February 13, 2011 - 16:18 AMT
Top U.S. military officer to discuss in Israel change in Egyptian leadership

The top U.S. military officer is to visit Israel and Jordan on February 13-14 to reassure them of U.S. support following the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The Pentagon says Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen will meet in Amman, Jordan with King Abdullah and other Jordanian officials on Sunday.

Later in the day, he travels to Tel Aviv, Israel, for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres as well as the nation's military leaders.

Egypt was Israel's strongest Arab ally, and Israel's leaders worry that a change in leadership could damage that relationship.

Jordan has lately seen unrest similar to the protests that recently drove both Mr. Mubarak and Tunisia's President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power. On Wednesday, King Abdullah swore in a new government that has promised to broaden public freedoms and continue political reform, VOA reported.