The Israeli elections and opportunities for Greece
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is back in power, heading a right-wing coalition of his own party, Likud, and three other religious parties. With 64 members of the Knesset majority, after five election campaigns in three years there is a clear winner and a probable chance for political stability.
After a year and a half in the opposition, the rule of what was framed as a “Government of Change,” Netanyahu contemplated and strategized his return to power and more importantly political stability. For Netanyahu this is a sweet victory, having in mind his other ordeals, but more important, his return to power is his chance to continue to revolutionize Israel and turn it into the powerful country he envisions. It must be admitted that in Israel, with political emotional bickering, too many underestimate Netanyahu’s significant contribution to positioning Israel as a strategic regional player.
If we would occupy ourselves with political legacy, one should go back to Netanyahu’s “A Place Under the Sun” and his recently published memoirs “Bibi.” There you can find his vision, all policies are aimed at Israel’s national strength, the economy, defense, foreign policy, regional cooperation, energy resources. It is all aimed and channeled to ensure the future of Israel as the Jewish Homeland. In that regard, Netanyahu is one of the last political Zionists.
The return of PM Netanyahu to power would most clearly promise the return of Israel to active regional policy, having in mind the developments of the year-plus he has been out of office. In that period, in response to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey interests and much to the credit of President Isaac Herzog’s initiative, the two countries thawed relations, resumed full diplomatic relations and embarked on exploring economic and defense cooperation.
One can assess that Netanyahu, who in the past in response to pressure from US President Barack Obama, tried to improve relations with Turkey, will strive to keep the two countries’ relations on track but with no illusions. President Erdogan himself, significantly enough, didn’t wait for the official outcome of the elections in expressing his hope that the two countries’ relations will continue to improve under the new Israeli government. With Netanyahu back in power, Erdogan, who knows Netanyahu, will engage with a leader of a different stature, experience and perception of world and regional balance.
Under PM Netanyahu Israeli foreign policy is expected to be active, investing in regional relations, part of his understanding of national strength, and not solely focused on outdated paradigms. Relations with the US will always be paramount for Israel though Netanyahu is expected to follow his own independent path. With Netanyahu the Israeli official policy stating that relations with Greece and Cyprus, the Hellenic Triangle, and Israel-Turkey will not be at each other’s expense, will not be mere words. Netanyahu is committed to the Hellenic cooperation as part of his strategic vision.
In his short speech after the exit polls early Wednesday Netanyahu stated his priorities for his government. The few words he had on Israel foreign policy should not be underestimated or dismissed as rhetoric. He repeated his vision of Israel’s world stature. This vision means activism in foreign policy, cooperation and partnership with regional neighbors. For Greece and Israel this is a great opportunity which may take the two countries relations further.
If I were close to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ ears I would advise him to spare no time in reaching out to his counterpart beyond congratulatory words and discuss substance. It’s worth mentioning that the two had exchanges even while Netanyahu was out of power. A meeting of the two should already be planned.
The substance the two could and should discuss has three different baskets: political, defense and regional strategy, energy and infrastructure cooperation. There’s no time to waste. As some in the EU may try to resort again to critical relations with Israel under a Netanyahu government, Greece can be a major influencer on EU policies. On defense and strategy, there should be a concerted effort on upgrading the relations, leaders’ involvement proved significant in the past and is needed again. Last, not least, energy: Much happened in the last year and a half. Already before the Ukrainian war developments were troubling. Now after Israel’s maritime agreement with Lebanon sponsored by the US and France, a joint, maybe trilateral with Egypt, strategy is needed to benefit both Israeli and Greek national strength, rethinking and redefining EastMed.
As Greece itself is heading to elections, no time should be wasted.
