“Our cooperation with Greece and Cyprus stands on its own,” Netanyahu said at a joint press conference in Jerusalem with Tsipras.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras sent a message to Ankara on Wednesday, saying the growing alliance between the two states, together with Cyprus, is not aimed against Turkey, with whom all three have tense ties.
“Our cooperation with Greece and Cyprus stands on its own,” Netanyahu said at a joint press conference in Jerusalem with Tsipras. “We believe it is long overdue, and are very happy about the progress. It is independent of efforts to normalize relations with Turkey.”
Netanyahu said that these efforts will continue, and “we have to ensure that Israeli interests are kept.”
“Turkey and Israel had very good relations in former years,” Netanyahu said. “We did not want to see it to deteriorate, and we did not cause this deterioration. If there is a change of policy, we will welcome it.”
Netanyahu\’s words came against the background of persistent reports that Turkey and Israel are on the verge or re-establishing full diplomatic ties, some six years after the ties broke down over the Mavi Marmara incident.
According to diplomatic officials, Greece and Egypt – both Turkish rivals – have indicated concern about a warming of ties between Israel and Turkey.
Tsipras, who will be meeting with Netanyahu again on Thursday, but this time in Nicosia along with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, did his part to discount that notion.