Israel: A De Facto Member of NATO
by Prof Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research
March 9, 2013
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen received Israel’s president Shimon Peres at NATO headquarters in Brussels on March 7.
The order of the day: to enhance military cooperation between Israel and the Atlantic Alliance focusing on issues of counter-terrorism.
“Israel will be happy to share the knowledge it has gained and its technological abilities with NATO. Israel has experience in contending with complex situations, and we must strengthen the cooperation so we can fight global terror together and assist NATO with the complex threats it faces including in Afghanistan. “
Israel is already involved in covert operations and non-conventional warfare in liaison with the US and NATO.
This agreement is of particular significance because it deepens the Israel-NATO relationship beyond the so-called “Mediterranean Dialogue”.
The joint statement points to an Israel NATO partnership “in the fight against terror and the search for peace… in the Middle East and the world”.
What this suggests is the participation of Israel in active theater warfare alongside NATO –i.e. as a de facto member of the Atlantic Alliance.
In other words, Israel would be directly involved were US-NATO to launch an outright military operation against Syria, Lebanon or Iran.
Israel offered to assist NATO in counter-terrorism operations directed against Hezbollah and Iran.
“The two agreed during their discussions that Israel and NATO are partners in the fight against terror…the statement said.
President Peres stressed the need to maintain and increase the cooperation between Israel and NATO and Israel’s ability to cooperation and provide technological assistance and knowledge from the vast experience Israel had gained in the field of counter-terrorism.
“Israel will be happy to share the knowledge it has gained and its technological abilities with NATO. Israel has experience in contending with complex situations, and we must strengthen the cooperation so we can fight global terror together and assist NATO with the complex threats it faces including in Afghanistan, ” Peres told Rasmussen.
History of Israel-NATO Military Cooperation
It is worth noting that in November 2004 in Brussels, NATO and Israel signed an important bilateral protocol which paved the way for the holding of joint NATO-Israel military exercises. A followup agreement was signed in March 2005 in Jerusalem between NATO’s Secretary General and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
The 2005 bilateral military cooperation agreement was viewed by the Israeli military as a means to “enhance Israel’s deterrence capability regarding potential enemies threatening it, mainly Iran and Syria.”
The ongoing premise underlying NATO-Israel military cooperation is that “Israel is under attack”.
There is evidence of active military and intelligence coordination between NATO and Israel including consultations pertaining to the occupied territories.
“Before Operation Cast Lead was launched in Gaza, NATO was already exchanging intelligence with Israel, sharing security expertise, and organising military drills. …. Former NATO chief Scheffer visited Israel in the midst of Israel’s offensive on Gaza. And NATO officials were at the time of the opinion that cooperation with Israel was essential for their organisation. (Al Ahram, February 10, 2010)
The March 2013 Israel-NATO Brussels bilateral agreement is the culmination of more than ten years of Israel-NATO cooperation.
Does this agreement “obligate” NATO “to come to the rescue of Israel” under the doctrine of “collective security”?
The agreement tightens the ongoing process of US-NATO-Israel military planning and logistics relating to any future operation in the Middle East including an aerial bombing of Iran’s nuclear plants.
The Israeli presidential delegation consisted of several top military and government advisers, including Brigadier General Hasson Hasson, Military Secretary to President Peres (See image below: first from left) and Nadav Tamir, policy adviser to the president of Israel (first right of president Peres).
The text of the Israel NATO agreement following discussions behind closed doors (see image below) was not made public.
(Click image to enlarge)
Following the meeting, a joint statement was released by NATO. Secretary-General Rasmussen stated in the press report:
“Israel is an important partner of the Alliance in the Mediterranean Dialogue. The security of NATO is linked to the security and stability of the Mediterranean and of the Middle East region. And our Alliance attaches great value to our political dialogue and our practical cooperation. Israel is one of our longest-standing partner countries. We are faced with the same strategic challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean.
And as we face the security threats of the 21st century, we have every reason to deepen our long-standing partnership with our Mediterranean Dialogue countries, including Israel. We all know the regional situation is complex. But the Mediterranean Dialogue remains a unique multilateral forum, where Israel and six Arab countries can discuss together with European and North American countries common security challenges. I see further opportunities for deepening our already close political dialogue and practical cooperation to our mutual benefit.”
The Waco Massacre – Neil Sanders [video]
108morris108
March 4, 2013
Like Jonestown this was not a mass suicide, but a mass killing!
David Koresh (born Vernon Wayne Howell; August 17, 1959 — April 19, 1993) was the leader of the Branch Davidians religious sect …
[part 2]
Twitter Watch: Library of Congress keeps tweets on file unavailable to public [video]
Russia Today
March 9, 2013
In the 7 years since its inception, Twitter has become an integral part of twenty first century life. Reflecting everything, from people’s routine habits, to revolutionary political messages. And for the last 2 years, every single tweet sent in the U.S. has been stored in a massive archive at the Library of Congress – raising concerns over privacy. The official reason is for research purposes – but so far the data has been kept behind closed doors.
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RT (Russia Today) is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington studios. RT is the first news channel to break the 500 million YouTube views benchmark.
Cut All Foreign Aid to Israel! [video]
Ryan Dawson
March 9, 2013
Cut All Foreign Aid to Israel! Stop sending money to this racist apartheid terrorist state of Israel.
Thank you to everyone who participated. Drop the fear and take to action. Fear is all they got. If you want to be in the next one be sure to record a clip and reach me.
Toronto And Hamilton To Be “Sanctuary Cities”
by Terry Wilson
Canadian Awareness Network
February 25, 2013
On Thursday February 21 2013, Toronto became Canada’s first “Sanctuary city”.
Toronto declared “sanctuary city” to non-status migrants
By: Nicholas Keung, thestar.com
Toronto has made history by affirming itself as a “sanctuary city,” the first Canadian city with a formal policy allowing undocumented migrants to access services regardless of immigration status.
On Thursday, City Council passed the motion by a vote of 37 to 3 that also requires training all city staff and managers to ensure Toronto’s estimated 200,000 non-status residents can access its services without fear of being turned over to border enforcement officers for detention and deportation.
The vote puts Toronto in the same league with 36 American cities, including Chicago, New York City and San Francisco that already have such policies. Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday and councillors Denzil Minnan-Wong and David Shiner are the only council members who voted against the motion.
“It is an enormous step for the city in the right direction. We are all contributing to the city, the well-being of Toronto. It’s important that we are not making a distinction between those who don’t have rights or access to services and those who do,” said Harald Bauder, associate professor of Ryerson University’s graduate program in immigration and settlement studies.
“Distinctions are divisive. They establish second-class citizens. That leads to all kinds of other problems, not just a rift in the community, but other issues of exploitation.”
Council’s vote was significant at a time when the undocumented population is expected to surge in 2015, when many legal but temporary foreign workers will see their four-year work permits expire under a new federal law and potentially move “underground.”
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Then by Saturday February 23 2013, Hamilton city Councillor Brian McHattie stated he will take steps to make it happen here.
Should Hamilton be a ‘sanctuary’ city?
By: Nicole O’Reilly thespec.com
Councillor Brian McHattie says he’d like to see Hamilton follow in the footsteps of Toronto and declare this city a “sanctuary” to allow undocumented migrants to access services regardless of their immigration or refugee status.
Toronto became the first Canadian city to approve such a formal policy on Thursday, following 36 cities in the United States.
Now McHattie, a member of the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council, said he will take steps to make it happen here.
“It’s absolutely a good idea,” he said. “Hamilton has a great reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees who come to Canada.”
He plans to speak with the city’s community services department and include social services agencies and experts in the discussion.
Councillor Chad Collins, who represents a very large, diverse population in Ward 5, said he’s never received complaints from residents who say they can’t access city services because of their immigration or refugee status.
thespec.com
Toronto and possibly Hamilton, will be turning a blind eye to illegal immigration? Offering public services to people people who are in these cities illegally? I have no issue with allowing immigrants into our nation, in fact the vast majority of Canadians are immigrants of come from a family who migrated here in the past. Our diversity is part of what makes this nation so wonderful. But allowing undocumented workers/people enjoy all of the services that we have become debt slaves to pay for, is taking things way too far!
The Toronto Star mentioned the 36 American sanctuary cities, but left out some crucial information. The cities who have adopted these open regulations have received major “blow back”. A 2011 poll found that 59% supported Rep. Lou Barletta’s proposal to remove federal funding to sanctuary cities and 58% wanted the Justice Department to take actions against such cities.
The state of Georgia went as far as signing a pre-emptive law, preventing the sanctuary cities. The law withholds state funding from any local government that adopts a sanctuary policy.
FSA Beat And Humiliate Old Man – ‘Yellow Man’ Aleppo Syria [video]
Youtube almost suspended my account due to this video, i will be announcing my new channel (@youtube youtu.be/eEvZAzec7Dk?a)
— Partisangirl (@Partisangirl) March 10, 2013
UK, France Training Syrian Terrorists in Jordan
Friends of Syria
March 9, 2013
British and French instructors are training militants in Jordan to fight against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a British newspaper says.
A militant stands guard in an unidentified location in Syria
On Friday, The Guardian quoted Jordanian security sources as saying that the training program, which started last year, is led by the United States.
“It’s the Americans, Brits and French with some of the Syrian generals who defected. But we’re not talking about a huge operation,” a Jordanian source said.
He noted that the trainees are still waiting for a “green light” to be dispatched to the northern Syrian city of Daraa.
A European diplomat has implicitly confirmed the report.
“As is normal, before any major decision is taken on this issue, the preparations are made so that when that decision is taken, everything is in place for it to go smoothly. That is what these groups [special forces] do. They go in in advance,” said the diplomat, who was not identified.
On February 28, the so-called Friends of Syria group held talks with members of the Syrian opposition in Rome and pledged to provide more material support to the militants operating in the country.
Last October, the Pentagon announced that a small group of US special forces had travelled to Jordan in the summer to help the country prepare for the training of the militants.
The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.
KA/HGL
PN 