Vice Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, visited her Israeli Navy counterparts and U.S. Embassy leadership during a prescheduled trip to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa, Israel, June 17-19, 2019.
The visit allowed Franchetti and Vice Adm. Eli Sharvit, commander of the Israeli Navy, to build on the strong military-to-military ties that exist between the two nations and further strengthen this key maritime partnership necessary for regional security.
“Our navies enjoy a strong and enduring relationship that has been built on a trust developed over decades of mutual cooperation,” said Franchetti. “This visit gave me a chance to see the Israeli Navy's capabilities first-hand and explore opportunities for future training and exercises between our forces.
While in Israel, Franchetti met with Sharvit, toured the Haifa Naval Base, and visited Israeli ships and submarines. She also laid a wreath during a memorial ceremony at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, in remembrance of the lives lost during the Holocaust.
The U.S. and Israeli navies collaborate on a number of military exercises throughout the Mediterranean to include Noble Dina, Noble Melinda, and Juniper Cobra exercise serials. Additionally, a number of U.S. ships pull into Israeli ports for routine visits and the chance to visit cultural sites. The most recent ship to visit Israel was the guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71), which made a visit to Ashdod in Oct. 2018. During the visit, the ship hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I look forward to continuing to enhance cooperation between our navies as we work towards our common goal of maritime security in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most strategically important bodies of water on the globe,” said Franchetti.
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.