The scale of the Israeli attacks, as well as the collateral damage they cause, has alarmed several Western governments, which are calling on Tel Aviv to show restraint. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Politico, Israel’s right to self-defence and the protection of its citizens is indisputable, but the proportionality of Israeli counter-attacks will be a key factor in the continued support of the international community.
Prime Minister noted that Israel’s friends – with Athens being one of Tel Aviv’s closest allies – must point out to the Israeli government that its inability to contain the ferocity of its retaliatory attacks will create a negative climate towards Israel.
The Prime Minister also noted that eliminating the Hamas threat is a strategic goal, but that both Israel and the international community should also consider the post-war regime in the Gaza Strip.
The Greek government is fully aligned with the positions of both the EU and the US, continuing to support Israel’s rights, fully condemning Hamas, but also stressing the importance of managing the current crisis with an eye to the future – and the return of stability in the Middle East.
The first major reaction to Israel’s claims came from the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who stated that the US is not in agreement with any post-war occupation of Gaza by the Israeli armed forces. Blinken responded in the clearest possible way to the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who had stated that, after the end of the conflict, Israel would take over the security of the Gaza Strip.
The US opposition to the possibility of a post-war Israeli occupation in Gaza does not mean that Washington is ready to withdraw its support for Tel Aviv; Blinken himself said that, after the end of the conflict, there can only be a “transitional period” during which stability in the region should be ensured, Hamas should be confirmed as no longer a threat, and normality should be gradually restored for Palestinian civilians, who can return to their homes.
