Israeli security officers stand guard outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after being blocked from attending Easter events inside, following restrictions on gatherings in large groups, amid the US-Israel war with Iran, in Jerusalem’s Old City, on April 5, 2026. [Ammar Awad/Reuters]
Greece – and Cyprus – are the Western countries closest to the Middle East. Having traditional ties, as well as trade relations, with most of the states in the region, Athens is concerned about the developing conflict and expresses its sincere interest in the safety of Christian populations. The interest is not limited to the Orthodox population – it concerns all Christians, including those of other denominations, who reside in these countries.
A few hours before Orthodox Easter is celebrated, unhindered access for the Greek Orthodox to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is of major importance, in the wake of the problems recently faced by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Not long ago, Athens reacted strongly to the violent incidents against residents in the primarily Greek Orthodox city of Suqaylabiyah, in western Syria.
Athens has repeatedly noted that the peaceful course and development of Syria can only evolve inclusively and in this context, the rights of the country’s Christian residents, who are often treated as “religious enemies,” must be ensured, especially by a regime and its supporters who were not renowned for the tolerance and respect they showed for Christianity.
Close relations with specific Arab countries where Christian populations – even small in number – live, as well as its special relationship with Israel, with its obviously enormous importance due to the Holy Land, enhance the role Athens can play.
A total of over half a million Christians live in Syria, Israel, Iraq and Jordan, while in Lebanon there are estimated to be over 1.5 million. In the latter, a key piece of the Middle East puzzle, Greece has actively supported the country’s Maronite Christian president, Joseph Aoun, not only politically, but also by sending military equipment, as part of an effort to strengthen the country’s weakened armed forces, which are unable to ensure security, but also normality, in a divided and segregated state.
Another fact worth mentioning is that tens of thousands of Christians who have immigrated to the United States and Europe maintain close and family ties with their co-religionists in Syria and other countries in the region.
This intense and sincere Greek interest must also be highlighted in the US, where a large part of the population is deeply religious, especially within the Republican Party, and feels an increased sensitivity for the protection of Christians everywhere, especially in countries where they constitute small minorities.
Such a move will give Athens’ role – beyond the obvious humanitarian dimension – additional diplomatic and geopolitical value.