Israel and NATO are reevaluating their relations these days, redefining common goals and objectives. A recent Al-Monitor article described how Israel now aspires to become a security provider for NATO, rather than a security consumer. The Mediterranean Dialogue with NATO has become secondary for Jerusalem as a forum deepening its ties with the alliance. Instead, it focuses on showcasing Israel’s technological abilities, its expertise in civil resilience, how it copes with climate change and its expertise in gathering intelligence. These are all domains relevant to the currently evolving NATO, in its adaptation to global new threats and challenges.

Advancing this process of redefining relations, 22 members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, who also serve as members of parliament in 12 different NATO member countries — including Turkey, Britain, Spain, the Czech Republic and Italy — traveled to Israel recently. The parliamentarians were all members of the assembly’s subcommittee on technology.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is not subjected to the NATO Secretariat, but rather operates as an advisory body, with committees following up on NATO’s different divisions. It is an important tool for dialogues between the alliance and non-NATO allies such as Israel. As a reminder, Israel is considered a US major non-NATO ally. 

The assembly delegation stayed three days in Israel. On July 7, they met with the head of the Knesset delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly, Knesset member Amir Ohana (Likud), as well as with Knesset members Nira Shpak (Yesh Atid), Yorai Lahav Hertzanu (Yesh Atid), Alon Tal (Blue and White) and Knesset member Zvi Hauser (New Hope and former head of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Security Committee). At the meeting, they discussed diplomatic and security issues, environmental protection, innovative technologies and battling antisemitism. They also met with researchers from the Institute for National Security Studies and visited the World Holocaust Remembrance Center Yad Vashem. The delegation also met with Israeli startups and high-tech companies.