Israel, Greece talking military co-op

Tue Dec 14, 2010

Israel is holding talks with Greece on the creation of a new Mediterranean military alliance, following the breakup of Tel Aviv's strategic partnership with Ankara.

Israeli military officials have reportedly traveled to the Greek capital, Athens, to discuss the new alliance. Reports say the delegation could also discuss a possible multi-million-dollar arms sale -- including weapons systems for the Hellenic Air Force's F-16 fleet, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Tel Aviv's efforts to forge new military alliances come after Ankara cut off its military and diplomatic ties with Israel over a deadly attack on a Gaza-bound aid convoy organized by Turkish human rights activists.

On May 31, Israeli navy commandos stormed the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters, killing nine Turkish activists and injuring about 50 others onboard the six-ship civilian aid fleet.

Despite widespread international condemnations and to Ankara's further wrath, Tel Aviv defended the move as an “act of self-defense.”

Turkey has repeatedly demanded a formal apology from Israel and compensation for the attack -- calls that have so far fallen on deaf ears in Tel Aviv.

The military talks between Israel and Greece come months after Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli prime minister to visit Greece in August.

While Turkey has closed its skies to Israeli warplanes, Tel Aviv has turned to Greece as a new partner.

Israel has held four rounds of drills in Greece over the past year, with the most recent ones in October and November seeing the deployment of squadrons of fighter jets and attack helicopters.

Israel -- whose international image has been seriously tarnished following its Flotilla attack and the deadly war it waged on Gaza at the turn of 2009 -- is expected to keep up its efforts to boost military cooperation with Greece and is also likely to hold maneuvers in neighboring Bulgaria in early 2011.

Last week, the Israeli army also held joint war games with the Italian Air Force in the Negev desert on the heels of another round of joint drills in Sardinia.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/155378.html.