ATHENS – Reported bickering between the government and military has seen Greece postpone plans to make a major arms purchase from Israel, which could see the weapons be sold to other countries in the meantime.

CNN Greece said that Defense Ministry officials worry that holding back on acquiring Israel’s Spike NLOS missiles, critical to the Greek Navy’s fast attack boats and the ground forces’ AH-64 attack helicopters, risk being postponed indefinitely.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been trying to build an arsenal against Turkey which has threatened an invasion and keeps violating Greek air space with fighter jets and demanding that Greece take troops off Aegean islands near its coast.

The government, the report said without attributing sources, said that the go-ahead to buy the missiles could proceed in April, 2023 as it works to clear up what was said to be an unexplained “misunderstanding” with military leaders.

If the decision is left to the next government after Greece’s 2023 elections, which could come as soon as April or not until the government’s term ends in July, the weapons could likely be gone to another buyer, the report added.

upcoming summer 2023 elections, it might be too late, and Tel Aviv may sell The government is not happy about the delay caused by military leadership, it was said, without indicating why Mitsotakis, who has authority over the Armed Forces, doesn’t move without consent to make the buy.