Greek parliament approves purchase of rocket systems from Israel

Greek lawmakers approved late on Thursday the purchase of 36 PULS rocket artillery systems from Israel for about 650 million euros ($757.84 million), two officials with knowledge of the issue told Reuters.

Greece has said it will spend about 28 billion euros  ($32.66 billion) by 2036 to modernise its armed forces as it emerges from a 2009-2018 debt crisis and tries to keep pace with its historic rival Turkey.

"In a closed session, the parliament's defence committee approved the purchase of PULS," a senior official with knowledge of the issue told Reuters.

A second official confirmed the parliament's approval, adding that the cost would be around 650 to 700 million euros. Reuters reported in November that Greece was in talks with Israel for the systems. 

Greece and Israel have strong economic and diplomatic ties, have conducted several joint exercises in recent years, and operate an air training centre in southern Greece.

Greece is also in talks with Israel to develop a 3 billion euro anti-aircraft and missile defence dome.

The PULS system, made by Israel's Elbit, has a range of up to 300 km (190 miles) and will help protect Greece's northeastern border with Turkey and Greek islands in the Aegean, officials have said. The deal also includes the construction of components in Greece.

Greece and Turkey, NATO allies, have long been at odds over issues including where their continental shelves start and end, energy resources, flights over the Aegean, and the ethnically partitioned island of Cyprus.

($1 = 0.8574 euros)