Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Israel Monday to meet with Israel’s top leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot.

Dunford, was received at the Kirya, the headquarters of Israel’s Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, with an honor guard, The Times of Israel reported Tuesday. Eisenkot awarded Dunford a medal of appreciation “for his exceptional service, his special contribution to the IDF, and the personal leadership he has demonstrated in strengthening the ties between the United States Military and the Israel Defense Forces.”

In August of last year, Dunford had given Eisenkot a Legion of Merit medal for “exceptionally meritorious service.”

Liberman greeted Dunford saying, “I applaud you for coming here and want to thank you for your great friendship to Israel,” according to a statement. Liberman said that Dunford’s was “proof of the depth of the security relationship between the State of Israel and our great ally the United States.” Liberman also said that the two would discuss the “shared strategic challenges” that the U.S. and Israel face.

A statement from the U.S. Department of Defense elaborated on a number of those challenges including the tri-border area where Israel, Jordan and Syria come together, the threat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and Iran’s continued support of organizations dedicated to Israel’s destruction. Dunford said “the major export of Iran is actually malign influence across the region.”

Netanyahu greeted Dunford saying, “It’s good to see you again. We have a great alliance between Israel and the United States, and a great alliance between the American military and the IDF. We appreciate it and we know that this alliance is good, not only for security but also good for peace.

Dunford replied that in his third visit to Israel in his current position he looked to “not only work on our overall relationship, but to work on my personal relationship with General Eisenkot, which is rock-solid and probably representative of the broader relationship that we have.”

The U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis visited Israel last month and said that the United States “maintains absolute and unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.”

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Israel later this month as part of his first trip abroad as president.

[Photo: Dominique A. Pineiro / U.S. Department of Defense ]