Former CIA officer John Kiriakou has warned that Greece’s close relationship with Israel could face a political reckoning ahead of the country’s next national election.

His comments come as Greece prepares to sign a major new defence agreement with Israel on Monday, August 31, in Tel Aviv.

The €3 billion “Achilles Shield” programme will create a multi-layered air and missile defence network for Greece, designed to counter threats including ballistic missiles, aircraft and drones. Israeli-made radar and missile systems are expected to form a central part of the system.

Kiriakou has argued that the Greek government’s deepening cooperation with Israel is increasingly out of step with public sentiment, particularly because of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

“The Greek people don’t want to do business with Israel, but the government is forcing it,” Kiriakou said, warning that the issue could become a major political battleground during Greece’s 2027 election.

The timing of the new defence agreement could therefore add another layer to an increasingly sensitive debate in Greece over the country’s strategic partnership with Israel.

Athens and Jerusalem have built extensive defence, energy and security cooperation over the past decade, with their relationship also shaped by strategic considerations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Greece’s tensions with Turkey.

The Achilles Shield represents one of the most significant new elements of that partnership, with the Greek government viewing the system as a major upgrade to the country’s national air and missile defence capabilities. The programme was approved by Greece’s Government Council for National Security in July, with Defence Minister Nikos Dendias putting the cost at just over €3 billion.

While the government sees the agreement as an important investment in Greece’s security, opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza has made military cooperation with Jerusalem an increasingly contentious issue among sections of Greek society.

Kiriakou’s warning suggests that Greece’s relationship with Israel could become a much more prominent issue in domestic politics as the country moves toward the 2027 election.

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