Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, left, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis hold a joint press conference at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem, on December 22, 2025. [Abir Sultan/AP]
Both Turkey and Israel are revisionist powers. Even if the current tension between them eases, sooner or later they will again face off in the race for regional dominance.
By definition, the alliance that Greece and Cyprus have forged with Israel will embroil them in a dangerous contest with unpredictable consequences. This does not mean that they had much choice. What it demands, though, is that the Greeks do not look on as passive observers of others’ choices, but that we understand the dangers and potential of the time, so that we can make use of the opportunities and risks stemming from the alliance with Israel.
This demands a dynamic negotiation with Turkey for the settling of real differences between the two countries (delineation of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zones), and, at the same time, putting pressure on Israel with regard to the Palestinian issue and its general behavior in the region.
Greece and the Republic of Cyprus ought to demand that Israel acknowledge their sensitivities regarding democracy, international law and human rights. This is an opportunity to show that their policies are based on principles.
