Type 45 Destroyer HMS Duncan and the Spanish frigate Victoria docked in the Israeli port city of Haifa at the weekend.
Local media has reported that this is the first time that a Spanish frigate has docked in an Israeli port. For the British however this is the third visit in as many years, recently helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, then flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, docked in Haifa.
The visit will reportedly include meetings between senior NATO officers and their Israeli counterparts, as well as a joint NATO-Israel naval exercise.
“The exercise underscores NATO’s commitment to the strategic relationship with the Israel Navy and to the maintenance of stability in the region,” the IDF said.
NATO cooperates and discusses its activities with numerous other non-NATO members. The Mediterranean Dialogue was established in 1994 to coordinate in a similar way with Israel and countries in North Africa.
Corbyn will not be happy
No news there then 🙂
Our greatest ally
Well take away the disagreement over Gibraltar, then yes Spain is certainly up there.
Not even in top 5
Israel was one of the only countries selling arms to Argentina at the height of the Falklands war, that is not what allies do, Israel is out for itself, it would not back anyone up in a military conflict unless itself was in danger.
Bit like us selling weapons to Arab nations during the 6 day and Yom Kippur wars then.
Yes exactly like that.
Being allies is a two way street, thanks for proving my point further ?
Not proving anyone’s point just explaining the reality of the situation.
I know but by doing that you proved my point so thanks.
Isreal will always look out for itself. The entire nation has an ‘us vs them mentality though I can’t really blame them. It’s because of that we can’t rely on them.
Israel is intent on survival. Not an entirely unusual concept around the world.
SS – don’t forget that HMG wasn’t exactly shy in selling arms to Argentina around that time too,many of which were of no consequence to the outcome of the war but the sale of Seadart severly compromised the security of the Task Force.
[…] post British and Spanish warships visit Israel appeared first on UK Defence […]
We owe Israel nothing in fact some might say given the deaths our armed services suffered in the creation of this country they owe us. So why do we entertain dealing with them? But they are hitched to the USA without whom they wouldn’t exist let alone survive. And while they cry victim about Iran having nuclear weapons they build their own stocks. So that OK then. Our sending RN warships to Haifa has been peddled by the Israelis as support and agreement with Israel. No surprise there …. So we are now painted by Israel as supporting there murder… Read more »
Palestinian refugees,biggest con going even the Other Arab states are fed up with them.
We have obviously been given permission by the Saudis for these visits so they cannot be worried about the palis either.
The Saudi’s and Israel are allies in all but name through their common enemy in the shape of Iran. While I agree I would not trust Israel to have the UKs back they wouldn’t trust the UK to have their back either.
Accussing Israel of murdering innocent civilians without facts or any context other than what the guardian feeds you is a bit far. We can’t all live in the west surrounded by liberal democracies who hate us now can we?
Great comment again Chris.
Typical food of Marxist media
An attempted invasion of a country is called by media a “Protest”.
What about if you start to read what Hamas says and writes Chris?
“I am strenuously anti-religious but I hope the Palestinians God delivers them from this hell they never deserved.” From a Theological viewpoint, the Palestinian God is the same God as the Israeli God. (and the Christian God. Remember, Jesus was a Jew.) In fact, many of the religious practices are very similar between Judaism & Islam. If want to know why Israel is so independent, you may want to study History first. See who abandoned the cordial relationship that existed between the UK and Israel and why. (Oil…) Then ask if this was done due to National Interests, can Israel… Read more »
** Chris H **
I think we can realistically only be on good terms with Israel, although I wouldn’t go as far as calling them a natural ally. They will be allies at times and not at others. Although I can’t see either country ever taking up arms against the other. It’s called real politic. IOW pragmatism. That’s why Israel is getting ever closer to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. The common enemy is Iran. Although I am equally concerned by the developing situation in the Middle East where I believe both Israel and Saudi are exploiting a rather naive and highly partisan… Read more »
“although I am equally concerned by the developing situation in the Middle East where I believe both Israel and Saudi are exploiting a rather naive and highly partisan trump administration to further their cause against Iran.” You’re on the right track with that comment Sheldon Adelson and Bernard Marcus were two of Trumps biggest financial donors in the election campaign, Adelson contributed $35m. Both are board members of the Likudist Republican Jewish Coalition. Adelson openly advocates nuking Tehran. He recognises Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and pulls out of the Iran deal, looks like they’ve got their money’s worth How on… Read more »
Its a bit much to say President Trump is bought by the Israeli lobby. He is selling lots of arms to Arab nations allied against Iran and ISIS. Despite the predictions, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has not brought on the Apocalypse.
(Chris H) Davis E Flandry (and others)- Its a bit too early to call game set and match on how things will play out over the dumb decision to move the US embassy to Israel. That 100+ innocent protesters throwing stones had to be killed says all we need to know about Israel, its attitudes to the Palestinians and their views on freedom of speech. They knew, and Trump would have been told, how sacred East Jerusalem is to all three religions there. No one religion has sole claim and under the British Mandate Jerusalem was always a ‘neutral city’.… Read more »
No decision was made. President Trump merely showed more compliance with the Law and his Constitutional duties by moving the embassy. Unlike Presidents Obama, Bush, or Clinton who waffled and used technicalities to delay and subvert the will of Congress and the American people. So do not try to say President Obama who gave pallets of money to the Iranians has an iota of credibility. Also in the US it is not recognized def facto as the capital of Israel. The law that said moved the embassy recognized it de jure in 1994. Telling the Israelis where to put their… Read more »
Typical Socialists defending Islamists, like Communists defended Hitler 1939-1941.
The Ayatollah Islamic regime says for as long as they are there “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” but no for some here that does not mean anything.
Ayatollahs also hate many other things like attacking Zoroastrians , destroying their temples, Kurds and others.
Lol. Desperate stuff!
Lol indeed. Good to break the very heavy commentary with some light humour (which unfortunately might not turn out to be so funny).
Great teamwork between the UK and Spain, especially considering the Ramos tackle on Salah.
Good.
Are these the same Nato partners who are shafting the UK over the Galileo project? Or the same Spanish who keep playing silly wotsits in Gibraltan waters? Funny how our allies in Nato(The EU ones) find it necessary to be as obstructive & derisory of a nation state excercising it’s democratic choices. I can’t see how the EUs military ambitions will add anything to Europe except endanger stability. Seems like meglomania to me. They won’t contribute to a fair & safe level to NATO(We’re not much better), but they can find money for empire building & collective new military structures.
Russia seize’s the Crimea and gets huge sanctions put in place against it. Israel seized and has illegally occupied the West Bank at gunpoint for over fifty years and gets visits from British and Spanish warships. Is it not hypocritical to be treating the two so differently?
Ok anti semite
Do you want help removing that chip from your shoulder Levi
Typical Marxist media drone.
Strange, did England occupied Germany “illegally”? Did not only England got out of there after a desnazification implying that Germans stopped wanting to attack England?
Strange how some are allowed to occupy but others don’t.