Israel says its relation with U.S. ‘is deep’

Before President Trump’s arrival in Israel next week, Israeli government officials maintained a disciplined silence Wednesday about his disclosure of information to Russian diplomats.

Israel has not denied reports that it was the source of the information about an Islamic State plot that Trump shared with Russia. Officials said the leak wouldn’t change the long-standing ties between the United States and Israel.

“The security relationship between Israel and our great ally the United States is deep, meaningful and unprecedented in its scope and contribution to our strength,” Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman tweeted. “That is how it has been and that is how it will continue to be.”

“I don’t think the government wants to have any problems on a first visit, so they are trying to whitewash in public something Trump may well pay a price for further on, beyond what is publicly visible,” said Gideon Rahat, a political science professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Sallai Meridor, Israeli ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2009, said the substance of Israeli-American ties would override whatever damage may have been caused by the breach.

“I think Trump can expect a very warm reception here, regardless of the stories,” Meridor said. “I think Israelis’ basic warm feelings toward America and the Israeli perception that Trump and his administration hold fundamentally pro-Israel positions will guide the visit.”

“It is neither the first nor the last time a head of state blurts out something that shouldn’t be said. But this time may be a bit worse than the others,” Sima Shine, former head of research at Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, told USA TODAY.

Still, “it is not the end of the world,” said Shine, a senior researcher at Tel Aviv’s Institute of National Security Studies. “Relations between the United States and Israel at all levels, including intelligence, are so important to each side, including in the fight against ISIS ... that I see no real chance future bilateral collaboration will be damaged.”