Mike Pompeo Image by NPR.org

(JTA) — The United States’ withdrawal of some 2,000 ground troops from Syria does not signal the end of the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

Pompeo made the statement Tuesday at the start of a meeting in Brazil with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The leaders are both attending the swearing in of new Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

“The decision by the president on Syria in no way changes anything that this administration is working on alongside Israel,” Pompeo said.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis of the crisis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Netanyahu said the leaders would discuss “how to intensify even further our intelligence and operations cooperation in Syria and elsewhere to block Iranian aggression in the Middle East.”

The meeting came a day after The New York Times reported that the troops would be “slowly” withdrawn over four months instead of 30 days as President Donald Trump originally planned. The decision comes after warnings from current and former military leaders of the danger of a quick exit, according to the newspaper, as well as a request by Israel.

Trump said on Dec. 19 he would launch a full and accelerated pullout of the 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, a move that could leave a vacuum for Iran  to fill. Trump confirmed reports of a pullout in a tweet. “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,” he said.

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton is scheduled to visit Turkey and Israel in the coming days to discuss regional security issues.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount