Israel looks to Europe

Israel has always kind of gone its own way, a European like country that doesn't really fit in with the Mid-East or look toward Europe, but what if like Turkey Israel from 1949 on tried to aline with Europe (and maybe after 1954 Western Europe) could Israel ever fit into the European Family? or the EU (or whatever shape it takes ITL) or would Israel suffer the same fate as Turkey always stuck out in the cold trying to get in?

what would a European Israel look like? (and Europe with Israel?) and what would a "Turkish" Israel look like?
 
I thought the thread title alluded to a European volunteer force being sent to Israel to stop an enemy invasion. I am disappoint.:mad::p
 
Israel has always kind of gone its own way, a European like country that doesn't really fit in with the Mid-East or look toward Europe, but what if like Turkey Israel from 1949 on tried to aline with Europe (and maybe after 1954 Western Europe) could Israel ever fit into the European Family? or the EU (or whatever shape it takes ITL) or would Israel suffer the same fate as Turkey always stuck out in the cold trying to get in?

what would a European Israel look like? (and Europe with Israel?) and what would a "Turkish" Israel look like?

If Israel is looking to Europe, I assume America is not giving them any special support? Though very plausible, that would lead to ASB level consequences.

Without American support to help airbrush things, Europe might look much more closely at the 1948 Exodus/Disaster that played such a significant role in the foundation of Israel. WWII would make that difficult, but not impossible. If that did happen, it could make Israel much more internationally isolated.

Five possible outcomes I can think of:
1) Europe substitutes for America. Suez Invasion successful. No other significant differences in history.
2) Russia substitutes for America and Europe. Warsor Pact politics in the Middle East become *very* interesting. 'Cuban' Missile Crisis takes place in Mediterranean Sea. Israeli tank experience exported to Iraq via Russia causes major headaches for allies during Gulf War. Western panic over Iraqi scuds stationed in Israel.:p
3) Republic of Jerusalem (or some such) as suggested OTL by India and Iran. Permanent solution to 1948 Exodus = (eventual) peace in middle east. Maybe.:confused:
4) Israel is the new South Africa until it's collapse in 1994. Within ten years the new Islamic Prime Minister is declaring that AIDS is a fictional disease and condoms are evil. This marks a new high point in relations between New Palestine and the Vatican.
5) Israel defeated during war due to no external support or nuclear weapons program.

Personally I think (2) looks like the most fun. After all, if you're going to break a time line, break it good and hard...[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
 
One possible idea - which is certainly plausible - is if Israel is more or less in the non-aligned camp, thus having Israel looking to both Western Europe and Russia. In essence, Israel becomes a variation on the Yugoslavia theme.
 
If Israel is looking to Europe, I assume America is not giving them any special support? Though very plausible, that would lead to ASB level consequences.

erm from 1948 till 1967 the US and Israel were friends but not super close, most of Israel's arms were French in the Six Day War, the US's Super close relationship we have today where the US gives over a billion yearly is a post 1979 thing

well thats the point I stopped reading because I don't think you know anything about this topic
 
One possible idea - which is certainly plausible - is if Israel is more or less in the non-aligned camp, thus having Israel looking to both Western Europe and Russia. In essence, Israel becomes a variation on the Yugoslavia theme.

well France and Israel were close in the 1950s and less so in the 60s, maybe if de Gaulle was less of a dick you end of with Israel as a French satellite, maybe rather than UK getting into the UK France pushes Israel threw
 
Maybe FDR lives longer and doesn't recognize Israel? He had a very good relationship with the Middle Eastern Arab states, and methinks that the ever cautious Roosevelt might not have recognized Israel right out of the gate.

So let's assume the United States isn't the first to recognize Israel. Israel manages to win its independence with the aid of Europe, to whom Israel looks for inspiration. The United States eventually recognizes Israel, but sides against it during the Suez Crisis and generally is more favorable toward the Arab world than IOTL. At some point, the OPEC nations slap an embargo on Europe, but spare the United States, and Israeli and European ties end up going further with French nuclear scientists helping the Israelis become nuclear powered in a big way.
 
Israel was and is close to Europe

Well considering that (according to many intelligence papers and defected nuclear technician Mordechai Venunu) the French helped supply both Israel, Iran, and Iraq the logistics as well as parts needed for nuclear reactors. It makes you wonder what was the French's ultimate plan :eek:; or perhaps they were just thinking more with their purses then their noggins.:rolleyes:

In all actuality, considering Israel closely participated with France and the UK during their invasion of the Suez Canal zone I would venture to state that relations were pretty close then. Not to mention the fact that Europe is a major export market for the state. The only way Israel would be any closer to Western Europe most of the time would be NATO membership and if it was bordering the Soviet Union.

Maybe like if black angel stated if France wasn't so flaky and TNF's opinion regarding FDR being able to enact more post-WWII American policy would make Israel look elsewhere. Even if that would entail looking more towards South Africa and the PRC? :p

I guess one definitive butterfly could be the IMI Galil, Uzi and IAI Kfir being in greater active service longer.
 
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Serious considerations of the question aside, Israel (and Turkey and
Cyprus) are already in the European Family - they're all in the
Eurovision Song Contest.
It might be as an embarrassing nephew or distant cousin, but they're
in there.

(On a more serious note, an otherwise unchanged Israel (assuming a
mostly unchanged Europe and EU) would presumably be (or is, as I
haven't looked into the issue and fear what googling Israel and EU may
bring up) much like Turkey but higher on the list, as in "some issues they
need to fix, but there's not that many of them and they never besieged
Vienna".)
 
... the French helped supply both Israel, Iran, and Iraq the logistics as well as parts needed for nuclear reactors. It makes you wonder what was the French's ultimate plan :eek:; or perhaps they were just thinking more with their purses then their noggins.:rolleyes:

Most other countries aren't as paraniod as the US, and the fact of the matter is that when France was giving nuclear assistance to Iran Iran was a close western ally. Similarly when France assisted Iraq it wasn't the international pariah it became in 1990.

One my favourite scenarios is the success of CENTO, with Britain heavily involved in the Mid East as a result of a successful Suez operation. In such a scenario Europe could remain highly engaged in Mid East including Israel.
 
well France and Israel were close in the 1950s and less so in the 60s, maybe if de Gaulle was less of a dick you end of with Israel as a French satellite, maybe rather than UK getting into the UK France pushes Israel threw

Hmm, that would be interesting to see for a TL.
 
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