ISLAMABAD – Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for strengthening Israel’s alliance with Greece and Cyprus while referring to Pakistan, Türkiye and other countries as part of a grouping opposed to Israel.
The remarks came during an interview Smotrich gave to Israeli Telegram channel and its clips went viral, getting attention in Pakistan and Türkiye over his reference to an alliance involving the two countries along with Saudi Arabia.
Smotrich said Israel should strengthen the Hellenic alliance against what he described as the alliance of Pakistan, Türkiye and countries opposed to Israel. The remarks come amid growing attention to the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia on August 7, 2026, which infact is defensive in nature.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich:
We can and should strengthen the Hellenic alliance against the alliance of Pakistan, Türkiye and the countries that oppose us. https://t.co/DEzlld07r0
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 19, 2026
The pact provides framework for closer military ties, joint exercises, intelligence sharing and collaboration in defence production. Its collective-defence principle broadly establishes that an armed attack against one participating country would be treated as an attack against all.
Although Pakistan and other participating countries touted agreement as defensive and not directed against any particular state, its emergence has added a new dimension to regional security discussions.
Smotrich’s comments suggest that he views closer cooperation between Israel and its Greek partners as important amid these changing alignments. Saudi Arabia’s participation also adds diplomatic complexity, as discussions about potential normalisation between Riyadh and Tel Aviv continue alongside the kingdom’s defence cooperation with Pakistan and Türkiye.
Hellenic alliance generally refers to the strategic partnership between Israel, Greece and Cyprus, which has developed through military coordination, joint exercises, energy projects and wider regional security cooperation. The partnership has partly evolved against the backdrop of longstanding tensions involving Türkiye in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Defence cooperation reportedly get a further boost in 2026 through Greece’s planned air-defence procurement programme, known as Achilles Shield, valued at around €3 billion.
Smotrich’s call to strengthen this partnership comes as Israel assesses regional military developments and seeks to reinforce its own defence capabilities. In other part of the interview, he addressed Türkiye’s military strength, including its expanding naval capabilities.
Smotrich described the Turkish navy as enormous and hinted that its capabilities required careful assessment. He also discussed the need for Israel to remain capable of sustaining prolonged military conflicts independently rather than relying excessively on outside support.
The reported remarks show broader Israeli concerns about regional military balances, Türkiye’s growing strategic influence and the implications of closer defence cooperation among countries whose interests may conflict with those of Israel.
Smotrich also discussed ties between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, saying that developments in Washington-Ankara ties form part of the wider strategic picture.
He said normalisation with Saudi Arabia could and should be pursued. However, he has maintained a hardline position on Palestinian statehood and has opposed concessions that could require Israel to accept a Palestinian state. Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Pakistan-Türkiye defence arrangement makes the issue particularly important, although the kingdom’s membership does not, by itself, establish that the agreement is directed against Tel Aviv.
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