Netanyahu’s victory in the November 2022 elections returned the architect of Israeli-Greek friendship back to head of government. As prime minister in 2010, Netanyahu was the first to maintain this friendship, and since then it has shown a high degree of resilience despite changing geopolitical conditions and political developments. Since 2010, Greek governments of various political ideologies, from centre-right to center-left and left, have considered Israel an important partner and envisaged closer ties with the Jewish state. For its part, the Bennett-Lapid government, although short-lived, has been working in 2021–22 to promote bilateral partnership.

Last November, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu on his electoral victory while at the same time expressing his readiness to maintain “a particularly strong bilateral relationship.” In the same context, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Mr. Nikos Dendias, recently visited Israel (31.01.) and met not only with his colleague Eli Cohen, but also with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Thus, N. Dendias became the first European foreign minister to visit Israel after the formation of the new Israeli government. A special mention of the visit was made in the message of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Greece can play a decisive role in maintaining the positive momentum in relations between Israel and the EU. Dendias’s visit to Jerusalem came just days after the meeting of Israeli President Herzog in Brussels with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Israel’s importance to Europe is growing, given the war in Ukraine. In an effort to reduce its energy dependence on Russia, the EU signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel (and Egypt) in June 2022 to ensure stable gas imports. The negotiations between Israel and Europe cover a wide range of topics related to, among others, trade, agriculture, research and development, tourism, anti-Semitism, educational programs, etc.

Relations between Israel and the EU are sometimes characterized by disagreements. Jerusalem is different from Brussels, for example. on how to interpret Iran’s actions. In an article on the Politico website, Israeli President Herzog welcomed the European Parliament’s decision to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.

At a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stressed the importance of Europe’s recognition of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization. Greece, a country threatened by Turkey, can in any case understand the security sensitivities of Israel, its trusted partner in the Eastern Mediterranean. The voice of Greece at the European level can play an important role.

At the bilateral level, bilateral economic relations are flourishing. Israel’s exports to Greece increased from $442.6 million in 2019 to $670.3 million in 2022, while imports from Greece increased from $321.2 million in 2019 to $587 million in 2022. Investment opportunities are also increasing. Israel is the leading investor in tourism and real estate in Greece. Literally at the end of January, Tikkun Europe, a subsidiary of the Israeli Tikkun Olam, opened a medical cannabis processing plant in Corinth.

Defense cooperation is also showing progress. The defense ministers of the two countries hold regular meetings, the last of which took place in November 2022 in Jerusalem. Arms agreements are also on the agenda. In the summer of 2022, Forbes magazine reported that Greece had developed Israeli systems to counter Turkish drones, and the country also appeared to be interested in purchasing Israeli SPIKE/NLOS missiles.

From a strategic perspective, as Greece tries to rethink its national security doctrine, it can learn from Israel, especially in the areas of cybersecurity, hybrid threats and space. Bilateral cooperation goes beyond the defense sector. In the summer of 2022, Greece and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of civil protection.

The current stage of bilateral relations finds Israel with restored diplomatic relations with Turkey. While trust between Turkey and Israel has yet to be fully restored, the new reality has raised fears in Greece. Athens must carefully examine Israel’s security needs and chart its own course in its dynamic partnership.

In a recent interview, Israel’s ambassador to Greece, Mr. Noam Katz, mentioned the Israeli-Lebanese agreement and its possible impact on other affairs in the Eastern Mediterranean. It will certainly be in Greece’s interest to carefully study this agreement and explore the possibility of its practical application.

The right moment, the right time is always the deciding factor. Greece seeks to resolve its conflicts with Turkey, while responding to threats from a neighboring country and protecting itself. In any case, the Israeli experience can be useful and beneficial.

* Dr. George N. Tsogopoulos is a lecturer at the European Institute of Nice (CIFE) and the Democritus University in Thrace, and an analyst at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).

** This was first published on the VESA website in Israel, where Mr. Tsogopoulos writes.