Israel’s ambassador to Greece, Noam Katz, emphasized the growing strategic partnership between Athens and Tel Aviv while cautioning about escalating instability in the Middle East, including concerns over Turkey’s regional role and Syria’s post-Assad transition.
Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency at the 10th Delphi Economic Forum, Mr. Katz said the Greece-Israel relationship is rooted in shared values and strategic interests.
“We have a strong strategic partnership. It’s based on values, common interests, and a shared understanding of our region’s challenges,” he said, emphasizing the multi-level cooperation across government, business, civil society, trade, energy, and defense.
Mr. Katz noted that relations between the two countries have deepened significantly since 2010, despite a recent slowdown due to the Middle East conflict. “We’re coming out of a war that was imposed on us by Hamas in Gaza, which has escalated into a broader conflict with Iran and its proxies,” he said. “Strategically, we have managed to push back against Iran, and we are stronger than before the war.”
On Syria, Mr. Katz described the fall of the Assad regime as a positive development but cautioned against embracing the new de facto government.
“It’s a coalition of jihadist forces, many with roots in radical organizations like al-Qaeda,” he said. “Wearing suits doesn’t change their DNA.
We’ve seen massacres of minorities like the Alawites and others in western Syria. We want to see a stable Syria, but minorities — Kurds, Druze, Christians, Alawites — must be protected.”
Mr. Katz was critical of Turkey, calling its current role in Syria “unconstructive” and accusing Ankara of supporting radical Sunni forces that destabilize both Israel and Arab nations.
“We hope Turkey becomes a constructive player, but that is not the case right now.”
Regarding energy cooperation, Mr. Katz expressed strong support for the Great Sea Interconnector — the planned electricity link between Israel, Cyprus, and Greece — calling it a project of “dual value.” He described it as both a crucial part of Israel’s future energy mix and a tangible step toward building a regional energy corridor.3 “All three countries are committed. This is a valuable project, and I believe it will be implemented soon.”
On the ongoing war in Gaza, Mr. Katz reiterated Israel’s objectives: the return of 59 hostages still held by Hamas, the dismantling of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities, and long-term security for Israel. “Hamas must be removed from Gaza,” he said.
“If its leaders surrender and disarm, we can begin discussing the future. If not, the war will continue until our goals are met.”
Mr. Katz concluded by emphasizing that Israel’s presence in Syria is driven solely by the need to defend its borders. “The key lesson from October 7 is that we will no longer tolerate threats being built along our borders.”