\n<\/p>\n
Former CIA officer John Kiriakou has warned that Greece\u2019s close relationship with Israel could face a political reckoning ahead of the country\u2019s next national election.<\/p>\n
His comments come as Greece prepares to sign a major new defence agreement with Israel on Monday, August 31, in Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n
The \u20ac3 billion \u201cAchilles Shield\u201d programme<\/strong> will create a multi-layered air and missile defence network for Greece, designed to counter threats including ballistic missiles, aircraft and drones. Israeli-made radar and missile systems are expected to form a central part of the system.<\/p>\n Kiriakou has argued that the Greek government\u2019s deepening cooperation with Israel is increasingly out of step with public sentiment, particularly because of Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Greek people don\u2019t want to do business with Israel, but the government is forcing it,\u201d Kiriakou said, warning that the issue could become a major political battleground during Greece\u2019s 2027 election.<\/p>\n The timing of the new defence agreement could therefore add another layer to an increasingly sensitive debate in Greece over the country\u2019s strategic partnership with Israel.<\/p>\n Athens and Jerusalem have built extensive defence, energy and security cooperation over the past decade, with their relationship also shaped by strategic considerations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Greece\u2019s tensions with Turkey.<\/p>\n The Achilles Shield<\/strong> represents one of the most significant new elements of that partnership, with the Greek government viewing the system as a major upgrade to the country\u2019s national air and missile defence capabilities. The programme was approved by Greece\u2019s Government Council for National Security in July, with Defence Minister Nikos Dendias putting the cost at just over \u20ac3 billion.<\/p>\n While the government sees the agreement as an important investment in Greece\u2019s security, opposition to Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza has made military cooperation with Jerusalem an increasingly contentious issue among sections of Greek society.<\/p>\n Kiriakou\u2019s warning suggests that Greece\u2019s relationship with Israel could become a much more prominent issue in domestic politics as the country moves toward the 2027 election.<\/p>\n