DZWatch Exclusive: Friction has reportedly surfaced between the Israeli military and American officers stationed at the US Command headquarters in Kiryat Gat, located near the Gaza Strip. The tensions highlight potential disagreements over operational control and access to sensitive security information.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) inaugurated the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Israel on October 21st. The center’s stated purpose is to monitor the implementation of the Sharm el-Sheikh ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, a key component of a broader peace initiative proposed by US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the conflict in the region.
CENTCOM stated upon its launch that the center was designed to support stability efforts. While no US military forces would be deployed within Gaza, the center would facilitate the flow of humanitarian, logistical, and security assistance from international partners into the Strip.
According to a report by Channel 13, a private Israeli broadcaster, the recent friction stems from Israel’s alleged refusal of US requests to hold a series of security discussions on sensitive operational matters.
Unnamed senior Israeli officials reportedly told the broadcaster that the issues in question were sensitive matters discussed since the beginning of the conflict, adding that, “Israel does not need the United States to begin discussing them.” The officials also suggested that the US headquarters was, at times, overly involved in security matters that Israel was handling independently and effectively, with clear policies already in place.
These reports come on the heels of allegations in early December, where it was claimed that Israeli intelligence agencies were conducting surveillance on American and allied forces within the Kiryat Gat coordination center. The extent of the alleged overt and covert surveillance during discussions purportedly prompted the commander of the US base, Patrick Frank, to demand an immediate cessation of the recordings from a senior Israeli official.
In October, CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper stated that the Civil-Military Coordination Center would monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement through an operations room, allowing staff to assess developments in Gaza in real-time. The reports of friction raise questions about the center’s effectiveness and the level of coordination between the two allies.
