Analysts say Greece is concerned about threats posed by the US-Israel war on Iran and Turkiye's growing capabilities.

Greece has inked a weapons deal with Israel that will see a $3.5bn multi-layered air defence system delivered to Athens in what is the largest defence agreement ever between the two countries.

The agreement, signed on Monday in Tel Aviv, comes as Greece’s relations with its neighbour and rival, Turkiye, have grown more sour. It also, however, breaks with a broader European wariness of being seen as too close to Israel, following the genocidal war on Gaza and Israel’s increasingly blatant efforts to annex the occupied West Bank.

Turkiye has not yet reacted to the new defence deal. The growing military relationship between Greece, Israel and Cyprus – with which Turkiye also has territorial tensions – has previously drawn negative reactions from Ankara.

“We’re already hearing some Turkish analysts talking to Turkish media about how Greece’s weapons procurement deal from Israel makes Greece effectively co-responsible for everything that Israel does in the occupied West Bank and Gaza,” Al Jazeera’s John Psaropoulos said from Athens.

    • Fribbizz@feddit.org
      1·
      21 hours ago

      I don’t think it’s quite as easy. If you decide you have a need for current tech missile tech your choices are quite slim. First choice used to be the US. But do you really want to rely on them these days? Second choice would have been Russia. That’s out. China? They will have the tech, but are they willing to sell that particular piece of kit? And do you trust it? Chinese kit looks equivalent or even superior on paper but hasn’t really been battle tested. Other suppliers? Europe has just realised they have severe gaps in their tech line ups, partly because those were filled by the US. India? They do have competent military gear, but do they have what you need? Korea is the new rage, but the also don’t have everything on offer yet.

      And then there’s Israel. One of the things they do really well is missile tech. In a lot of variations. Germany is quietly purchasing Israeli tech. The Arrow system is the only available system approaching US tech I believe. They are getting MLRAs as well. They just tested some navy ballistic missile.

      The tech is good, the conditions quite liberal, I believe, you just end up having to decide if dealing with Netanyahu is something you can do.

    • SocialistVibes01@lemmy.ml
      3·
      2 days ago

      You’d think they’d have something better to spend the money with, like helping the economy. But Bussels is king 🙄

      Türkiye better be bracing for the impact. Agreements mean nothing in this era.