Greece and Israel discuss the implications of increased Turkish military activity in the eastern Mediterranean

The governments of Israel and Greece have held discussions about the implications of Turkey’s decision to increase its military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean to ensure free passage for ships in international waters. The Turkish decision was made as part of the ongoing fallout of the dispute with Israel over the latter’s assault on the Freedom Flotilla in 2010. Israeli media sources claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken with his Greek counterpart Georgios Papandreou about the issue.

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Greece has expressed its concerns about its neighbour Turkey supervising maritime traffic in the region; the two countries have a difficult relationship. Israel, meanwhile, has expressed its hope that Turkey will respect international maritime law related to ships using the Mediterranean Sea.