Israel's Trojan horse in Europe: Greece

Everyone knows the Trojan War, the story of Hector and Achilles, and the Trojan Horse, which the Achaeans used as a "gift" to conquer the city of Troy. However, there are growing indications that Greece, a member of the European Union and NATO, wants to use this "famous" legacy from its ancestors for the purposes of Israel. It is known that the Athenian government recently signed a $750 million agreement with Israel to purchase a rocket launcher system.

The fact that Greece, which is under the NATO umbrella and benefits from EU economic aid, is using taxpayers' money to support the defense industry of a country that has committed genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and Lebanon raises serious questions. Whether a country like Israel, which directly targets and threatens European Union countries, wants to use Athens as a new tool to influence the Union is a crucial question that awaits an answer. While countries led by France are trying to strengthen defence programs like “Made in Europe” and “SAFE” to develop the European defense industry, Greece appears to be pursuing the exact opposite policy, supporting the Israeli defense industry.

IS MITSOTAKIS ORBAN'S SUBSTITUTE?

Israel, which faces charges of genocide at the International Criminal Court, is well-known for its lament over the departure of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who obstructed EU policies. The question now is: is Israel preparing Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Orbán's replacement? Furthermore, Israel appears to be making attempts through various countries to weaken, and even dismantle, NATO. Tel Aviv's intention to use Athens to weaken unity within NATO and create conflict is evident in its recent increased attacks on key partners on the alliance's southern and eastern flanks, such as Spain, Italy, and Türkiye.

The Athenian government has previously collaborated with Israel to fuel instability in the Eastern Mediterranean through "fictitious projects," taking steps that would undermine the geopolitical interests of the European Union. In this regard, the energy and security collaborations developed between Israel, Greece, and Southern Cyprus are particularly noteworthy. The EastMed Pipeline project, proposed to transport hydrocarbon resources discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe, has been presented as a political tool despite raising serious technical and economic questions. Under the guise of energy supply security, this project aimed to target Türkiye, a country critical to European energy security, in the name of Israeli interests.

ATHENS' CREDIBILITY WITHIN THE WESTERN ALLIANCE IS BEING QUESTIONED

The increasing military exercises, defense agreements, and intelligence sharing in the Israel-Greece-Southern Cyprus triangle in recent years demonstrate the growing institutionalization of this axis. Joint exercises, particularly in the areas of air force and maritime security, reveal the potential for this tripartite structure to become not only an economic but also a military bloc. Another noteworthy point is Israel's attempt to integrate its advanced defense systems into the European security architecture through Greece and Southern Cyprus.

Similarly, during the Ukraine War, Russia's circumvention of EU sanctions using a "shadow fleet" of tankers supplied by Greece was proven red-handed by European media itself. This situation demonstrates that Greece maintains pragmatic and sometimes contradictory relationships not only with Israel but also with various other actors in the global power balance. This multifaceted policy has become a factor that calls into question Athens' credibility within the Western alliance.

ISRAEL'S ATTEMPT TO DRAG EUROPE INTO THE CHAOS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

On the other hand, the close relations that Southern Cyprus has developed with Israel are also noteworthy. The island has begun to function as a strategic outpost for Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean. The use of ports and air bases by Israel increases military activity in the region, directly affecting regional security balances. At the same time, Southern Cyprus's membership in the EU provides a significant advantage for Israel in expanding its sphere of influence within Europe. In this way, Israel is seen to have the ability to involve Europe in the chaos it creates in the Middle East. The fact that missiles reached Southern Cyprus during the Iran-Iraq conflict clearly demonstrated this threat. It is an undeniable fact that the main responsibility for this development lies with the Athens-Tel Aviv alliance.

However, Greece, seen as "Europe's naughty child," has decided to play a dangerous game by claiming "immunity" and becoming complicit in and supporting Israel's policies that are plunging the entire Middle East into chaos, a decision that could have profound consequences for Europe. This situation has the potential to lead to strategic inconsistencies and cracks in security policies within the European Union.

UNMERCING OBSESSION WITH TÜRKİYE

This adventurous stance, driven by blind anti-Turkish sentiment and a desperate attempt to find a new patron, is already proving likely to weaken all of Europe. Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, in particular, have tested solidarity within NATO and created fragility in the alliance's southern flank.

In conclusion, the Israel-Greece-Southern Cyprus axis emerges not merely as a regional cooperation, but also as a multi-layered strategic structure influencing the European security architecture, NATO's internal balance, and the distribution of power in the Eastern Mediterranean. While this structure may provide advantages to certain actors in the short term, in the long term it risks deepening divisions within Europe and increasing regional instability. Therefore, these relationships need to be evaluated not only within the context of bilateral agreements, but also from a broader geopolitical perspective. For Türkiye, ongoing developments in the region remain closely tied to both national security considerations and broader energy and geopolitical interests.