VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTV #2554/01 3310908
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270908Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4365
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 2867
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 6910
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 5014
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0167
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0001
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 0859
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 7363
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0175

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 002554 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MASS NATO CA IS
SUBJECT: NATO DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL BRIEFS DIPLOMATIC 
COMMUNITY ON VISIT TO ISRAEL 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  In a November 24 briefing to the 
diplomatic corps held at the Canadian Embassy, NATO Deputy 
Secretary General Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero described 
positive meetings with GOI interlocutors in which both NATO 
and the GOI expressed interest in enhancing the NATO-Israel 
relationship.  (Note: Canada serves as the NATO contact 
country in Israel.)  Amb. Bisogniero said GOI officials did 
not raise potential Israeli membership in NATO, which was a 
marked difference from his visit in 2007.  However, GOI 
officials continue to express interest in a status of forces 
agreement (SOFA) with NATO.  Amb. Bisogniero described Iran 
as a "leitmotif" in all his conversations; other topics 
included NATO's review of the Strategic Concept, Israeli 
participation in Operation Active Endeavour, NATO's role in 
Afghanistan, and potential Israeli participation in NATO 
exercises and training opportunities.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero noted that this was his second visit 
to Israel, the first taking place in October 2007.  During 
this latest visit, he met with FM Lieberman, Deputy Minister 
of Defense Vilnai, members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and 
Defense Committee, and IDF Deputy Chief of the General Staff 
Major General Gantz, and engaged in strategic staff talks 
with the Israeli interagency hosted by MFA Deputy Director 
General for Western Europe Naor Gilon. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Overall, Bisogniero characterized the visit as "very 
positive," noting that Israel is often the first of the 
Mediterranean Dialogue (Med D) partners to take advantage of 
available NATO tools.  He said Israel was the first Med D 
partner to develop an Individual Cooperation Program (ICP), 
which is currently in its second revision.  Bisogniero said 
both NATO and Israel interlocutors indicated a willingness to 
"do more" with regard to the relationship.  He noted, 
however, that there was little mention of potential Israeli 
membership in NATO -- a decided difference from his visit in 
¶2007. 
 
FM Lieberman 
------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero described his meeting with FM 
Lieberman as positive, noting that Lieberman invited the NATO 
Secretary General to visit Israel, and plans to visit NATO 
Headquarters in early 2010.  Bisogniero said Lieberman spoke 
extensively about Iran, noting a "January 1 deadline" but 
neglecting to offer an explanation of what such a deadline 
entailed.  Bisogniero reiterated NATO's support for the P5 1 
and IAEA efforts.  He said Lieberman argued the international 
community "missed a chance" to affect change after the 
Iranian regime's brutal crackdown following the June national 
elections.  Bisogniero said Lieberman asked rhetorically what 
expanded role NATO might play in the Middle East, but did not 
offer any suggestions.  Bisogniero noted this issue played a 
more prevalent role during his visit in 2007; by and large, a 
Middle East regional role for NATO was not discussed during 
this latest visit. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero said Lieberman also was very 
interested in NATO's relationship with Russia, especially 
within the context of NATO enlargement and the 2008 
Russia-Georgia conflict.  Bisogniero said Lieberman was 
seized with the issue of confronting Islamic radicalism and 
extremism, and charged NATO to do more globally in that 
regard.  Bisogniero pointed to NATO's role in Afghanistan, 
stressing NATO "cannot fail."  Lieberman acknowledged NATO in 
Afghanistan, but said NATO must do more in this "clash of 
civilizations." 
 
Strategic Staff Talks 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero said the strategic staff talks 
included representatives from the MFA, MOD, IDF, and Prime 
Minister's Office.  Bisogniero said all GOI interlocutors 
expressed interest in expanded NATO-GOI relations, and 
stressed the need for the North Atlantic Council (NAC) to 
meet regularly with the seven Med D partners, as well as 
resuming the Atlantic Policy Advisory Group (APAG) -- which 
Bisogniero explained had been postponed following Operation 
Cast Lead. Amb. Bisogniero said the "NAC plus 7" meetings 
with the Med D partners are a key element from NATO's 
perspective, as NATO must be viewed as attempting to assist 
 
all Med D partners.  He added that gathering the six Arab 
partners and Israel around the table to discuss sensitive 
issues was an important goal for NATO.  Representatives from 
the PM's Office noted a planned visit to Brussels by PM 
Netanyahu tentatively scheduled for March 2010, and discussed 
the possibility of Netanyahu addressing the NAC. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero said the strategic staff talks 
reviewed several areas of NATO-GOI cooperation.  He said the 
NATO Senior Politico-Military Group on Proliferation (SGP) 
had met with the GOI on several occasions, including most 
recently in September 2009.  Bisogniero said the GOI had been 
invited to attend a NATO nonproliferation seminar in Warsaw 
in December, and noted plans for the NATO Assistant Secretary 
for Defense Planning to visit Israel in 2010.  He said both 
NATO and GOI interlocutors expressed interest in enhanced 
contacts with respect to counterterrorism cooperation and 
intelligence exchanges.  Other potential areas of increased 
NATO-GOI cooperation include civil emergency planning and 
crisis management through the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response 
Coordination Center (EADRCC).  Bisogniero said the GOI 
remains very interested in enhanced cooperation with the 
North Atlantic Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA), 
especially with regard to maintenance for its Patriot arsenal. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero said GOI interlocutors raised the 
possibility of a status of forces agreement (SOFA) between 
NATO and Israel.  He explained that the issue of a SOFA is 
sensitive -- Israel is the most prepared of the Med D 
partners to conclude a SOFA with NATO.  However, several NATO 
Allies have expressed reservations regarding a SOFA with 
Israel without formalizing one with the other Med D 
countries.  Bisogniero said the current iteration of Israel's 
ICP includes language to identify alternatives to the SOFA in 
the interim. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero said the strategic staff talks 
addressed some of the practical arrangements regarding the 
GOI's participation in NATO's Operation Active Endeavour 
(OAE) in the Mediterranean Sea.  He noted that the GOI had 
expressed willingness to make its sole participating naval 
vessel available earlier than anticipated -- as early as 
January/February 2010 -- which demonstrates how serious the 
GOI takes its participation.  The strategic staff talks also 
discussed potential Israeli participation in NATO's Crisis 
Management Exercise (CMX) 09, as well as potential training 
opportunities and counter-piracy cooperation.  Bisogniero 
said he encouraged the GOI to express its views regarding the 
Strategic Concept review during an upcoming seminar in Oslo. 
 
Knesset 
------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero described his meeting with members 
from the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as 
positive.  He said committee members questioned whether NATO 
was truly committed to the effort in Afghanistan, and 
suggested that NATO might find itself in a situation similar 
to Israel's following Operation Cast Lead and the Goldstone 
Report -- especially regarding civilian casualties. 
Bisogniero described to the members NATO's strong policy on 
avoiding civilian casualties.  He said the committee members 
also asked about Iran, and the Strategic Concept review. 
 
IDF 
--- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Amb. Bisogniero said IDF Deputy Chief of the 
General Staff MG Gantz described a stark global situation, 
noting a "third world war" by Islamic radicals against 
Western civilization.  Bisogniero emphasized to MG Gantz the 
need to prioritize its ICP goals; according to Bisogniero, MG 
Gantz said he would try to provide this by the end of the 
year.  Bisogniero said MG Gantz also discussed Iran, and 
asked how Israel might help NATO in Afghanistan -- while the 
provision of troops is highly unlikely, perhaps Israel can 
assist in other ways such as sharing its experience in 
countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs). 
 
MORENO