The reaction to Barrack’s statement was both swift and intense—and that should come as no surprise.

At a summit in Jerusalem on Dec. 22, Greece, Cyprus and Israel adopted a strident tone and agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation in the Mediterranean. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides signed a joint declaration to advance an energy deal and pledged to “reinforce our ongoing trilateral cooperation on security, defense and military matters.”

Clearly addressing Turkey and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during a joint press conference, Netanyahu stated: “To those who fantasize they can re-establish their empires and their dominion over our lands, I say: Forget it. It’s not going to happen. Don’t even think about it.”

Erdoğan responded by sharply criticizing Israel and Cyprus. “We will not permit the violation of the rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots,” he said. About Israel, he said: “Turkey...

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