Saudi Arabia is pushing to replace Israel with Syria as the primary transit country for a major fibre-optic cable connecting the kingdom to Greece, according to Middle East Eye.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has publicly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, and the shift to the East Med data Corridor (EMC) project reflects the derailment of the so-called normalization talks that were active in 2022.

The “SilkLink” initiative, a $1 billion telecommunications project led by Saudi firms like STC Group, aims to lay 4,500 kilometers of cable across Syria, rehabilitating the country’s war-torn infrastructure.

This shift may present a diplomatic challenge for Greece, which reportedly views Israel as a key security ally against Turkey but is also eager to serve as a hub for investments in AI and energy.

While a 2025 project presentation still showed the corridor running through Israeli waters, Saudi Arabia’s recent $800 million investment in Syrian infrastructure may signal a commitment to the new route.