[R-G] Israel seeking a formal partnership with NATO

[Anthony Fenton]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/westview/story/ 
4067427p-4669802c.html

Israel seeking a formal partnership with NATO

Tue Oct 30 2007
TEL AVIV -- Despite the escalating war of words between the U.S. and  
Iran and the new American economic sanctions against the clerical  
regime in Tehran, one voice is markedly absent: that of NATO.

Since Nicolas Sarkozy was elected to succeed Jacques Chirac in May,  
the new French president has indicated on several occasions his  
willingness to bring France back into NATO.

Since 1963, when Charles de Gaulle tried to maximize France's  
influence in Europe by trying to become a counterweight to the U.S.,  
France isolated itself within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

This is now changing under Nicolas Sarkozy. France understands that  
because of Iran's nuclear ambitions, the world is becoming more and  
more dangerous. The U.S. and Europe, therefore, should face together  
the challenges of nuclear Iran, radical Islam and international  
terrorism.

Yet, despite their recent public statements that they would support  
tougher economic sanctions against Iran, neither France nor Great  
Britain nor NATO joined Bush. They preferred to keep the European  
front united -- so far -- and not challenge Germany, Italy and Spain  
on the issue of sanctions.

"Of course, a nuclear Iran is a major concern, but NATO has no  
mandate to deal with this subject," ambassador Claudio Bisogniero,  
deputy secretary general of NATO, told the annual NATO-Israel  
symposium in Israel last week. The symposium was organized by Prof.  
Uzi Arad, the founding director of the Institute for Policy and  
Strategy at the Inter-Disciplinary Centre in Hertzliyah and founding  
chairman of the Israeli Atlantic Forum, which calls for Israel's  
association with NATO.
	
The two-day symposium was addressed by Bisogniero and Israeli Foreign  
Minister Tzipi Livni and was attended by diplomats, senior army and  
intelligence officers and prominent scholars.

Arad, who earned his PhD at Princeton university, was the director of  
research in the Israeli Mossad and also served as foreign policy  
adviser to former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The symposium marked a year since the conclusion of the Individual  
Cooperation Program (ICP) between Israel and NATO, in October 2006.  
Last month, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a similar  
agreement with NATO.

Next month, the chiefs of general staff of Israel and Egypt will  
participate in the meeting of all 26 chiefs of general staff of NATO.

There is no credible explanation as to why NATO doesn't want to get  
involved in the Iranian nuclear crisis. Like Russia, both Germany and  
Spain are not convinced that Iran is close to producing a nuclear  
weapon. They prefer continued talks with Iran rather than additional  
economic sanctions. Iran is the largest economic partner of Germany.  
Chancellor Angela Merkel fears losing this prime position to China,  
which is increasing steadily its purchases of Iranian oil and is also  
selling small quantities of Chinese arms to the Iranian army.

Yet, in the aftermath of 9/11, NATO became directly involved in the  
war against Islamic terrorism in Afghanistan and NATO members -- like  
Germany, France, Italy and Spain -- are participating in the enhanced  
UNIFIL in the aftermath of the Second Lebanon War last August. This  
enhanced participation of NATO members in the war against the Iranian- 
supported Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, is a part of a  
strategic American decision to give Europe a higher profile in  
Lebanon and in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Co-operation between Israel and NATO first developed within the  
framework of the multilateral Mediterranean dialogue that included  
Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Mauritania. Of  
the seven countries, Israel was the most active, while Egypt in  
particular was hesitant to co-operate with Israel within the  
framework of NATO.

Last month, however, Egypt surprised all concerned by signing with  
NATO an agreement similar to that of Israel.
Since mid-2004, Israel has deepened its co-operation with NATO.  
Israel considers itself a "natural partner" in NATO, in light of its  
rich experience in combating terrorism.

This co-operation included participation in NATO's naval manoeuvres  
in the Black Sea and NATO's infantry exercises in Ukraine. Israel  
sent to Ukraine a small unit from the elite brigade of Golani.

Israel and NATO also agreed that Israel will contribute to NATO's  
naval counter-terrorism operations in the Mediterranean.

Israel is now seeking a formal partnership with NATO. Livni spoke  
about it in a meeting with NATO's secretary general at the UN.

Addressing the Atlantic Forum's symposium in Hertzliyah last week,  
former prime minister Netanyahu urged NATO to accept Israel as a  
"full partner" by the year 2010. It is highly unlikely that NATO will  
do so. There are political and diplomatic considerations that prevent  
NATO from accepting Israel as a full partner unless Egypt and other  
Arab countries seek a similar partnership.

In any event, an Israeli inter-ministerial committee is studying this  
subject and is expected to submit its recommendations by the end of  
this year.

There are some reservations about Israeli "full partnership" with  
NATO within Israel's military and security establishment. Since its  
establishment in 1948, Israel has had a tradition of uniltateralism  
in its defence policy. Those circles fear that a formal partnership  
with NATO could limit Israel's freedom of action, like -- for example  
-- the Sept. 6 air strike in northeastern Syria.

Prof. Arad dismisses these fears. He is sure that Israel will  
continue to maintain its freedom of action as usual.

Samuel Segev, based in Tel Aviv, is the Winnipeg Free Press Middle  
Eastcorrespondent.