An American general recently proposed that Israel upgrade its anti-missile systems to include Jordan and potentially Egypt. An Israeli official tentatively welcomed the idea.
The chief defense attaché for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, John Shapland, floated the idea at a security conference in Israel on Monday.
“If we were able to build a regional defense capability in, say, Jordan, that capability could easily defend Israel, Jordan and even Egypt, if you so desired, adding one more layer to your multi-layered defense.” Shapland said his idea was “just one idea to consider.”
Both Egypt and Jordan have peace treaties with Israel and share some common goals, including security concerns regarding neighboring Syria.
Yair Ramati, head of the Israel Missile Defence Organisation, appeared open to the idea. "The policy of the (Israeli) Defense Ministry is always to cooperate with the countries of the region, including the countries cited," Ramati said at the conference.
