US Gen. Martin Dempsey (photo), the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was in Israel last week, his third visit in just a year. “It’s not Syria,” one Israeli official told Al-Monitor. “It’s not Egypt either. Dempsey has come to make sure that Israel has no surprises up its sleeve in connection with Iran.” Another Israeli officials said, “Dempsey is here to make sure that Defense Minister Ya’alon is not flip-flopping on the Americans and changing his mind about an independent Israeli strike on Iran.”
