Η προσέγγιση Ελλάδας Ισραήλ

Israel and Greece Strategic Cooperation

The recent official state visit to Greece by Israel Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon signified a drastic upturn in the relationship between Greece and Israel. And while neither Israel nor Greece considers Turkey officially as an enemy state, clearly the deterioration in the relationship between Ankara and Jerusalem provided the impetus for the tightening of relations between Greece and Israel.
There is a universally accepted maxim in the Middle East: “Your enemy’s enemy is your friend.” For Israel that friend used to be Turkey – whose enemies were the Arabs.  As Turkey Islamized under Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it turned against Israel.  As for the Greeks, the Turks have been their perennial enemies, albeit, they are both NATO members.  The island of Cyprus, invaded by Turkey in 1974, was subsequently split between the Greeks and Turks and is a constant source of friction.  Greece has supported the Greek majority in the south of the island, while Turkey supports the Turkish minority in the northern part of the island. It is under these circumstances that Israel and Greece have finally found common ground, and mutual interest in a strategic alliance.

Greece Joins Israel-USA Military Exercise in Southern Mediterranean

Greece is participating for the second time in a large-scale aeronautical military exercise called «Noble Dina 2012» organized by Israel and the U.S. The exercise  is already underway in the area of the eastern Mediterranean and is expected to be concluded on April 5. Part of the exercise is conducted in the region south of Kastelorizo and south of Cyprus up to Israel’s territorial waters, an area of ​​particular interest for Greece and Cyprus. The military operation scenarios emphasize on  anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare operations,  prohibition of military aircraft operations and SAR/CSAR operations according to exercise scenarios provided by Israel. This is the only such activity since the «Reliant Mermaid» exercise which involved  SAR / CSAR operations at the time of the Turkish-Israeli approach that is now suspended.

The Greek side participates in the exercise with a frigate, a submarine and F-16 Block 52 + aircraft. Greece  was unable to provide a  maritime patrol aircraft,  because it does not have one at the time.  Last year, an attempt was made to use a C-130 in that role, an attempt that apparently was not very successful so this year the Greek side did not provide any aircraft.

 Source: ptisidiastima.wordpress.com