TEL AVIV — Israel has begun participation in its first NATO
exercise.
The Israel Navy has contributed a surface vessel to NATO's Cooperation
Mako, which began on Sunday, Middle East Newsline reported. Officials said Israel sent a Saar-5-class
multi-mission missile boat for the Black Sea exercise off the coast of
Romania.
The deployment of the navy's Eilat vessel marked the first time Israel
has participated in a NATO exercise. Until now, Israel's military served as
an
observer.
Since 1994, Israel has been a member of NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue, a
seven-member group that also contains Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Mauritania,
Morocco and Tunisia. Over the last year, NATO has offered group members
participation in exercises and an intelligence exchange.
Officials said Israel has offered to contribute to NATO
search-and-rescue as well as peace-keeping missions. But they said Israel
would not deploy troops.
Israel also plans to participate in NATO's Operation Active Endeavor,
designed to battle Al Qaida and weapons of mass destruction in the
Mediterranean. Officials said the navy intends to post a senior officer in
Naples, the headquarters of the operation.