But the exploitation of natural gas (if and when…) involves a policy of national, sovereignty within the framework of international legislation and a feasible funding infrastructure. At the same time, the joint management with Israel doesn’t stem from any demarcation (even the most advantageous) of the Greek EEZ, as it is contrary to Israel’s recent demarcation beyond its territorial waters, violating the Palestinian Gaza’s waters. Consequently, embracing Israel now is an empty gesture.
The sudden surge of diplomatic interest has other causes and proves once again the incompetence of the Greek governments in search of foreign crutches. In this case, a particularly weak diplomatic crutch it is, too! Whatever maybe written and said in Cyprus and Greece about the new “deus ex machina” is only for internal consumption and is in effect a red herring.
Finally, as for expectations of a financial benefit from the economically overrated but in reality a financially and socially unstable Israel or from the notorious Israeli lobby, this will soon prove small-minded. Israel is a country with a limited economy, with a GDP lower than Greece’s and maintains a powerful military-industrial complex, reinforced by the West and the USA in particular. This industry relies on exports with a major interest in selling weapon systems and “locked” war technology to other countries, including Greece. The Israeli lobby in America is now playing the role of the good mediator in stock markets, but it is totally unconvincing when one considers the behaviour of the rating agencies in regards to Greece and the way that the International Monetary Fund is strangling our country.
The Israeli lobby has been totally hostile to the Greek-Cypriot positions over the last decades. It was and it remains orientated to Turkey and - let’s not have any illusions now that it is glancing seductively in our direction and promising the moon- that it is not in reality trying to work out its temporary crisis with Turkey. At the first hurdle, as soon as it establishes a modus vivendi with Turkey, it will spurn us. The geopolitical and geo-economical status quo cannot be altered as easily as the (voluntary) small-time players may think…
The economic decline of the country continues and the “Western Alliance” within which Israel nestles, is to blame together with the present and past Greek Governments, all of which proved incapable of thinking up, planning or establishing a socio-economic model of development which would be strong, durable and sustainable. Instead they perpetuated a model of grab and run, corruption and easy profit.
The real reasons behind the strengthening of relations between Greece and Israel are obvious to all of us. The directives the Greek government receives both from Washington and Brussels, prescribe the growth of these relations in order to break Israel’s state of isolation, so that the Israeli air force will be able to fly in Greek airspace, paving the way for military attacks on other enemies – apart from the Palestinians.
To us, Avigdor Lieberman is unwelcome, the foreign policy towards Israel that the Government is practising is morally and politically unacceptable and geopolitically short-sighted and harmful.
We call upon every democratic citizen to participate in the demonstration and protest on Wednesday 12 January 2011, at 6 p.m. at Syntagma Square opposite the Parliament.