Israel and NATO officers at COMEDS Conference 2012
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Turkey has vetoed Israel from participating in NATO’s annual “resilience and emergency preparedness” exercise, according to information received by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, YNet News reported.
Two weeks ago, Israeli diplomats met with NATO’s drill coordinating team and Bulgaria’s delegation to the alliance, where there was reportedly significant enthusiasm for Israel’s participation.
“Turkey’s position undermines regional cooperation and NATO’s ability to address global challenges,” an Israeli official told Ynet News. “Instead of promoting unity and collective security, Turkey is wielding its veto in a way that harms strategic partnerships. Blocking Israel’s cooperation with NATO does not contribute to stability; rather, it undermines the alliance’s core values.”
Turkey’s veto might disrupt Israel’s participation in the exercise, as NATO decisions require unanimous consensus.
Without a formal partnership agreement, there is no bureaucratic method to force Turkey to permit Israel’s involvement in the alliance’s activities. NATO is comprised of 32 member states from North America and Europe.
Since the war in Gaza began, Turkey has consistently opposed NATO’s collaboration with Israel, insisting that the alliance should suspend its interactions with Israel until the conflict is resolved. Historically, Ankara tried to block Israel from obtaining observer status in NATO. However, it retracted its opposition after a short period of diplomatic thaw between the two nations.
Following that brief reconciliation, Turkey has vetoed all NATO engagements with Israel, including meetings and joint exercises. This stance was underscored at NATO’s summit in July, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared that the alliance “cannot continue its partnership with the Israeli government.”
In a strong reaction to Erdoğan’s comments, then-Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz urged NATO to consider expelling Turkey, especially after Erdoğan suggested that military action against Israel could be a possibility.
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