Two months after his bid to lead the Pentagon was nearly derailed by pro-Israel groups, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will seek to repair any lingering political damage with a visit to the Jewish state starting Sunday, the latest step in a charm campaign designed to solidify his standing on President Obama's new national security team, Washington Post reported.
Concerns about Syria and Iran will top Hagel's official agenda. He will also seek to finalize details of a complex $10 billion arms deal with Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. On Sunday, Hagel will tour Yad Vashem, the memorial to victims of the Holocaust, before scheduled meetings with Israeli leaders.
But Hagel's visit is also intended to bury allegations raised during his confirmation process by some pro-Israel groups that he was insufficiently supportive of the U.S. ally and had made comments that bordered on the anti-Semitic over the years.
Hagel and his backers vigorously rebutted the charges, dismissing them as part of a political smear campaign. After an awkward and acrimonious Senate hearing, he was confirmed in February by a 58 to 41 margin.
Since then, Hagel has worked to prevent the criticisms from resurfacing. The first foreign leader he greeted at the Pentagon was Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister at the time. And while Hagel's inaugural overseas trip was to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan, he made a point to schedule Israel as the first stop on his next foreign itinerary, before visiting Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Meanwhile at home, Hagel has courted skeptical lawmakers who opposed his nomination, lavishing them with personal attention and instructing his staff to respond swiftly to any policy concerns or queries from Capitol Hill.