Members of parliment from Israel, Greece, Cyprus, and the United States held a Knesset meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss strengthening the eastern Mediterranean alliance between the four countries, in light of the rising threat Turkey poses to the region.
The event was held in cooperation with the Middle East Forum.
“Over the two and a half years since October 7, we have witnessed a dramatic weakening of the Iranian Shiite axis and its replacement by a Sunni Muslim Brotherhood axis. This reality presents new challenges and poses a threat to stability, security, energy, and trade in the region,” MK Ohad Tal (Religious Zionist Party), co-chair of the caucus, opened the meeting.
“Strengthening cooperation between Israel, Cyprus, Greece, and the United States is a strategic asset and a response to curbing Turkey’s ambitions. This is the alliance we are discussing here today,” Tal said.
Co-Chair of the Caucus MK Alon Schuster (Blue and White) echoed Tal’s sentiment, adding that the alliance is not only security-based, but is an “opportunity to build regional civilian resilience in the fields of energy, water, agriculture, and innovation.”
Affirming the importance of bringing the four countries together to communicate and plan “joint legislative steps,” the CEO of the Middle East Forum, Gregg Roman, stated that “these are images that need to be seen in Turkey, Iran, and Russia.”
US Congressman Randy Fine noted his opposition to Turkey acquiring F-35 jets, saying, “We have seen that Turkey has gone off the reservation. That’s why I oppose Turkey purchasing F-35 aircraft, and there’s no point in doing so through NATO.”
Fellow US Congressman Brad Schneider added, “We need to be clear about who our partners are in the Middle East and who our enemies are… I am leading the Gateway Act, legislation that will push our country toward cooperation with IMEC countries, especially Israel, Cyprus, and Greece.”
Additional participants in the Knesset meeting were the head of the Greek delegation to NATO, Dimitris Kairidis, and the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Cypriot Parliament, Harris Georgiades. They were joined by several senior security and strategy experts, including Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, Lt. Col. (res.) Sarit Zehavi, Dr. Gallia Lindenstrauss, Yehonatan Adiri, Liane Pollak-David, and Endy Zameides.
