The Asymmetric 3+1 Strategic Initiative: Israel Has to Balance the Relationship and Show Reciprocity

PHOTO: From a 2022 visit of Greek-American organizations to Israel. Did they ever demand balance and reciprocity in the asymmetric relationship? No, as far as we know…

By Nick Stamatakis

Helleniscope has repeatedly expressed its general support for strengthening relations among Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, with the overall cooperation of the United States, known as the “3+1” initiative. In short, the Greece-Israel relations took off after the 2009 fallout in Davos between Simon Peres and President Erdogan, which led to an immediate reassessment of Israel’s foreign policy. Up to this point, despite the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Greece and Israel in the early 1990s by Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis, the ties between the two Hellenic states and Israel were barely alive. The Israeli support for the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus heavily clouded them. 

I remember myself repeating and writing many times over the years that “The Turks will leave Cyprus when the 1974 conditions that facilitated it are reversed.” We can all see that the “3+1” Strategic Initiative is an excellent step towards materializing that reversal. From energy (EastMed pipeline and other projects) to security & defense (Joint military drills, Maritime security, Counterterrorism, and cyber defense), diplomacy (Regular summits between heads of state and foreign ministers – a format also sends signals to other regional actors (Turkey, Russia, Iran), to innovation & economy (Tech and start-up collaborations, infrastructure) this relationship is gradually deepening.

However, analyzing all these positive aspects of the “3+1” initiative cannot hide the obvious imbalance, favoring Israel, in this relationship.

• There is an obvious strategic value asymmetry: For Israel, Greece (and Cyprus) provide airspace for military training (especially valuable given restrictions over Turkey), access to the EU via friendly partners, a more stable gateway into the Balkans and Europe, and maritime cooperation in the East Med.  For Greece, Israel offers (high-tech defense systems like drones and air defense), intelligence and counterterrorism cooperation (but let’s not forget the Israeli spyware operated by Israeli intelligence agents that Kyriakos Mitsotakis used to tap into the phones of his political adversaries and friends – what secrets about Greek politicians Israel has learned and to what extend it can blackmail them?) While Israel gains strategic depth and operational flexibility, Greece often receives less tangible or transactional support, especially in moments of heightened tension with Turkey.
• Lack of formal defense guarantees. Despite joint exercises and defense deals, there is no mutual defense pact or explicit security guarantee. In case of a conflict (say, with Turkey), Israel is unlikely to intervene militarily. Greece offers training space and political support but lacks reciprocal security assurances.
• Limited diplomatic backing, as Israel avoids openly supporting Greece and avoids alienating Turkey completely, keeping channels open, even while benefiting from its partnership with Greece.
  • Economic Asymmetry: Israeli investments and exports to Greece outpace Greek ones into Israel. Tourism flows are mutual but not transformative for Israel’s economy. Greece views the partnership as strategic, whereas Israel may perceive it as more tactical and transactional.

In brief, from a Greek perspective, the relationship often feels like a one-way street, offering strategic favors with less strategic reciprocity. From Israel’s side, Greece is valuable, but not irreplaceable.

PHOTO: AHEPA visits Israel, one of their many trips to the Eastern Mediterranean in coordination with their “travel agency”, the State Department…

As an example, after the recent wildfires in Israel, the first idea that came out of Bibi Netanyahu’s mouth was to ask, for one more time, Greece to send its excellent firefighting airplanes and experienced crews to take out the fires. Greece has suffered numerous disasters over the last 10-15 years, and we do not recall, except maybe one limited account, of Israel sending over a few crews to help or provide humanitarian assistance. Why? Because Israel perceives the relationship from higher up and looks down on Greece…

To balance the relationship:

• Greece should strengthen ties with other regional players (e.g., Egypt, Jordan, Gulf states) to avoid over-reliance on Israel. A stronger network allows Greece to negotiate with Israel more equally. Additionally, Greece should not damage its ties with Iran: Greeks should never forget that, amid the 2015 financial crisis and beyond, Iran provided the country with plentiful oil supplies on a three-month credit. Israel could have helped Greece using the powerful international network of Jewish executives in the financial world, but it did not.
• Greece can actively promote its exports to Israel and seek more Israeli investment in high-value sectors, such as technology and green energy, rather than relying solely on tourism and real estate.
• Rather than simply purchasing Israeli weapons systems, Greece could propose joint research and development projects in drone technology, cyber defense, or naval systems. I believe some initial steps in this direction have been taken, but they should be implemented with consistent planning rather than erratically.
• Greece should seek more substantial and public Israeli support on critical foreign policy issues, especially tensions with Turkey and Cyprus.
• Boosting academic exchange, media collaboration, and cultural initiatives (e.g., Greek studies in Israeli universities) fosters a more grassroots-level balance.
• In trilateral or regional forums, such as the Greece-Israel-Cyprus or the EastMed Gas Forum, Greece should make its continued cooperation conditional on fair burden-sharing. This places a value on Greece’s participation and prevents it from becoming a passive partner.

I realize that the Greek deficiencies in this “3+1” initiative are primarily due to the lack of a patriotic government in Athens. How about our supposed lobbyists and organizations, like AHI and Larygakis, Manatos, AHEPA, the Cypriots and the rest, finally act as proud Hellenes? Or will they swallow their pride with the help of plentiful financial support from sources controlled by pro-Israel lobbies and other warmongers dominating DC?

April 25, 2025, n.stamatakis@aol.com   www.helleniscope.com

DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.

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