Greece–Israel relations

There has been progress in talks between Cyprus and Greece on the creation of a high-speed electric cable network linking Europe to the Middle East across the Mediterranean seabed, a Cypriot official said on Tuesday.

Israel's Energy Minister Eli Cohen held a phone call on Thursday with the Cypriot Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry George Papanastasiou, regarding the Great Sea Interconnector, calling the project a "top priority."

According to a post by Cohen on X, the two ministers "underscored the strong relationship and ongoing cooperation between Israel and Cyprus."

In their telephone discussion, Cohen emphasized the importance of the “Great Sea Interconnector” project, describing it as a “pioneering initiative” that would “enhance regional energy security.”

In a detailed statement, Cohen said:

Cyprus has yet to decide whether it will remain the last energy-isolated country in the EU or gain access to the European electricity market through Greece.

Europe’s initiative to mobilize Europe to de-escalate energy prices is being undertaken by Greece, Romania and Bulgaria, Greece, The Minister of Environment and Energy, Thodoros Skylakakis, announced today while speaking to a radio station.

Messages to the European Commission, Cyprus and the industry included yesterday’s press conference of the Prime Minister at the TIF, setting the tone for the government’s policy focusing on electricity prices and the fate of the electric cable which enters the most crucial period of negotiations tomorrow.

The governments of Greece and Cyprus will meet on September 10 in a last-ditch attempt to salvage a multi-billion euro electric cable project, which if completed, would be the world's longest linking Europe to the Middle East.

Τhe parties involved in the electricity interconnection project between Crete and Cyprus reached an agreement in principle to end the impasse that has arisen on how to cover its funding gap,  according to Cypriot media. 

The Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) called on Thursday for the expedited completion of the planned Cyprus-Greece (Crete) electricity interconnection, the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), saying it represents "the great potential of the Eastern Mediterranean as a political, economic and energy region."

The Crete-Cyprus electricity interconnection project is a project of major economic, political and strategic importance.