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Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis Thursday in Athens, a first visit by a foreign minister to the country since the elections and establishment of the new cabinet late last month. The two discussed Iran's threat as well as energy cooperation.
A statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry after the meeting quoted Cohen as saying, "The strategic relationship between Israel and Greece strengthens Israel's position and promotes stability in the Middle East. The fact that Israel’s foreign minister is the first foreign minister to travel to Athens since the establishment of the new government in Greece is evidence of the importance and depth of the relationship between the two countries.”
According to the statement, Cohen thanked Gerapetritis for Greek security agencies's actions against the Iranian threat and to protect Jews and Israelis in the country. A source at the Foreign Ministry told Al-Monitor that the comment was a reference to the March 29 statement by the Israeli prime minister's office on the Mossad assisting its Greek counterparts in the unraveling an Iranian cell that planned terror attacks against Israeli nationals in Athens.
“Greece is a close partner in regional security issues and we value the security cooperation between our countries. We will continue to promote the strategic relations with Greece in the fields of security, energy and technology and vis-à-vis the Hellenic triangle with Greece and Cyprus," Cohen further said.
Israel’s relations with Greece have evolved bilaterally as well as in the framework of the Israel-Greece-Cyprus strategic triangle. This alliance has become a cornerstone of Israel’s security policy for the past decade, especially on the backdrop of several years of difficult relations with Turkey and efforts by Iran to expand its regional influence. When Israel and Turkey rehabilitated ties last year, Israel made extra efforts to reassure Athens and Nicosia that the trilateral alliance between them will not be damaged.
The three countries cooperate in joint military drills and on a variety of energy issues. With Israeli efforts to deepen its ties with the North Atlantic Treaty, its military cooperation with NATO member Greece and with Cyprus is especially important.
For some time, the three countries together with other regional and international partners have been discussing the EastMed natural gas project to construct an undersea pipeline that would transfer Israeli gas, probably liquified in Egypt, via Greece, to the south of Europe. Discussions have been taking place in the framework of the Cairo-based EastMed Gas Forum. The United States had expressed skepticism over the feasibility of the project, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing global energy crisis have rekindled European interest in this ambitious plan.
Another energy project Israel has been discussing with Cyprus and with Greece is the construction of an electricity cable in Israel between Ashkelon and Eilat on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, and connecting the Ashkelon electric station to Europe via Cyprus and Greece. Connecting the Israeli grid to the European grid and perhaps also to the Gulf and Asia would offer Israel energy security in case of wide power cuts. It would also offer Israel the possibility of exporting clean electricity to Europe.
Cohen and Gerapetritis also discussed cooperation on tourism. About 100 flights a week make the route between Israel and different locations in Greece. More than 1 million Israelis visited Greece last year. Another field of cooperation is new technologies and innovation. Israel's Ben Gurion University in Beersheba is spearheading cooperation for the construction of a technology park in Greece.
The new Greek government is headed by outgoing Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who has been strongly committed to Athens’ relations with Jerusalem and is expected to remain so. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Mitsotakis June 28 to congratulate him on his win. The two leaders confirmed their willingness to further strengthen bilateral relations and agreed to meet soon.
Gerapetritis also spoke with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Maliki on the phone the day before his meeting with Cohen. The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem told Al-Monitor the conversation with Maliki was not discussed during Cohen’s meeting in Athens.
