One year after October 7
One year has passed since October 7, 2023, when Hamas orchestrated its heinous terrorist attack against Israel. The return of the hostages remains the top priority of the Israeli government and society. Obviously, the Middle East no longer looks the same. Israel’s deep military engagement in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and its airstrikes against Syria as well as the double Iranian attack against the Jewish state generate uncertainty. Some even predict tectonic changes of the Middle East map.
Israel understands its security needs from its own prism, which is not always the same as that of its partners. It is expected that it will continue on the same path irrespective of some American objections. Critics of the Israeli government emphasize the humanitarian dimension of ongoing wars. They tend to have second thoughts when they realize that Iranian threats are real, however. This is what happened this week when 180 ballistic missiles were unleashed against Israeli targets.
Israel understands its security needs from its own prism, which is not always the same as that of its partners
To no one’s surprise, the EU monitors the Middle East crisis as a distant observer. EU member-states vote differently in several UN votes, whereas vague statements about the necessity of peace do not solve the problem. Within this context, the stance of Greece and Cyprus has been nuanced. Both countries had been fully supportive of Israel at the beginning, but voted against Israel in the UN General Assembly from December 2023 onward. A few weeks ago, for instance, Greece and Cyprus supported a resolution demanding Israel “end its unlawful presence in Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
One year after October 7, 2023, memory and remembrance matter. And they can go together with serious thinking about the future of the Middle East. Old cliches and wishful thinking have no resonance today. Greece and Cyprus ought to brace themselves for the new reality.
Dr George N. Tzogopoulos is a lecturer at the European Institute in Nice and a senior fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).
