Israel and the United Arab Emirates have reached an agreement to normalize relations between the two countries for the first time since the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948, according to a report by Reuters Thursday afternoon. The historic peace deal was brokered by the Trump administration, senior White House officials told Reuters. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu...
France will increase its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, calling on Turkey to halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters that has heightened tensions with Greece. The French leader voiced concern over “unilateral” exploration by Turkey in a call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron’s office...
Turkey’s illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterraenan undermine stability and security and are a threat to all countries in the region, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said during a visit to Israel on Thursday. Dendias, who met with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi, said he had thanked the country for...
Israel voiced its support for Greece in their dispute with Turkey over economic zones in the eastern Mediterranean. The Foreign Ministry released a rare declarative statement that “Israel follows closely as tension arises in the Eastern Mediterranean. “Israel expresses its full support and solidarity with Greece in its maritime zones and its right to delimit its EEZ...
President Donald Trump has privately discussed with advisers the possibility of replacing Defense Secretary Mark Esper after the November election following a growing number of differences between them, a source familiar with the internal debate said on Wednesday. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the two men were “not in a good place”...
Only hours after Turkey announced plans to issue gas exploration and drilling licences in the Eastern Mediterranean, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged states in the region to agree on a commonly accepted “formula.” “Let’s all Mediterranean countries come together. Let’s find a formula acceptable for all and that protects the rights of all,” he said...
By Patricia Claus Greece requested the European Union on Tuesday to hold an emergency meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers over Turkey’s continuous aggression in the southern Aegean and East Mediterranean Sea. The decision was announced after a meeting of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias. Tensions between Athens and Ankara escalated...
The EU’s full solidarity with Greece and Cyprus was expressed by the Representative of the Commission in charge of foreign affairs, during a briefing with journalists. “The EU stands with full solidarity on the side of Greece and Cyprus and there is no doubt about that,” said Peter Stano, the EU’s foreign affairs spokesperson. At...
Greece’s foreign minister Nikos Dendias has made a bizarre statement saying that Turkey’s aggression will not be tolerated even though Turkish ships have violated Greece’s maritime space for over 24 hours now. “There will be no tolerance in Turkey’s challenges,” said Dendias, sending a new message to Ankara and calling on Turkey to withdraw immediately...
The two countries have had formal diplomatic relations since 1972, and have been military partners in the region. This includes a United States Air Force presence at the Al Dhafra Air Base – and last fall a group of F-15E Strike Eagle fighter from the 494th Fighter Squadron arrived at the base to support ongoing operations. Earlier this month...