Greece and Israel discussed further deepening of the bilateral military ties amid ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza.
In a meeting between visiting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with his Israeli counterpart in West Jerusalem on Sunday, they "reaffirmed the strategic relationship between Greece and Israel and discussed the further deepening of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the field of defence," read a statement by the Greek Prime Minister's Office.
"We also want to focus on our economic cooperation, but also on our defence cooperation, which is particularly important for us in Greece," Mitsotakis emphasised.
While the premiers exchanged views on regional developments, with an emphasis on the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as on the challenges in Syria, Lebanon and the Red Sea, Mitsotakis under lined the importance of connectivity and energy projects of common interest for stability in the region.
"He (Mitsotakis) also noted the need to release the (Israeli) hostages and halt Israeli operations in Gaza," the statement added.
Netanyahu, for his part, praised the "constantly improving bilateral ties."
President Ersin Tatar says Greek Cypriot side turning the island into a military hub for Israel and the West will jeopardise the island's hard-won peace.
Before Netanyahu, Mitsotakis also met the Israeli President Isaac Herzog as part of his visit.
Emphasizing the importance he attaches to the strategic partnership between the two countries, Mitsotakis expressed hope both for the swift and unconditional release of the Israeli captives held by Hamas and a new ceasefire in Gaza when he made remarks before the start of the meeting with Herzog, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Herzog, for his part, also underlined the importance he attaches to both the relations with Greece and his friendship with Mitsotakis.
However, Greek sources reported that there will be no meeting with the Palestinian authorities owing to the conflicting schedules of the concerned parties.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned the Greek Cypriots about potential disastrous consequences of their involvement in military tension in the region emanating from Tel Aviv's war on Gaza, emphasising the fire will come and find everyone.
Meanwhile, left-wing Greek opposition parties voiced strong condemnation for the visit.
SYRIZA called the visit “another extremely provocative move by the premier.”
“Mr. Mitsotakis, visiting [West] Jerusalem amid the collapse of the ceasefire and the resumption of Israeli attacks, is indifferent to the genocide in Gaza and does not meet with the Palestinian side, for Greece to function as a pillar of stability, which we have traditionally guaranteed. On the contrary, the exclusively bilateral nature of his visit is, in essence, an endorsement of Netanyahu's policy,” the party warned in a statement.
President of the New Left party Alexis Haritsis said on Facebook that “shame” is the only word that can characterise the visit.
“The prime minister's embrace with Netanyahu, the mastermind of the genocide in Gaza and wanted by the International Criminal Court, brutally violates every concept of political morality,” he said.
Thirty-three Palestinians, including 13 children, were killed and several others injured since early Sunday in Israeli air strikes across several areas in Gaza on the first day of Eid al-Fitr.
The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on Gaza on March 18, killing over 920 people, injuring more than 2,000 others, and shattering the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.
More than 50,250 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 114,000 have been injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
