JERUSALEM, Israel – Lawmakers from Israel, Greece, Cyprus and the United States held a video conference last week as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen ties between the three nations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Israel has sought to advance ties after years of burgeoning cooperation between Greece and Cyprus on issues such as tourism, health and medicine, military and defense, energy and cybersecurity.
In a statement issued by the four nations after the teleconference, hosted by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), the lawmakers said, “We reaffirmed our shared commitment to promoting security, stability, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean, and discussed ways our legislative bodies can promote joint priorities including energy security, maritime security, economic growth and overall stability.”
The cooperation comes after China stepped up its role in the Middle East by brokering a reconciliation agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two significant players in the region that had been adversaries.
It also comes as Europe’s energy supply has been on shaky ground as a result of the war in Ukraine and rising hostilities between the western allies and Russia.
One project already in progress is the development of an “energy highway” to unite the electical grids of Israel, Greece and Cyprus. Israel’s Leviathan off-shore field contains an estimated 21 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
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