Greek recognition of Palestine would follow UN political process: PM

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has declared that Greece would extend recognition to Palestine only after completion of a United Nations-supervised political process, while simultaneously reinforcing Athens's strategic partnership with Israel. During a parliamentary address on foreign policy Thursday, the conservative leader emphasized that Greece considers Israel a strategic partner "regardless of which government happens to be ruling Israel at a given time," despite ongoing international debate regarding Palestinian statehood recognition.

Defense modernization and regional relations

Mitsotakis highlighted his government's military modernization achievements including F-16 upgrades and acquisitions of French Rafale and American F-35 fighter jets alongside four French FDI frigates for naval enhancement. The prime minister noted improved relations with Türkiye have yielded practical benefits including reduced irregular migration and increased Turkish tourism, while cautioning against what he termed "pseudo-nationalism" in regional diplomacy.

Opposition criticism of Middle East policy

Main opposition PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis challenged the government's foreign policy approach, accusing Mitsotakis of serving as "stage dressing" for US President Donald Trump during recent Middle East diplomatic efforts. Androulakis distinguished between maintaining strategic relations with Israel and what he characterized as "embracing ethnic cleansing" through the government's current alignment with Israeli policies under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Calls for immediate Palestinian recognition

Left-wing SYRIZA leader Sokratis Famellos demanded Greece immediately recognize Palestinian statehood and condemned the government's "one-sided support" for Israeli leadership. Famellos accused the administration of reducing Greece to "a predictable client state of the US" while failing to acknowledge what he described as genocide against Palestinian civilians, placing Greece on the sidelines rather than at the center of Mediterranean diplomatic developments.