Lieberman wants NATO troops in Gaza

Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman discussed deploying NATO forces in the Gaza Strip in a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary General Alessandro Minuto Rizzo in Brussels.

The two discussed deploying a force to preserve order and prevent weapon smuggling into the Gaza Strip.

Lieberman also brought up the matters of aerial defense, technological research and development and intelligence cooperation between Israel and NATO.

Lieberman visited Europe this week to hold a round of talks with European leaders. The Yisrael Beitenu chairman stopped in Brussels and Madrid to discuss several matters releated to the situation in the Middle East, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian nuclear threat.

On his stop in Madrid, Lieberman met with Former Spanish President José María Aznar, who reportedly told the Israeli minister that "there are leaders in Europe who prefer to leave dealing with Iran to Israel. It's a kind of game.

"I believe that Israel is important to Europe. If Israel falls, I am sure that Spain will be next, and after it, the whole western world. I am afraid that Israel will be left alone to face Iran."

After Lieberman gave his condolences for the death of three Spanish UNIFIL soldiers killed in Lebanon earlier this week, he told Aznar, "Radical Islam is in an all-out-war against the free world on two fronts:

"The Shiite side, by Iran and its messengers – Hizbullah and Hamas; and on the Sunni side there is ongoing assault run by al-Qaeda and its messengers, such as Fath al-Islam in Lebanon, which probably launched the Katyusha rockets on Kirtay Shmona last week.

"The free world must unite and consolidate a comprehensive strategy that would give a response to the threat of radical Islam."

Members of the EPP include German Chancellor Angel Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Lieberman is examining the possibility of having Yisrael Beitenu join the EPP, as part of his declared plans to bring Israel into the European Union.