HERZLIYA, Israel, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Two European leaders Monday suggested Israel join NATO, but the United States said that at the moment they are only talking only about a "closer partnership."
Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra told the Herzliya Conference he hoped to witness a "deepening and strengthening" of Israel's ties with NATO.
Speaking on his government's behalf, Vondra added: "We would be very glad to see also the Magen David (Israel's flag) over our NATO building as soon as possible."
Earlier former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar recommended NATO be expanded to include countries such as Israel, Australia and Japan in order to be more effective on a global level.
Israel is located in the Middle East but is part of the West, Aznar said. Islamic extremists pose the most dangerous threat; fundamentalism is getting closer to Israel and the West and the Palestinian movement is turning into an Islamic fundamentalist movement, he added.
"The West can't fight this threat without Israel," Aznar said.
On Sunday, however, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, who was in Israel for a strategic dialogue with its government, told reporters: "We're not talking at this stage about membership but we are talking about Israel seeking and NATO accepting a closer partnership."
