Israel and Greece to collaborate on Crete radar system

By Ahval

Israel and Greece are planning to jointly build a marine radar system on the east of the Greek island of Crete, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Tuesday.

The new radar will provide enhanced coverage of the Eastern Mediterranean to both Greece and Israel, the newspaper said, citing a report by Greek newspaper Kathimerini.

Relations between Greece and Israel have been tightening in recent years, with the pair sharing interests in the Eastern Mediterranean where each hopes to benefit from energy reserves discovered near the island of Cyprus.

They have also increased military cooperation, including joint military drills, Haaretz reported.

“Israel and Cyprus also have numerous shared regional interests, including the security situation in Syria and Lebanon and complicated relations with Turkey. Both countries have good relations with Egypt, to which both plan to export gas,” Haaretz said.

Turkey has firmly opposed the exploitation of energy reserves around Cyprus by the Greek Cypriot administration and its partners, which include Israel and Greece, on the grounds that this infringes on the rights of Turks in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Ankara also has long-running disputes with Athens over ownership of disputed islands in the Aegean Sea, and with the Israeli government over its treatment of Palestinians.