Has Greece become Israel's Trojan Horse in the Gulf? Submitted by Ali Bakir on Wed, 06/24/2026 - 17:17 Tel Aviv would like to remain present inside the emerging GCC security architecture - without needing to be directly welcome at the table  Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis greets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prior to a meeting in Athens on 26 July 2022 (Yorgos Karahalis/AFP) On Over the past several years, and with particular intensity since late 2019, Athens has deepened its ties with the Gulf states in ways few might have predicted.  At first glance, the relationship looks standard: a European nation gains access to energy and investments, while the Gulf states in turn gain a willing European partner.  Looking closer, though, the details tell a different story. Greece’s push into the Gulf has unfolded in two phases, each running in parallel with the same two trends: a tightening alliance with Israel , and deepening friction with Turkey .