Washington, DC – On February 1, 2012, Brigadier General (Ret.) Shmaya Avieli, Director of SIBAT, the Defense Export & Cooperation Division of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, came to the Congressman's Washington office to thank Congressman Steve Rothman (NJ-9) for his strong support of Israel. General Avieli thanked Congressman Rothman for his leadership in making the US-Israel relationship the strongest in history . They also discussed Israeli defense export and defense cooperation and US military aid to Israel. Congressman Rothman serves on the 15 member House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, which recommends the appropriation of all US funding for the US military and joint US-Israel defense programs.