From Nasser to Arafat and Ibn Salman; the Greek pro-Arabism revisited

Abstract

This study revisits the evolution of contemporary Greek–Arab relations from a geopolitical perspective. For a number of reasons – inter alia, her lack of a colonialist past – Greece has been time and again associated with a strong pro-Arab reputation. Greek pro-Arabism survives to this day; however it has undergone dramatic changes in terms of content, rhetoric and objectives. In fact, the once staunchest European supporter of the Palestinian cause and ‘pariahs’ like Qaddafi, Arafat and Hafez al-Asad, is now firmly aligned with Israel and the Gulf monarchies. By adopting a longitudinal approach, this article highlights the drivers and the constraints of the Greek pro-Arab policies diachronically and investigates the current convergence or divergence of interests between Athens and its new Arab friends.