Israel, Greece, and Cyprus share a common enemy, Turkey, that has been projecting its power in the eastern Mediterranean by establishing military outposts in Syria. Turkey has also made large claims about the extent of its own territorial waters, no doubt hoping there is oil and gas under them. Now Israel, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly threatened to destroy, and has even suggested that a pan-Islamic army be created to destroy the Jewish state, has been looking for allies in the region to oppose an aggressive Turkey, and has found both Greece and Cyprus fit the bill. Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is known for his support of Israel, though he has also warned Israel, “as a friend,” that by opposing the “two-state solution,” it risks losing more international support. The president of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, maintains an even stronger pro-Israel stance. He has deepened energy, defense, and economic ties with Israel, viewing it as a key strategic partner holding an aggressive Turkey in check.
Now the three countries have come together to discuss establishing a rapid-response force consisting of troops from all three, in the hope that Turkish aggression may thereby be deterred. More on this rapid-response force can be found here: “In move to deter Turkey, Israel explores creation of rapid-response force with Greece, Cyprus,” by Amichai Stein and Yonah Jeremy Bob, Jerusalem Post, December
Senior officials from Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are discussing the possibility of establishing a rapid-response force composed of units from the armed forces of the three countries, three people familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to deter Turkey’s military and strategic activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, they said….
On Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz met with his Cypriot counterpart in Israel.
The concept they discussed envisions a unit of about 2,500 personnel, some 1,000 soldiers each from Greece and Israel, and 500 from Cyprus, Greek news site Tanea reported.
Discussions on the proposal are ongoing, two sources told the Post.
The establishment of such a force, and even discussions about its establishment, is intended to send a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“If you take this and you add it to the deepened military cooperation of the last 15 years, to me this could be a natural extension of this cooperation,” Angelos Athanasopoulos, a Greek geopolitics and security expert, told the Post. “And the main country from which it will receive a backlash will be Turkey. Following recent comments in both Greek and Israeli press, this really raises some eyebrows in Turkey.”
Erdogan can dish it out but he can’t take it. He can call for a pan-Islamic force to destroy Israel, clearly envisioning himself as its natural leader, he can promote a maritime policy that refuses to recognize the territorial waters and exclusive economic zones granted to Greece and Cyprus under international law, he can send his ships deep into the Aegean to enter the territorial waters of both Greece and Cyprus, but should Israel, Greece and Cyprus appear to be making plans for deepening military cooperation in the form of a rapid-response force, the Padishah in his 1,150-room Ak Saray, or White Palace, is enraged. His sock- puppets in the Turkish media have become just as agitated.
Ankara is seeking to turn Syria into a Turkish satellite state, including the deployment of air-defense systems aimed at aircraft and missiles in Syrian territory.
At the same time, Turkey is pursuing involvement in the multinational force in the Gaza Strip and is holding talks with both rival governments in Libya in an attempt to negotiate a new maritime agreement. Such a move could allow it to become a dominant player in the maritime space of the Northern and Eastern Mediterranean….
Turkey will not be permitted to send its troops into Gaza, period. The Israelis have made that clear. But in Libya, Turkey is talking to the rival governments based in Tripoli and Tobruk, in the hope that it may be able to negotiate a new maritime agreement that will provide Turkey with recognition of its expansive claims to territorial waters in the eastern and southern Mediterranean.
Greece has just signed a $3.5 billion dollar deal with Israel to buy weapons, including the LORA long range ballistic missile developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) from Elbit.
This triple entente, beginning with this rapid-response force, is a good first step in what could turn into a formal defense pact, a mini-NATO in the eastern Mediterranean, that has only one aim — to hold Erdogan, and his military, in check. In time, this anti-Turkey alliance could attract other riparian states, possibly including France, Italy, and Egypt, all three of which have serious disagreements with Erdogan.
Rabbi Menashe Bovit says
Italy maybe, France, that’s a laugher and a complete no from Egypt in joining in any ally to deter Erdogan. Italy currently has a somewhat sane government (by European standards) but is a member of the globalist Islam subservient EU, France is close to be conquered by Muslims, Macron wouldn’t want to anger his restive, atavistic pets and Egypt is in a very cold “peace” with Israel. The Egyptian population overwhelmingly hates Jews and Israel. To retain power Sisi could never allow himself to appear to side with the Jews over another Muslim dictator.
The alliance of Israel with Greece and Cyprus is natural and rational. It should be a model for Western Civilization standing in opposition to the worldwide Islamic Jihad.
James Lincoln says
According to the feature article:
“Israel, Greece, and Cyprus share a common enemy, Turkey…
I certainly agree.
What I am trying to wrap my head around is the fact that both Greece and Turkey are members of NATO.
OLD GUY says
It does appear that NATO members are not all on the same page. Turkey’s leadership sure don’t seem to fit the image of a NATO member.
Rabbi Menashe Bovit says
Bringing both Greece and Turkey into NATO was a globalist boondoggle. Neither are anywhere close to the North Atlantic. The idea was to prevent another war between them by taking both into NATO making them now “allies”. That was always foolish but with the emergence of Erdogan it gave the Muslims a say in the defense of Europe, their target of invasion for centuries.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Just wondering – is the Mediterranean Sea considered a part of, or an extension of the Atlantic? B’cos if we are strict about it, other than Portugal, Spain, Ireland and maybe Britain, none of the European countries can be said to border the Atlantic
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Good, this sort of an alliance has been long overdue. Too bad it doesn’t include Armenia, which too is threatened by Turkey, but then, that would have damaged Israel’s alliance w/ Azerbaijan
In the meantime, Greece needs to take the initiative to get Turkey removed from NATO. Given that Turkey has the most powerful armed forces in NATO (not counting the US), they should pull a trump card and threaten to leave themselves and re-align w/ the Russians, if that action is not taken
GE says
About time they did something to counter Erdogan the snake.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Israel may not sign an agreement w/ Armenia since it would interfere w/ their relations w/ Baku, but maybe Greece should extend a hand to Armenia in terms of a military alliance. Make it secret, if need be, to avoid provoking Turkey
Billy says
Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the 50+ Islamic Countries are Terrorist States against Israel and all Non-Muslims by using discrimination, segregation, violence, and terrorism as taught in Islam’s Qur’an(Qur’an 9:5, 29, 111; 49:15, etc.). Every Western country must understand this fact or face conquest by Muslim Islamization. Corrupt Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…”
SUPREMACIST ISLAM IS ANTICHRIST, AHISTORICAL, DECEITFUL, MILITARISTIC, AND POLITICAL against the USA Constitution and Western Laws to conquer and to subjugate Non-Muslims using MUSLIM-TERRORIST-CRIMINAL-GANG ENTERPRISES with ISLAMIC LAW(SHARIA) and with CONTINUOUS, TERROR PROPAGANDA from Islam’s Qur’an as evidenced by the continuous Muslim attacks to make Islam supreme(Qur’an 2:191; 3:28, 54; 4:89-91; 7:99; 8:30, 60; 9:5, 29,111; 16:106, etc.). Islam and its Muslims are a Muslim Terrorist Organization(MTO) as taught in Islam’s Qur’an.
Deceitful Allah affirms Non-Muslims as enemies of Allah while Muslims continuously undermine a society from within using their man-made Qur’an with lies, obfuscation, and deceit(Qur’an 3:54; 7:99; 8:30; 60:4, etc.). Allah in Qur’an 4:101 says, “…Surely the infidels[Non-Muslims] were your clear enemies.” Allah expects all Muslim believers to war against all non-Muslims until the Unbelievers convert to Islam or face Muslim violence. Corrupt Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” As a result, Non-Muslims are marked for death by Islam and its Muslims.
Islam is a civilization-destroying, delusional, indoctrinating, cancerous fraud because there is NO MECCA, NO MUHAMMAD, and NO Qur’an in the 7th century AD in Saudi Arabia despite the Muslim Standard Islamic Narrative claims; the Deceitful House of Islam is founded on propaganda, lies, intimidation, and deceit where Islam’s 1400-year traditions are based on fallacy and myth including a more than 300-year gap with no documented history. Hence, NEVER give money to Islamic Countries, Islamic Organizations, Mosques, Islamic Schools, etc. because your are funding your ultimate destruction. Islam must be banned as illegal, and we have the legal right to defend ourselves from Muslim violence.
Islam’s Muslims are to be Seditionist Terrorists for Allah with their MONEY and their LIVES. Allah in Qur’an 49:15 teaches, “Surely the believers[Muslims] are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed jihad with their MONEY and their LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.” Again, Islam is a FACTITIOUS IDEOLOGY and CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION despicably fabricated over time into the 21sth century, and there is NO PEACE only genocidal obliteration with Islam and its deceitful Muslims(Qur’an 7:18; 8:39: 9:5, 29, 111; 11:119; 32:13; 47:4, etc.).
ALLAH claims MUSLIMS are a greater TERROR than serpentine Allah in Islam’s Qur’an. Allah in Qur’an 59:13 says, “You[Muslims] are a greater terror in their chests than Allah. This is because they[Jews & Christians] are people who do not understand.” Allah in Qur’an 9:29 commands, “Engage in war with those who do not believe in Allah nor in the last day. Nor forbid what Allah and his messenger forbid, nor believe in the religion of the truth among those who have given the book until they pay the jizyah out of hand and they are subdued.”
Islam, its Mosques, its Schools, its Sharia Courts, its Organizations, etc. are Terrorist-Criminal Enterprises of hatred and enmity against all Non-Muslims as totalitarian Islam, the House of Satan, islamizes the society with impunity(Qur’an 5:14; 9:5, 29, 111, etc.). As taught from Islam’s Qur’an, Islam should be banned for its incitement, funding, and promotion of hybrid warfare, violence, terrorism, criminality, hatred, human trafficking, and discrimination against women, children, and Non-Muslims.
Allah describes Muslim women in Jenna, Allah’s Paradise, as whores of Allah in Qur’an 56:37. Also, Allah stirs hatred against Christians until the resurrection day as Qur’an 5:14 instructs, “And some of those who say, ‘Surely we are Nasara (Christians),’ we took their covenant. So they have forgotten a part of what they were reminded of, so we have stirred up ENMITY and HATRED among them until the resurrection day. And Allah will inform them of what they were doing.” See also Qur’an 60:4; 8:55.
Falsafa says
typical racist, islamaphobic drivel…Türkiye is a secular country but we wouldnt expect anything enlightened, knowledgeable from you colonial settler christian zionists…how pathetic…
Falsafa says
Two tin pot little countries led by a colonial settler genocidal entity bankrolled by zionist billionairre gambling magnates in the US. Comical…Expect only extremist blogs like this so called “jihad watch” to attempt to sell this as newsworthy.