Israel to send first warship to NATO naval force
Ship to join Active Endeavor force, aimed at curbing terrorism in Mediterranean. Dispatch marks upgrade in Israel-NATO ties
Israeli and NATO officials say Israel will dispatch a warship to join a NATO naval force, marking an upgrade in ties.
An Israeli missile ship will join NATO's "Active Endeavor" naval force, aimed at curbing terrorism in the Mediterranean.
Israeli defense officials say Israel already has a liaison officer with the naval force.
They say the dispatch of the ship within months marks an important step up in Israel's relationship with the NATO alliance.
The move was discussed this week by Israel's military chief of staff and NATO's visiting military commander, Giampaolo Di Paola.
In Brussels, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said Friday the alliance separates such activities from "political events in the Middle East."
Ynet's defense analyst Ron Ben-Yishai added that cooperation between NATO and the Israeli Navy has been going on for years and that Israel has been operating in the frame of NATO's Active Endeavor force via its liaison officer for some three years now.
Active Endeavor is an ongoing NATO operating which includes ships, submarines and aircraft all meant to enforce UN resolutions for the prevention of weapons trade to terror sources.
In the next phase of cooperation the Israeli warship will participate in the NATO ships' routine security patrols, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, during which suspicious ships are inspected.
