IDF chief visited Brussels to establish unprecedented security ties

Prompted by security fears in Europe, Eisenkot made the clandestine visit earlier in the week where he met with both Belgium and American security officials.

By NOAM AMIR/MAARIV HASHAVUA
Updated: NOVEMBER 27, 2015 10:26
IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot appears at a hearing of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot appears at a hearing of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot traveled to Brussels earlier this week, holding clandestine meetings with Belgian security officials less than one month after the Paris terror attacks, according to The Jerusalem Post's Hebrew language sister publication Maariv Friday.
The purpose of the trip was designed to help establish unprecedented security ties involving Belgium and Israel prompted by security fears throughout Europe. 
During his one-day trip to Europe, the IDF chief of staff also held meetings with high ranking military officials from the United States.
Israel has already established a precedent coordinating with other European countries who are seeking to improve security protocols.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Germany received from Israeli intel services less than two weeks ago key intelligence regarding an imminent terror attack against a packed soccer stadium, German magazine Stern reported Wednesday.
Israeli intelligence provided the crucial information that lead German authorities to cancel a scheduled friendly soccer match between Germany and the Netherlands at Hanover Stadium on November 17.
The game was called off just four days after the attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. German Chancellor Angela Merkel had been set to attend along with other government ministers in a show of solidarity with the French.
According to Stern, Israeli intelligence had informed of an imminent threat modeled after the Paris attacks, with concrete times and targets being mentioned. One of the targets was the Hanover stadium.
Earlier in the evening, Hanover Police President Volker Kluwe said there were "specific indications" of a planned attack with explosives at the game.
Jpost.com staff contributed to this article