A day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning clearly directed at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan without mentioning him by name, Greek users on social media were jubilant. "Greek national honor was restored in Jerusalem," one Facebook user, Kostas, wrote sarcastically. Others were more blunt, praising the tough tone that emerged from the trilateral meeting. "Your party is over, Erdogan," wrote Yannis. "The party of Greece and Cyprus is back."
Speaking at the conclusion of the summit with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Netanyahu said: "To those who think they can rebuild their empires, I say forget it. It won't happen."
The Greek newspaper Liberal wrote that Ankara is concerned by the fact that the Greece–Cyprus–Israel partnership directly challenges Turkey's strategy in the eastern Mediterranean. "This is a form of cooperation, a network if you will, that will limit Turkey's unilateral actions in the region," the paper said. "Netanyahu's message to Turkey says it all. The balance of power in the Mediterranean has not been overturned, but it has been reshaped."
Another Greek outlet, Fema, wrote on Tuesday that Netanyahu's message to Erdogan may please Greece, but was primarily intended as a response to Erdogan's repeated statements in recent years expressing a desire to "liberate Jerusalem." "We should not forget that the Ottoman Empire ruled not only Greece, but also Jerusalem," the paper noted.
In Turkey, the reaction was sharply critical. The daily Milliyet branded the summit an "axis of evil," while Hurriyet ran a headline describing it as an "anti-Turkish alliance." According to Hurriyet, "The leaders of Greece and the Greek Cypriots went to Netanyahu because what unites them is anti-Turkish sentiment. Netanyahu, for his part, is concerned about Turkey's growing influence in the eastern Mediterranean, and therefore convened the summit."
At the same time, many Greeks criticized Mitsotakis for letting Netanyahu "do the talking" rather than delivering a strong statement himself. "The two cowardly chickens from Greece and Cyprus hid behind Netanyahu's back," wrote a user named Fotis. "They should learn a thing or two from Israel about standing on the front line."
There was also at least one dissenting voice seeking to cool the enthusiasm with a dose of historical perspective. "I don't understand what everyone is so excited about," wrote a user named Anthony. "After all, the Jews hate the Greeks. Even now they are celebrating an eight-day holiday marking their supposed victory over the Greeks."
