Israel in NATO?

Some bad ideas just keep coming back. Every few months you see this trial baloon go up. This time it is recycled in the WashTimes.

Growing instability across the Middle East has prompted foreign policy think tanks to brainstorm ways to stabilize that region. One idea circulating in Washington last week called for admitting Israel into NATO.

At least one analyst thinks NATO membership could provide security to Israel, help settle the Israel-Palestinian border and make the alliance a stabilizing force in the region.

Why recycled?

Ralf Fuecks is the president of the Berlin-based Heinrich Boll Foundation, an independent organization affiliated with the German Green Party. He suggested at a conference Wednesday that Israel be offered membership in NATO on the condition that it resume negotiations for a two-state solution with the Palestinians and agree to a nuclear-free zone linked to security guarantees for Israel.

Ole Ralf is a one trick pony. He floated this in the summer in a couple of places. Even on video.

No reason to spend too much time on this. First of all, when you look at the complete joke the Alliance is making in Afghanistan where only some countries will do any fighting - Israel has no reason to believe that nations like France, Spain, or Belgium will put their few young men on the line to same the Jooooosssss. They will not let themselves wait for an Article 5 action or something less as the debate club lets them go the way of the Africans of Sudan's Darfur. Does anyone think Greek soldiers are going to die for Israel? France is going to stand up Syria or Egypt? Italian frigates going to shell Alexandria?

Secondly, do you think that the poorly-hidden anti-Semetic/anti-Zionist Europeans or Turkey want Israel to join their club? No, not in my experience. I have had very normal, non-anti-semites from The Netherlands, Germany, and France who have said such things as, "America should just give Israel part of their Southwest, move them all there and let the Arabs have Palestine." or "The problem is that you have such a powerful pro-Israel lobby in the US. We just don't have that problem in out political system, so we have a more honest view of the issue."

They just don't get it. Nor do they catch the irony of the lack of a pro-Israel lobby in Europe.

Executive summary: deadend idea.