Yesterday’s elections Israel singled out balance sheets that will lead to the country’s 37th government to replace the short-lived (less than 17 months) originally under Naftali Bennet and then under Yair Lapidwith the great hero once again Benjamin Netanyahu.

From Israel, monotonously and at different levels, they broadcast that no new government will change relations with Greece, which they call strategic friendship. On the Greek side, successive governments (Papandreou, Samaras, Tsipras, Mitsotakis) with very different ideological characteristics managed relations with Israel without any deviation from the strategic goal of convergence.

In Israel, until June 2021 (under Netanyahu), close relations developed with Greece, at the same time there was ice between Ankara and Jerusalem. After the summer of 2021, the change of government and the emergence of a new president (Yitzhak Herzog), it became clear that a quick normalization of relations with Turkey is among the top priorities.

Relations with Turkey

One of the most significant differences between Netanyahu and the party leaders who could form a new coalition is his ability to act internationally much more autonomously. Residents of Jerusalem know that even before June 2021 (and the previous elections that removed Netanyahu as prime minister), there was enough pressure from Washington for Israel to start trying to normalize relations with Turkey in order to cultivate a climate. “return” of Ankara to the architecture of regional security.

In any case, whatever the new government in Israel is, the rapprochement with Turkey is expected to change only in terms of its pace. OUR Recep Tayyip Erdogan he is a leader who values ​​interpersonal relationships, and the ones he had with Netanyahu were not the best. Besides, no one will question events like the Israeli-Lebanese agreement, not even Netanyahu.

Defense cooperation

In Greek-Israeli relations, some things cannot be changed. First, relations in the defense sphere.

Greece cooperates in the field of aviation training and, despite delays, the International Aviation Center in Kalamata (developed by the Israeli company ELBIT) will also modernize the training of our Air Force (Air Force).

The islands’ UAV countermeasures systems, leased UAVs, rockets and missiles, and other programs being discussed with Israel are clear evidence of the close connection. These days, Israeli Navy units are conducting firing exercises in the Myrtle Sea, and the joint exercises of the Armed Forces continue and are deepened.

Also, no change is expected in the basic “geometry” of Greek-Israeli relations, the main forms of which are trilateral with the Republic of Cyprus and 3 + 1 with the participation of the United States.

In fact, after the elections in Israel, it is supposed to determine when the next meeting will take place in the 3 + 1 format, at the level of foreign ministers. It is Israel’s turn to host such a meeting, and certainly the energy will be on the rise, though not with EastMed, which is officially under discussion but is practically in deep freeze.