WI AHC: Israel joining NATO.

Would it be possible, from when Isreal was established to somehow get it to atleast attempt to join NATO, if such a thing was to occur, how would the other nations around it respond?
 
With fear; it's only a matter of time before Israel launches another incursion into a neighbouring country or is attacked by a terrorist organization. But this time, it has the full backing of NATO. Being attacked by a terrorist organization might lead Israel to seek more territory from neighbouring countries and as previously stated, with the full backing of NATO.

Imagine if the ANZUS treaty had been around during the time of the Aborigines; they would've stood no chance. :eek:
 

Cook

Banned
Imagine if the ANZUS treaty had been around during the time of the Aborigines; they would've stood no chance.

I’ll amend my remark.

This analogy is so off the mark as to be ridiculous.

If you are going to make an analogy, make it about something that in some way, shape of form resembles the subject of discussion.

And for the record, ‘the time of the Aborigines’ runs from 20,000 years ago right through to today.
 
Last edited:
Possibly a much more equal exchange in 1967 would lead to this. Israel still wins, but it's like 1973, and Israel is badly shaken. They apply for NATO, and NATO accepts, since Israel isn't getting any stronger relative to the surrounding states and NATO doesn't want Israel to fall.

In general, make Israel weaker and they're much more likely to get into NATO, since NATO won;t think Israel just wants NATO to help it beat up on the Arabs.
 
its a no go on both sides, at first Israel didn't really want a part of the cold war, they didn't want to piss off the USSR or have ANYthing to do with a land war in Europe, and Europe's NATO members want NOthing to do with wars in the middle east, look at what happened in 1973, all but one of members of NATO in Europe blocked US from used bases and air space to help Israel.
 
I don't think Israel gains anything from NATO membership, because NATO is by its charter a defensive organization. This is partly why the Kosovo War was controversial. Regardless, I might be mistaken, but I thought that to be in Afghanistan is NATO forces are today, the group had to tinker with its rules for deployment because the alliance was only applicable in Europe, hence its noninvolvement in African colonial wars.
 
I don't think Israel gains anything from NATO membership, because NATO is by its charter a defensive organization. This is partly why the Kosovo War was controversial. Regardless, I might be mistaken, but I thought that to be in Afghanistan is NATO forces are today, the group had to tinker with its rules for deployment because the alliance was only applicable in Europe, hence its noninvolvement in African colonial wars.

In 1990s NATO went through transformation to find new reason for existance. Being created as defensive allience against Soviet threatonce that was gone NATO found itself without real purpose. So out-of-areaoperations developed where NATO would be used outside area defined in article 6. This was used in NATO involvement in Balkans, afghansitan was natural extension of it, and easy to make as US activated article 5.

Regarding Israel, theymay be interested in joining but NATO members may not be. israel maintained that it will take care of their defence by themselves, which they mostly did. If they join NATO they recognize this may not be possible. There may be resistance withoin Israel itself along the lines of trusting others with defending Israel. Depending on when this issue is raised other NATO members could oppose it, reasoning that NATO, and hence they, will be dragged into war that has nothing to do with them. It would also complicate relations between Arabs and Europe.
 
As long as the Soviet Union exists, neither NATO nor Israel will be interested in this, the reasons are stated before:

  • Israel has no interest in being dragged into the cold war
  • NATO has no interest in dragging the Soviet Union into the middle east even more, which inevitably would happen
The only chance to change this is to have much closer ties between Arab states and the Soviets so that "the enemy of my enemy" fully applies.

After the Soviet union collapses, this situation fundamentally changes. Yet NATO had no interest in being dragged inot middle-eastern wars. Again, one could fabricate scenarios in which "the enemy of my enemy" applies: either, have islamistic fundamentalism including terror against the west start way earlier so that the west (and maybe the late soviets as well) is already in a worse war against terror than we are today. Or write a nice TL in which the Israeli-Arab conflict is already resolved.
 
How about Israel in CENTO and switching to NATO when CENTO collapses? It could be seen as sort of a natural progression.
 
Israel had no political connections to Europe and NATO. Consider the objective of NATO and then consider Israel's interests between 1948 to say 1973, there isn't much of a connection. However, if Israel were to join NATO, it would be for sole purpose of protection from it Arab neighbors. Three things that I can think of at the top of my head with Israel as a NATO member: 1.) A weaker Israel because NATO wouldn't allow them to go on an offensive with it's neighbors. 2.) More strained relations between the west and Arab nations than they already were because NATO now has a defense commitment with Israel and 3.) a more nervous USSR. Although the USSR had no real interests or ties to the Middle East, I can see Moscow becoming nervous on the idea of a NATO backed land war close to their territory.
 
I1.) A weaker Israel because NATO wouldn't allow them to go on an offensive with it's neighbors.

NATO member Turkey went on offensive against Cyprus and almost getting in a war with NATO member Greece. If NATO couldn't prevent one member from almost going to war with another member what makes you think they'll be able to prevent Israel from doing this, considering most common Israeli response to requests to cool down is "Up yours, you filthy antisemite" and then doing whatever the fuck they want to do?
 
How about a super duper best case senerio?

Russia does much better economically post SU fall, becomes liberal parlimentary social democracy, joins NATO!

With NATO streching all the way to the Pacific, people more and more see NATO as the World's Collective Security alliance.

Rules are altered to make this true.

Over next couple of years all First World Nations join Global NATO in the name of world wide Peace.

Isreal joins as payoff for Two State Solution that includes connected West Bank/Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as capital.

(Isreali Security now guaranteed by an alliance that encompasses all First World Nations plus).

Everyone lives happily ever after.:);)

 
After the Soviet union collapses, this situation fundamentally changes. Yet NATO had no interest in being dragged inot middle-eastern wars. Again, one could fabricate scenarios in which "the enemy of my enemy" applies: either, have islamistic fundamentalism including terror against the west start way earlier so that the west (and maybe the late soviets as well) is already in a worse war against terror than we are today.

This would probably be the best case for Israel to get into NATO. Maybe the US takes the attack on the USS Cole more seriously and enlists Israel's help in dealing with terrorists.

Or Nixon overrules Kissinger about military supply during the Yom Kippur War early enough. After all, the Soviets were arming the Syrians, so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to give massive amounts of US aid to Israel and offer NATO membership to keep their new friend safe. When the Israelis win, they accept the offer for NATO membership to deter future (possible) Arab attacks. In OTL, Kissinger held US military aid back in order for Israel to be amenable to his post-war diplomacy ideas.
 
Top