ΕΠΙΚΑΙΡΟΣ 
Many years ago, in early 2010, I was among the first few supporters of the revival of relations between Greece and Israel. I clearly remember the turning point in this painful process (which had started with the establishment of diplomatic relations by Constantine Mitsotakis in 1991): It was January of 2009 when Mr. Erdogan verbally attacked Simon Peres in Davos, publicly accusing him of “killing Palestinian children” and leaving the stage in chaotic conditions. The Israeli political elites, who had invested much in Turkey and had continuously good relations with Ankara since the times of …Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in the 16th century (he was the Sultan who saved the Jews from the Catholic prosecution in Spain and allowed them to settle in his Empire – mostly in Greek-majority cities like Smyrna and Salonika) froze in surprise. But they made decisions fast and with their usual “consensus.” Months later, they sent a team from their primary foreign policy think tank in Tel Aviv to Cyprus, and the long process of rapprochement started. To their experienced analysts, it was clear then that Erdogan would follow his Islamist path with even greater vigor, and dealing with him would be impossible. It was the right decision, and the events that followed proved it. And they had to find another way to achieve the “strategic depth” necessary for Israel’s survival – its connection to the West. Coincidentally, the West still agonizes today with the same concept, believing that Turkey could be retained in their camp…
Greece Allowed the Israeli Air Force to train on its S-300 missiles…
Soon Israel was doing joint military exercises in Cyprus and Greece. Not long after, Greece offered them an invaluable gift (probably with Russia’s tacit consensus – but I will not take an oath on this): Greece allowed Israeli Air Force (IAF) to train on the Russian S-300 missiles based in Crete, a few hundred miles from Israel’s shores. The experience from training on the S-300 advanced radar would be necessary if IAF were to go against the same type of missiles in Iran. And so the relationship between the Greek States, Greece, and Cyprus, with Israel, kept evolving from joint exercises to facilities sharing to information exchanges and, above all, in the energy sector, with the various plans for an East-Med gas pipeline from the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe (now officially abandoned in favor of a short pipeline to a Cyprus liquefication plant).
But overall, as an objective observer, I will tell you that the relationship between Greece and Cyprus with Israel was and still is out of balance: Israel is gaining the most out of this without reciprocating properly.
A relationship out of balance
To understand the whole picture, you have to consider that (especially today, with the Arabs united for the first time in decades, having made peace with Iran and Islamist Turkey still “looking east”), Greece and Cyprus serve as an umbilical cord tying Israel to the West. It is as symbolic as it is vital for Israel. One would expect Israel to take certain steps to help Greece and Cyprus. Yet the facts prove otherwise: Israel prioritizes its own interests and does not care enough for its allies. Here are some facts:Why does Israel still put obstacles on a settlement/agreement about the “Aphrodite” gas field shared with Cyrpus? Scientists can pinpoint almost exactly how much of the gas belongs to each country. Israel is entitled to no more than 10%. Yet for the past ten years, it delays any deal for “Aphrodite’s” development. Why such unfair treatment?
Why does Israel talk about exporting (liquified) gas from Cyprus or Egypt, referring only to its own gas? Where is the well-touted “alliance”? We do not feel the warmth at this point…
Israel enjoys military facilities in Cyprus and ample business opportunities (sometimes not so “kosher” legally – and I am talking about exporting software to third countries through Cyprus). At the same time, Israeli individuals and businesses buy real estate in vast numbers, both in free and in Turkish-occupied Cyprus. Don’t they think this is unfair? Don’t they think they legitimize the Turkish occupation of Cyprus?
Greece also offers Israel military facilities and ample business opportunities. But at some point, things go beyond a limit: Recently, “in a strategic move,” Israeli Aerospace Industries acquired the biggest Greek defense company, Intracom Defense, (thus gaining easy access to the EU market) without ANY questions asked by the Mitsotakis government – at least publicly…
To be fair, in 2022, Israel helped install a “dome” system protecting the Greek Islands from any drones – like the “Bayraktar” drones produced by Turkey. We do not know many details about this installation, but it is an excellent system. The Greek islands are already known to have among the best air defense systems in the world, thanks mainly to old Russian-made BUKs and TOR missiles. The Israeli system will secure them further against drones.
But in the last 6-7 months, it became known that some in the Mitsotakis government used the Israeli software “Predator” to wiretap certain political opponents. Not only the software came from Israel but also the intelligence agents who operated it!! This, my friends, is equivalent to treason by PM Mitsotakis, and I can imagine the day he will be brought to justice. Even more disturbing is that the whole wiretapping scandal was uncovered thanks to American CIA agents in Athens when they realized that the Israelis were wiretapping even their own “assets” in the Greek capital!! Yes, this country is an open field for all foreign powers to play games on its back…
The Genocide and Human Rights issues
I would leave it at this point if a bigger theme did not appear beyond all these exchanges… And it has to do with the sense that everybody owes Israel while they do not need to reciprocate. What do I mean? Even as we speak, Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, has failed, despite numerous tries, to recognize the Armenian Genocide – the Hellenic Genocides do not stand ANY chance!! Well, Greece, Cyprus, and the Greek-American community do not miss a chance to honor the victims of the Holocaust, and rightfully so. We recognize our friends and supporters more than anywhere else in these human rights issues. And it is in these issues that the imbalances are more evident than anywhere else. Fortunately, the Jewish-American organizations have taken a different stance, and they have recognized the Armenian Genocide and the Hellenic Genocides. But we need them to put enough pressure to Israel to do the same. And we need them to cooperate further in offering Greek and Cyprus what they truly deserve. Example: Israel is getting over $3 billion annually in FREE American aid, while Greece id giving away base after base – the whole country has become an American base – for next to nothing!! And Cyprus is being hit with sanctions while it is still waiting for American weapons systems!!
Another Example: Israel has gained tremendous economic and military support from Germany in recognition of the Holocaust. Subsidized or even free modern warships for its Navy is just one example. Greece lost about 10% of its population because of the German occupation and atrocities, along with almost 90% of its infrastructure. Why doesn’t Israel support Greece in such worthy goals? There are many ways to do it… And why the many technocrats of Jewish descent do not help alleviate the pressure of the heavy public debt on Greece? Instead, some I am afraid are taking advantage… Do you mean to tell me that they don’t participate in pro-Israel lobbies? P-lease…
Conclusions
Greece and Cyprus have become the first line of defense for the West and have completely identified with Western interests abandoning – to their peril – the minimal relations they maintained with Russia. They cannot keep making such perilous moves based on the Greek “philotimo”. In both dealing with the US and Israel, reciprocity is the right concept. I will go as far as saying, based on many decades of business experience, that the concept of reciprocity is so deeply rooted in Jewish culture that if you do not demand it they view you as somehow “unworthy”. Time to bring the relationship back to balance!
June 4, 2023, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
