the U.S. decision was connected to the
escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian war.
The exercise was to have been coordinated with the U.S. European
Command. U.S. officials refused to provide details of the exercise, saying
they were classified.
Earlier, Turkey said Israel would not participate in the "Anatolian
Eagle" air exercise scheduled for April 22 in the Konya region of central
Turkey.
Instead, the exercise will include the United States and unnamed NATO
allies.
Israel was said to have informed Turkey that it would join the air
exercise during its second stage on June 4. That stage is meant to continue
until June 15.
In an unrelated development, Israeli defense officials acknowledge a
delay in the Merkava Mk-4 main battle tank program because of a delay in a
delivery of parts from Germany. The Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday that
Israeli officials believe the delay stems from German displeasure over
Israel's military campaign in the West Bank.
