The Greek Jewry hailed the 30^th anniversary of full diplomatic relations between Greece and Israel during a teleconference convened by the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS), on May 25, 2020. The meeting, which was attended by the Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, the Israeli ambassador to Greece Yossi Amrani, KIS President David Saltiel and the Board of Directors, representatives of the Greek Jewish Communities, as well as KIS’s past Presidents Benjamin Albalas and Nissim Mais, included the presentation of the digital on-line album entitled “30 YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN GREECE AND ISRAEL, 1990 – 2020. A TIMELINE – The Milestones of a productive cooperation”, edited by KIS (May 2020).  

KIS President David Saltiel in his opening remarks pointed out the role of the Greek Jewry in the relations between the two countries, with special reference to relevant important ongoing projects, as the Holocaust Museum and the programme of cultural events for 2021, when Greece will celebrate the 200 years of its independence and will assume the chairmanship of the IHRA. “The Greek Jews feel as the bridge that unites the two philosophies that shaped our civilization: the Greek philosophy, that founded the principles of democracy and freedom and the Jewish philosophy, that founded the principles of monotheism, justice, solidarity and humanism”, stressed David Saltiel and continued: “Today Greece and Israel cooperate multifariously for the prosperity of their people, for the stability and peace in the sensitive region of the Eastern Mediterranean. Mr Minister and Mr Ambassador, KIS was, is and will remain a supporter of this cooperation boosting every effort that brings closer the people of the two countries”, Saltiel concluded.

The 30^th anniversary of the official recognition of the State of Israel by Greece mark the horizons of a dynamic and productive cooperation of the two countries aiming at the progress and the prosperity of the two peoples.

Political cooperation spearheaded by Konstantinos Mitsotakis in 1990, with his decision to recognize de jure the State of Israel, was fostered and developed by the governments of the two countries in the fields of economy, security, health and education, energy, culture and tourism.

Athens and Jerusalem, two capitals, two cities with a historic heritage that has defined the nature of humanism and democracy, have joined forces and keep making common efforts to safeguard stability and peaceful coexistence amongst all the people in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Greeks and Israelis professed solidarity on the field and proved the very meaning of solidarity by saving lives, by saving the natural resources of their countries. Greek and Israeli firefighters did it selflessly and with self-sacrifice during wildfires; Israeli rescuers did it during the catastrophic earthquake of Athens.

The Israelis sing Greek songs and listen Greek music, the Greeks welcome the Israeli tourists with the traditional Greek hospitality. This is the image of the two people forging their relations…

The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece congratulates Greece and Israel for their strong will to further enhance their bonds of friendship and encourages every effort that brings closer the people of the two countries.

Athens, May 21^st, 2020

Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece

The presidents of Greece and Israel celebrate the 30th anniversary of the start of full diplomatic relations on Thursday by confirming the continuity of friendship and business association of the two countries.

In a joint statement, Greece's Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Israel's Reuven Rivlin said they jointly celebrate "the past, present and future of our bilateral relations" and noted the particular sectors of collaboration between the two countries - economy, energy, tourism, defense, technology and culture, among others.

They also made particular mention of Greece and Israel's tripartite collaboration with the Cyprus Republic, and the more active participation of the United States, in promoting jointly regional security, stability and growth.