High-ranking envoys of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Athens on Tuesday evening for talks with the Greek government. Their arrival in the country was announced through a tweet from the Israeli leader’s office.
Netanyahu envoys in Athens: Talks with Greek government, tête-à-tête with Papadopoulou
The visit involved Netanyahu’s military secretary, Brigadier General Roman Gofman, and Deputy Director of the Security Council Gil Reich. Without specifying the exact purpose of the visit, it was noted that diplomatic and regional issues would be discussed.
According to cross-referenced information from parapolitika.gr, the two Israeli envoys met with Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou. Details from the meeting were not disclosed, except that they were conducted within the broad framework of the “strategic – partnership relationship” between the two countries and based on regular contacts regarding regional developments.
However, the timing of the sudden visit is not considered coincidental, as it took place after the two-day P-TEC Summit and the presence of the powerful American factor in our country, with its declared determination to strengthen the Greece-Cyprus-Israel axis.
The strategic Greece-Israel relationship is now developing on multiple levels following the reactivation of the 3+1 axis (Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the US) with all that this brings to the energy and geostrategic upgrade of cooperation between these countries in the Eastern Mediterranean. A serious alternative has already been recorded: the proposal made by Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen for the implementation of the Greece-Cyprus-Israel (GSI) electrical interconnection project, to start the project from the Israel – Cyprus section, in order to make up for lost time.
Defense systems in the Greece-Israel strategic axis
The Greece-Israel strategic axis also includes alliances for defense systems. Indeed, information suggests Greece is in the process of procuring anti-aircraft systems from Israel.
According to International Relations Professor Sotiris Roussos, Greece’s relationship with Israel is unbalanced, and as he explains to parapolitika.gr “we repeatedly buy weapons systems and provide facilities to Israel, while we have received nothing in terms of know-how. Also, I question whether we have an alliance with Israel, because there is no Israeli commitment for mutual assistance in case of crisis. That is, neither has Israel signed anything like that, nor have we signed anything like that with Israel. There isn’t even an agreement like the French type. Also, Israel does not intervene when there are crises in Greek-Turkish relations. For example, Israel does not intervene when we cannot lay cable because Turkey does not allow us to“.
Mr. Roussos also questions the reversal of the Turkey – America relationship in favor of Greece, prompted by US interest in the region’s energy upgrade. As he says “Turkey can do many jobs for America. The entry of American natural gas does not challenge it at all. Turkey already has pipelines that work. That is, TAP is a pipeline that works. All pipelines work. American natural gas is not going to replace the gas that passes through Turkey to Europe or anywhere else. And also America needs Turkey for a series of fronts much more serious than the Aegean. Which are Syria, Iran, the Caucasus. And of course there is Ukraine. Let’s not forget that Turkey plays an intense mediating role in the Ukrainian issue. And there is Gaza where Turkey plays a key role. So, the Americans will not prevent Turkey from blocking the cable laying at Kasos“.
