Survey Conducted by ELNET in Cyprus & Greece Shows: Support for Israel Remains Strong
For the second time, parliamentarians from both countries participated in the Israel Survey, with participation tripling compared to the previous year. The regional results of the Europe-wide study, in which more than 450 MPs from 29 nations took part, were presented in Athens in mid-October.
Overall, members of the Hellenic Parliament and the House of Representatives of Cyprus view their relations with Israel as good or very good. As in the previous year, common values, security issues, and political interests were cited as unifying elements. This once again distinguishes the two nations from the majority of parliamentarians in other European countries, who consider historical responsibility the most important basis for bilateral relations.
Around two-thirds of the parliamentarians from Greece and Cyprus wish to further expand their respective cooperation with Israel. This reflects a high level of agreement, similar to the previous year, indicating stability in relations considering the relatively young diplomatic ties and developments over the past twelve months. Current priorities are seen in defense, new technologies, and health issues. During a roundtable organized by ELNET and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Greece & Cyprus (KAS), participants also emphasized the desire for closer collaboration in energy matters.
At the Athens roundtable titled ‘Assessing the Present and Future Perspectives of Greek-Israeli Cooperation,’ notable attendees included Greek MP Anastasios Chatzivasileiou, chair of the Greek-Israeli Friendship Group in the Hellenic Parliament, and Prof. Constantinos Filis, Director of the AGC Institute of Global Affairs, along with other representatives from politics, academia, media, and the Athens diplomatic corps.
Strengthening Foreign and Security Policy
A clear majority (84 percent) of parliamentarians from both countries support strengthening regional cooperation as well as foreign policy, particularly with regard to the promotion of further agreements between Israel and Arab/Muslim countries. The four most frequently mentioned areas for cooperation under the framework of the Abraham Accords are energy, trade, defense, and new technologies.
Notably, 80 percent of participating parliamentarians from Greece and Cyprus are in favor of deepening cooperation between Israel and NATO, compared to only 68 percent across Europe. There is also broad support for a bilateral expansion of security cooperation: 66 percent of Greek politicians favor closer coordination with Israel in order to jointly tackle the regional threat posed by Iran. In accordance with their European counterparts (90 percent), 100 percent of the participating MPs from Greece and Cyprus support reforms to the structure of UNRWA in Gaza and the West Bank.
Finally, the discussion also focused on the security of Jewish life. Several participants at the round table noted that there had been no significant increase in crimes against Greek Jews since October 7. The parliamentarians agreed that antisemitism stemming from radical Muslim communities pose the greatest threat to Jews in their countries, followed by antisemitism from the middle of society.
Additionally, according to the 2024 Israel Survey, MPs from both nations consider Israel-related antisemitism comparatively less prevelant than their European counterparts perceive it to be on average. In this context, the importance of the IHRA working definition, which Greece and Cyprus both adopted in 2019, was also emphasized. In Greece, the position of “Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Promoting Holocaust Remembrance” has also been established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For the second year running, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Greece & Cyprus was a partner of the Israel Survey. This year’s roundtable by ELNET and KAS was embedded in a multi-day program, during which Carsten Ovens, CEO of ELNET-Germany, along with Marian Wendt, Head of the KAS office in Athens, held talks with representatives from Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and Germany. The program also included visits to the Jewish communities in Athens and Rhodes, where the oldest synagogue in Greece is located.
Read the full survey here: