UN Rapporteur Warns Greece: “Israel Is Exploiting Fears Over Türkiye”

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has accused Israel of leveraging Greece’s security concerns about Türkiye to advance its own strategic interests. Speaking in Athens, Albanese criticized Greece’s growing alignment with Israel, warning that such cooperation risks undermining international law and regional stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“Israel Chose You, Not the Other Way Around”

Francesca Albanese delivered a stark message during her visit to Athens, challenging Greece’s strategic partnership with Israel.

“You think you chose Israel to guarantee peace against Türkiye. I believe the opposite: Israel chose you,” she said.

According to Albanese, Israel is exploiting Greece’s sense of insecurity and geopolitical anxieties to serve its own regional objectives.

Criticism of Greece–Israel Alignment

Albanese voiced concern over Greece’s deepening military and political ties with Israel, arguing that Athens is overlooking alleged violations of international law in the region.

She specifically pointed to:

• Interceptions of humanitarian aid flotillas bound for Gaza
• Ongoing arms transfers
• Broader silence over Israeli actions in the Mediterranean

These developments, she said, risk placing Greece in breach of international and European legal obligations.

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“Palestine as a Testing Ground”

Albanese also accused Israel of using Palestinian territories as a testing ground for military and surveillance technologies.

She claimed that such systems are later exported globally, including to countries like Greece, raising ethical and legal concerns.

“There must be accountability for those facilitating this trade,” she said.

Mediterranean Becoming a “Graveyard for Rights”

Referring to the interception of the Global Sumud flotilla near Crete, Albanese warned that the Mediterranean is increasingly becoming:

“A graveyard not only for refugees, but for human rights and international law.”

She argued that failure to respond to such incidents contributes to the erosion of legal norms in the region.

Greek Government Pressed on Security Questions

Separately, the Greek government faced scrutiny over reports of warships operating near Crete.

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis was questioned by journalists about whether authorities were aware of the vessels.

When asked:

“If these were Turkish ships, would you notice?”

Marinakis declined to provide a direct answer, instead dismissing the criticism as “populist rhetoric” and attributing concerns to a misunderstanding.

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Implications for Regional Dynamics

Albanese’s remarks echo long-standing concerns raised by Türkiye that certain European actors may be influenced by external powers in ways that complicate regional stability.

The evolving Greece–Israel partnership, set against broader tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, is likely to remain a focal point in regional geopolitics.

Greek Reporter, MEE, PATurkey  newsdesk