Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to host the fifth annual Israel-Greece-Cyprus summit at the National Cyber Directorate and the Carasso Science Park in Beersheba, Thursday. The tripartite summit will focus on cyber and innovation.
Netanyahu, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will discuss strategic regional issues including the plan to lay a gas pipeline from Israel to Europe, among other joint projects between the countries. The leaders will also hold bilateral meetings, sign agreements on cyber defense, civilian space-related issues and meteorological cooperation.
The three leaders will tour the National Cyber Directorate and an innovation exhibition by Israeli companies. Also attending the summit will be Greek and Cypriot startup entrepreneurs who participated in a course on innovation in Israel at Netanyahu's invitation during last year's summit.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the financial daily Globes, ahead of their meeting, Netanyahu said, "We want to lay a gas pipeline from Israel to Cyprus, Crete, [mainland] Greece, Italy and [the rest of] Europe. This will turn Israel into a player in the global energy field; all signs indicate that it could run forward. This will, of course, strengthen our diplomatic capability which, to the same extent, of course, is also strengthening the economy and the military, because they are all related."
The pipeline is estimated to cost over €6 billion ($7 billion) and would take six to seven years to build. It will stretch from Israel to Italy and pass through Cyprus and Greece. Among the pipeline's advantages, officials say, is that it would not have to cross many national borders and will be less vulnerable to sabotage than it would be if it passes through Turkey.
The pipeline would potentially carry gas from recently discovered deposits in the eastern Mediterranean, including in the waters of Cyprus and Israel.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu and his wife Sara hosted a dinner for Tsipras and his partner Peristera Baziana, and Anastasiades and his wife Andri Moustakoudi.
