Israel and Greece: A precarious relationship

The relationship between Israel and Greece is more unpredictable than ever before.

By MICHAEL HARRIS
George Papandreou with PM Netanyahu 300 (R) (photo credit: Reuters)
George Papandreou with PM Netanyahu 300 (R)
(photo credit: Reuters)
Will the relationship between Israel and Greece become a powerful alliance, or will certain aspects of the current political situation prevent this from happening?  Statements from officials like Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who said that: "We are committed to work together [with Greece] to deepen our relations in defense and security," indicate a strengthening of Israel-Greece ties.  However, is the relationship between the two countries more complex than Barak suggests?
It is understandable why Barak made such comments – relations between Israel and Turkey (Greece's archenemy) have soured.  Jerusalem can now increase strategic cooperation with Athens without fearing fallout with Ankara.  By extension, this has also changed Israel's diplomatic position in the Balkans. 
In 2010, Barak Ravid of Haaretz reported on this supposedly new regional alliance.  "In the past year Israel has expanded relations with Greece and Bulgaria and upgraded its existing ties with Cyprus, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Croatia. These states share concerns about Turkey's new radicalism and world jihad's growing influence there and see new opportunities for economic, technical and security cooperation with Israel," Ravid explained. The economic element is very critical. Greece's government is trying to stimulate their failing economy and they may attempt to alleviate their problems through economic cooperation with Israel.
For instance, Israel's recent natural gas discoveries have prompted interest in Greece. The EuroAsia Interconnector project – a proposal for a long submarine power cable from Israel to Europe by means of Greece and Cyprus – would be powered by Israel's natural gas.  Such a cable may make relations between Jerusalem and Athens very close, and possibly help stimulate the Greek economy.
Furthermore, Turkey had been a significant site of Israeli tourists, but now many Israelis are spending their vacations in Greece.  Ravid confirmed this report. "Israeli tourism to Greece has increased by 200 percent this year and is expected to reach 250,000 by the end of the year," he said. 
The economic aspect creates an atmosphere of increased cooperation, but can this also be a source of tension?
The recession in Greece has increased the possibility of aliya amongst the four thousand Jews of Greece, and this can pose a major dilemma for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu may be tempted to encourage aliya amongst Greek Jews, and this could increase tensions between the two countries.  The Jewish Agency has even sent a full-time emissary to Greece for the first time in its history.
Just as the French government condemned former prime minister Ariel Sharon's statement that French Jews "must" make aliya, Netanyahu may come into conflict with the Greek government for the same reasons.  Additionally, Netanyahu leads a predominately nationalist coalition that may value aliya from Greece over cooperation with Greece. 
This is a huge stumbling block for relations between Jerusalem and Athens, and it is accompanied by an even more ominous challenge.
The rise of Greece's Golden Dawn party, a neo-Nazi party which won 7 percent of the vote in the last election, is another troubling development for many Israeli officials. One can counter that it is not necessary to worry about this party beacause many parliamentary democracies (including Israel) have tiny and radical parties that do not represent the majority of the public.  However, Golden Dawn has exploited the economic tensions in Greece in such a manner that they can raise their popularity to much higher levels.
For instance, party members have began to provide security for the elderly at ATM machines (robberies are on the rise), and this gives solace to many Greeks in the midst of so much uncertainty.  Senior political analyst George Kapopoulos even commented on Golden Dawn that: "It's a combination of Hamas and the New York mafia in the 1930s."  If the Golden Dawn Party gains a significant number of seats in the next election, the Israeli government may face domestic pressure to downgrade its existing ties with Greece.
While countries like Germany have banned Nazi ideology altogether; Greece lacks the legislation that would prevent Golden Dawn from future participation in elections. As Golden Dawn's popularity continues to rise, the Greek legislature will be less able to ban it from the parliament.
So what lies ahead for Israel and Greece? Most Israeli officials, like Barak, are adamant in their optimism.  However, evidence indicates that the relationship between these two countries may not be so black and white; it may be more unpredictable than ever before.
This writer is the President of TorchPAC, the Pro-Israel Political Organization at New York University.  You can email him at michael.harris@nyu.edu.