Greece’s main opposition party calls for int’l intervention to reduce tensions in Middle East

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Greece’s main opposition SYRIZA party urged international actors Wednesday to immediately take initiatives for de-escalation in the Middle East amid heightened tensions following the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.

“SYRIZA-PS expresses its strong concern about the unprecedented escalation in the Middle East following the actions in the Golan Heights, Beirut and Tehran which threaten to ignite the wider region and calls on the international community to take immediately the necessary initiatives for direct de-escalation and the demonstration of the required self-restraint by all parties involved,” the party said in a statement.

Stressing that it is becoming clear that the resolution of the Palestinian issue is the cornerstone for maintaining the fragile balances and peace in the Middle East, it added that “it is therefore imperative to achieve an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, with the return of all prisoners and the resumption of credible Israeli-Palestinian negotiations for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.”

“Otherwise, ongoing regional rivalries will cause generalized conflict in the Middle East, with incalculable implications for peace and security in the wider region,” it warned.

Hamas said earlier Wednesday that Haniyeh, the head of its political bureau, was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his residence in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

On Tuesday, the Israeli military struck southern Beirut, targeting a senior Hezbollah commander in retaliation for an attack Saturday on the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

While Israel blamed Hezbollah for Saturday's attack, the group denied any responsibility.

The Lebanese Health Ministry said at least three people were killed in the Israeli strike on Beirut and 74 people were injured.

-Security agreement with Ukraine

Earlier Wednesday, the head of the party’s foreign affairs department, Rena Dourou, said the government is conducting secret diplomacy with Ukraine to sign a mutual security agreement which will include the provision of more arms to Kyiv.

Referring to a recent statement by the Ukrainian President’s Office confirming the negotiations between the two countries, she argued that such an agreement would weaken the country’s defense capabilities.

“Citizens of Greece have a right to know: 1. what is the content of the new bilateral security agreement with Ukraine? What does it include, and how much does it cost? 2. when will the government inform Parliament about this?” Dourou said.