A delegation of five cadets and an officer from the United States Military Academy at West Point arrived in Israel last week for a week long training seminar at the Israel Defense Forces' Tactical Command College, located 5 miles north of Tel Aviv. The U.S. delegation, who departed from Israel Saturday night, toured the country with trainees from the IDF college and their commanders and learned about the Israeli soldiers' expertise in counter-terrorism. The visit marks the fifth year in a row in which West Point cadets arrive in Israel. An IDF spokesperson highlighted the significance of the visit, calling it another example of the close ties between the Israeli and U.S. militaries. U.S. and Israeli forces regularly train together in small scale exercises as well as large war game type simulations. In January, the U.S. and Israel were scheduled to partake in the largest joint exercise to date, named Austere Challenge 12. The exercise, which included a simulation of a ballistic missile attack on Israel, was postponed and then cancelled due to cited logistical problems and sensitivity to the geopolitical situation between Israel, the U.S. and Iran.
