Ex-Greek Minister Questions Israel Alliance Amid Turkey Tensions
Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has criticized the deepening strategic ties between Greece and Israel, expressing doubt that Israel would provide military support to Athens in a confrontation with Turkey. His remarks follow a significant defense agreement signed last month between Greece and Israel, valued at approximately 3.035 billion euros, which establishes a multi-layered air defense system for Greece.
Varoufakis argued that an alliance with Israel does not offer Greece a genuine military guarantee against Turkey. He questioned whether Israel would actually intervene against the Turkish air force if a conflict arose between the two nations, ultimately answering in the negative. He also criticized the Greek government's stance on cooperating with Israel, stating that Athens gains no additional security benefits while incurring political costs due to Israel's actions in the Gaza war.
Varoufakis and his party, MeRA25, have previously voiced strong criticism of Israel's policies toward Palestinians, accusing it of apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide in Gaza, charges Israel denies, asserting its military operations target security threats. MeRA25 also opposed the "Akillis Shield" program, arguing it deepens Greek defense integration with Israel and NATO rather than reducing conflict risks.
In contrast, the Greek government, through Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, views its network of partnerships with Israel, the United States, Arab nations, and India as enhancing its international standing and deterrence capabilities. Gerapetritis emphasized that Greece is not reliant on a single partner and can simultaneously maintain dialogue with Turkey while strengthening its own defenses.
The "Akillis Shield" deal includes Israeli air defense systems like David's Sling, Spyder, and Barak MX, along with radars and a national command and control system. This defense cooperation is occurring amid strained relations between Israel and Turkey, and ongoing disputes between Greece and Turkey over airspace, territorial waters, Cyprus, exploration rights, and influence in the Eastern Mediterranean. Despite these differences, Greece and Turkey have maintained dialogue channels in recent years to mitigate escalation risks.
