The day before yesterday, on October 7, 2024, a day of remembrance for Israelis everywhere, the government allowed Palestinians and various left-wing groups to march on the Israeli embassy. It was an act of indecency. There could be dozens of gatherings that day. But a march to the Israeli embassy, no. It was like the abuser asking his victim for change. I do not know at what level – political or administrative – the specific permission for the march was granted and if permission was granted at all. Because we are in Greece, there are laws, but they are not respected and most importantly, their non-compliance most of the time does not result in sanctions, especially if the offenders belong to the Left.
On October 7th, I read the article by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gerapetritis, on a highly trafficked website, about this black anniversary. To be honest I saw a shift away from a position of undivided support for Israel. The text was mostly about the peace prospects and the role of Greece and barely mentioned what was committed that day. Because by condemning Hamas while calling for an immediate, humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, you are essentially preserving intact the terrorist organization's ability to regroup, rearm, and come back.
The specific article by Mr. Gerapetritis moves along the same wavelength as the resolution of the General Assembly. of the UN a few days ago which, unfortunately, Greece also voted for. Ten states voted against it, including the US and Israel, 23 abstained and 153 approved it. Notably, the US effort to name in the resolution and condemn Hamas "for the heinous terrorist attacks and hostage-taking" failed to garner the required 2/3 majority and was rejected. Greece therefore should have at least abstained from the vote. No matter how many asterisks she put on her stance, what counted was not the asterisks, but what she ultimately voted for.
Perhaps within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs there are political and diplomatic officials who have a different understanding of the Greece-Israel relationship. They are still held by the view of the Middle East problem with the approaches of the 1980s, refusing these officials to see the strategic changes that have taken place in the relations of the two states since 2010. But changes, and indeed spectacular ones, also took place in the Arab world with the Abraham agreements, which can be seen in the indifference with which most Arab states are facing the extermination of Hamas and Hezbollah, which they have characterized, as you know, as a terrorist organization .
Maybe someone in the Foreign Office should start reading Pascal Bruckner?
SOURCE: DAILY, 9.10.2024