Three Wise Men Ponder Alliances
By Jirair Tutunjian
At the recent Academy of 21st Century Developments Convention (ACDC)
Peroni: Despite the 13,000 Kilometers, an ocean, and a sea separating them, Israel and Argentina are very close. Likewise Greece and Israel. How do you explain the strategic alliance these three states maintain?
Shmuel: Israel and Greece are close because Greece needs protection from Turkey’s encroachments.
Panos: I don’t agree. As a NATO member, Greece can always depend on that military organization. Meanwhile, the affinity between Argentina and Israel goes back to the 16th century when a huge number of Jews from Spain settled in Argentina.
I also believe Argentina and Greece are close because—to reverse the Arabic saying—my friend’s friend is my friend. Since Israel and Argentina are close, Athens has become cozy with Buenos Aires.
Peroni: Re the earlier point that the Argentina/Israel affinity goes back to the 16th century, I’d like to mention that 16th century Iberian Jews settled all over Latin America, not just in Argentina. And yet there isn’t similar close relations
Shmuel: For a long time Jews considered Argentina the Promised Land. As a matter of fact, early Zionists wanted to create Israel in Argentina. Few people realize that Argentina is three times larger than France and has one of the most fertile soils anywhere. It’s no wonder Jews were attracted to it.
Don’t forget that for more than a century Argentina had a vibrant and wealthy Jewish community which was influential in politics, busin
Peroni: True…but no longer. As a result of political unrest in the ‘70s, many Argentinian Jews have left for North America and Israel.
Shmuel: President Javier Milei had a great deal to do with the close relationship between Israel and Argentina. Several years ago, Catholic-born Milei announced he was “born into Jewish heritage.” Following that announcement, he visited Israel on two occasions and prayed at the Wailing Wall.
Peroni: As reward for his rapprochement with Israel, President Trump granted Argentina $20 billion in currency swap. The gesture rescued, if temporarily, Argentina’s middle class.
Shmuel: We have cited numerous credible reasons for the friendship among Argentina, Greece, and Israel. But most of the time when one of us has advanced a reason, it has been shot down. As our American allies say, “We are stumped.” We can’t agree on the reason or reasons for the close friendship among the three far-flung states.
Peroni: Don’t give up so soon, my friend. I will now tell you the real reason for their friendship. The affinity is rooted in our primeval psyche, in symbolism, in dreams, in the back alleys of our cranium, the grey matter. While we seek intellectual reason or reasons for the close friendship between Argentina and Israel, Greece and Israel, we are blind to the obvious fact. The answer lies in symbolism.
Panos: What do you mean?
Peroni: Look at the three flags. Do you notice anything remarkable or strange?
Shmuel: No.
Peroni: These three countries feel an affinity between them because…their flags have similar colors: white and blue. When a Greek sees his flag he subliminally sees also the Israeli and Argentinian flags. That is the reason for the bond. Do you think it’s accidental that at the FIFA championships, the Argentinian team was wearing a blue-and white stripe jerseys reminiscent of the two blue bands of the Israeli flag and the blue stripes of the Greek flag?
Shmuel: That would make Finland and Uruguay members of our “club” since their flag s are also blue and white.
Moderator: And that wraps our session. As you can see, our national convention is the only major gathering where outside-the-box thinking is encouraged.
In the next session, three eminent political commentators will discuss why Turkey…Turkeye…Turkiya
