Sec. 3. Findings
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Congress finds the following: Israel has been designated as a Major Non-NATO Ally under U.S. law since 1987 and its partnership with the U.S. is critical to the protection of U.S. interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and the surrounding regions. The Department of State describes Israel as a great partner to the United States with an unbreakable bond that has never been stronger. The longstanding strength of the relationship between the U.S. and Israel is demonstrated by the historic significance of the United States being the first country to officially recognize Israel as a state in 1948 and being the first country to recognize Jerusalem as its capital in 2017.
The United States remains in solidarity with Israel following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack committed by Hamas, described by the Department of State as the deadliest terrorist attack in its 75-year history which included the deaths of more than forty-four Americans, the most killed in a terrorist attack since the events of September 11, 2001, and the capture of twelve other Americans as hostages. The Department of State holds that support for Israel’s security has been a cornerstone of American foreign policy, as demonstrated by the longstanding support provided to Israel by the U.S.
The United States and Israel have defense cooperation agreements including a Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement (1952); a General Security of Information Agreement (1982); a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (1991); and a Status of Forces Agreement (1994). The United States has participated in military exercises with Israel, including Juniper Oak and Juniper Falcon. The United States and Israel have engaged in strategic dialogue involving counterterrorism coordination. Greece is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO)Ally that consistently exceeds its obligation of spending 2% of its gross domestic product
(GDP)on defense annually. In 2021, Greece spent a higher percentage of its real GDP on defense than any other NATO country. In 2024, Greece spent 3.08% of its real GDP on defense and accordingly continues to rank amongst the highest of all NATO countries. Its significant contributions to the Alliance, including hosting the NATO Missile Firing Installation (NAMFI), the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Center (NMIOTC), the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defense (NATO IAMD) Centre of Excellence, have led to it being designated as a key NATO Ally by the Department of State. Greece continues to support U.S. maritime security through hosting the U.S. Navy installation Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on the island of Crete, and Souda Bay provides the only deep-water port in the Mediterranean able to service the largest types of aircraft carriers operated by the U.S. The Department of State describes Greece as a leader in the region and an important partner to the United States in promoting regional security, stability with a significant location at the crossroads of the Western Balkans, North Africa, the Middle East, and NATO’s southeastern flank, making Greece a particularly important strategic ally. The Department of State has declared that Greece shares a deep and abiding security partnership with the United States. The United States and Greece have defense cooperation agreements including The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) of 1986; the Defense Industrial Cooperation Agreement
(DICA)of 1986; the NATO Status of Forces Agreement
(SOFA)of 1951; the Comprehensive Technical Agreement
(CTA)of 2001; and the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement
(MDCA)of 1990 (updated in 2019 and in 2021). Greece has participated in multiple bilateral and multilateral military exercises with the United States, including Thracian Cooperation, Stolen Cerberus, Trojan Footprint, Poseidon’s Rage, Orion, Iniochos, Defender Europe, and Alexander the Great. According to the Department of State, each year the Armed Forces of the United States and Greece jointly participate in more than 15 major military exercises. The United States and Greece have engaged in strategic dialogue involving counterterrorism coordination. The Republic of Cyprus
(ROC)has been described by the Department of State as an important partner for regional stability, security, and prosperity to the United States, with an important geostrategic position. In 2025, the Department of State declared that Cooperation between the United States and the ROC is at a historic high. The Department of State declared that the United States works closely with the ROC to advance shared security priorities in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The United States and the Republic of Cyprus have agreed to a Statement of Intent on bilateral security cooperation in 2018 and a Defense Cooperation Roadmap for 2024–2029 directed towards promoting stability, security, and prosperity in the region. The United States and the Republic of Cyprus have engaged in strategic dialogue involving counterterrorism coordination. In addition to the strong bilateral relationships between the United States and Israel, the United States and Greece, and the United States and the Republic of Cyprus, all four countries share a multilateral relationship under the 3+1 structure established through Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 section of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 and the United States-Greece Defense and Interparliamentary Partnership Act of 2021 section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. Together, the United States, Israel, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus share the mutual goal of ensuring the Eastern Mediterranean is protected from threats of terrorism. The United States and Israel have a history of strong counterterrorism cooperation. The Department of State has described Israel as a committed counterterrorism partner, closely coordinating with the United States on a range of counterterrorism initiatives. This includes previous annual meetings of the Joint Counterterrorism Group between the two countries. The United States and Greece have a history of strong counterterrorism cooperation. The Department of State has described Greece as a steadfast and reliable counterterrorism partner. This has been demonstrated recently through improved information exchanges and CT cooperation with the United States through the Joint Security Program pilot. The United States and the Republic of Cyprus have a history of strong counterterrorism cooperation. The Department of State has described the Republic of Cyprus as a partner that has collaborated closely with the United States bilaterally and as a member of the EU, as well as with other countries on international counterterrorism efforts. The Department of State reported that ROC authorities have taken enhanced security measures to prevent terrorist actions following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. The Cyprus National Police conducted increased patrols at airports, harbors, marinas, and ports; assessed high-threat targets—mostly of Israeli and U.S. interests—and provided frequent patrols; provided a police presence at all synagogues in Larnaca, Limassol, and Paphos; increased police coverage at the Israeli Embassy. Additionally, the Republic of Cyprus has been threatened by Iran-backed terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah. Israel and Greece have a history of strong counterterrorism cooperation and participate in regional and multinational counterterrorism exercises between the two countries, as described by the Department of State. Israel and the Republic of Cyprus have a history of strong counterterrorism cooperation and participate in regional and multinational counterterrorism exercises between the two countries, as described by the Department of State. Greece and the Republic of Cyprus have a history of strong counterterrorism cooperation and participate in regional and multinational counterterrorism exercises between the two countries, as described by the Department of State. Israel, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus have a history of strong trilateral counterterrorism cooperation reflected through multiple types of engagement. The foreign ministers of Israel, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus, and the United States Secretary of State, have collectively met multiple times to discuss multilateral security issues. The Cyprus Center for Land, Open-seas, and Port Security (C.Y.C.L.O.P.S.), initially funded by the United States State Department’s Export Control and Related Border Security
(EXBS)program through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Cyprus and the USA, signed on September 12, 2020, has served as an important training center for the United States. The United States has conducted multiple security cooperation initiatives utilizing C.Y.C.L.O.P.S. including the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism Saharan Fox workshop. Together, the United States, Israel, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus share the mutual goal of ensuring the Eastern Mediterranean is protected from breaches of maritime security. Souda Bay, Crete, has served as an important location for the United States to conduct maritime security initiatives since 1969 and has long been considered the most essential location for supporting U.S. naval activity in the Mediterranean. In addition to providing the only port in the region able to sustain the largest aircraft carriers operated by the United Sates, it’s location at the junction between Europe, Africa, and Asia make it a location of great geostrategic value.