Greek parliament approves purchase of rocket systems from Israel

Greek lawmakers approved the purchase of 36 PULS rocket artillery systems from Israel, valued at approximately 650 million euros ($757.84 million), according to two officials familiar with the matter on Thursday.

Greece plans to invest around 28 billion euros ($32.66 billion) by 2036 to modernise its military as it recovers from a 2009-2018 debt crisis and seeks to maintain its military capabilities in competition with its long-standing rival, Turkey.

The purchase was approved by the parliament's defence committee in a closed session, with one senior official confirming the approval and the cost, estimated to be between 650 and 700 million euros. Earlier reports had indicated that Greece was in discussions with Israel regarding the deal.

Greece and Israel share strong economic and diplomatic relations, having conducted joint military exercises in recent years and operating an air training centre in southern Greece. Additionally, Greece is in talks with Israel to develop a 3 billion euro anti-aircraft and missile defence system.

The PULS system, produced by Israel's Elbit, has a range of up to 300 km (190 miles) and will strengthen Greece's defence capabilities, particularly along its northeastern border with Turkey and the Greek islands in the Aegean. The agreement also includes the local production of components in Greece.

Greece and Türkiye, both NATO members, have longstanding tensions over various issues, including the delimitation of their continental shelves, energy resources, airspace over the Aegean Sea, and the divided island of Cyprus.

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