With the support of two of India’s friends, Netanyahu issued a strong statement, giving a clear warning to Türkiye
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The leaders of Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, three Mediterranean countries facing a growing threat from Turkey, held a major meeting in Jerusalem on Monday. These three friendly nations of India sent a strong message to their adversary, Turkey, on this occasion. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides all targeted Turkey in their remarks. Without naming Turkey directly, Netanyahu said that those who think they can re-establish their empire and assert their dominance over their lands should forget about it. In fact, before its collapse in World War I, the Ottoman Empire of Turkey ruled over much of West Asia for nearly 600 years. Turkish President Erdogan dreams of reviving this empire to become a “caliph.”
After World War I, Turkey transformed into a modern nation, but now Erdogan is once again trying to turn it into a radical Islamic state. At the meeting, Netanyahu said, “It is true that in the past, our countries were occupied by a succession of empires.” He added, “But with courage and sacrifice, we gained our independence in modern times. To those who think they can re-establish their empire and rule over our lands again, I would say, forget about it. It’s not going to happen. Don’t even think about it.”
How the enmity between Turkey and Israel began
Netanyahu said, “We are committed to defending ourselves and enhancing our capabilities, and we will cooperate.” It is worth noting that Turkey and Israel were once very close allies. Turkey is a member of NATO, and due to the influence of the United States, relations with Israel were very good. Meanwhile, on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, Turkish President Erdoğan praised Hamas in Gaza. Erdoğan accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Turkey has suspended trade with Israel and closed its airspace to Israeli aircraft. Turkey has also issued arrest warrants against 37 Israeli officials, including Netanyahu. Turkey, a close ally of the US, wants to be included in any international force deployed in Gaza, but Israel has thwarted this plan. Greece, on the other hand, has a long-standing dispute with its neighbor, Turkey. The tension between Greece and Turkey is historical, and the two countries are in conflict over maritime boundaries, energy resources, and airspace in the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey has also occupied the northern part of Cyprus since 1974, an area predominantly inhabited by people of Greek origin.
Turkey’s announcement causes turmoil in Greece and Cyprus
Turkey has stirred up regional tensions by announcing plans to extract gas from the maritime area adjacent to this part of Cyprus. These neighboring countries have also now laid claim to the gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean. This is the tenth such meeting between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus. These three countries now want to create a rapid response military force. Greece fears that Turkey might attack it. These three countries will now provide military assistance to each other against Turkey. India is also strengthening its friendship with these countries to counter the alliance between Pakistan and Turkey.
