Title: Protests Delay Arrival of U.S. Defense Secretary in Tel Aviv

The location of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's meetings with Israeli leaders has changed and his arrival has been delayed due to a wave of protests in Israel recently against the government's plan to modify the judicial system, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official told Reuters that during Austin's visit to Egypt, "Israeli officials emphasized the need to change the meeting location, citing concerns about planned protests near the Defense Ministry." The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated that Austin's meetings were moved from the Israeli Ministry of Defense to near Tel Aviv Airport. According to U.S. officials, Austin will express his concerns about rising tensions in the West Bank, and he "will be completely forthright with Israeli leaders regarding his worries about the cycle of violence in the West Bank and discuss steps that Israeli leaders can take to restore calm ahead of the upcoming holidays."