Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Israel on Tuesday in a show of confidence in the countries' anti-coronavirus measures, which Athens hopes can be translated into a resumption of tourism.
With Greece, Israel, and Cyprus partnered up on energy projects in the eastern Mediterranean, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warns against the exploration efforts of the "neighborhood bully" Turkey.
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Israel sees the visit as an opportunity to dilute European opposition to its planned annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria.
Hoping to salvage its tourism sector this summer, Greece opened its main airports to primarily EU visitors on Monday. Israel has provided about 1 million tourists annually in recent years.
"I am certain that the flights from Israel will resume very soon," Mitsotakis told Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth before he arrived in Israel. "I aspire to make Greece the safe destination of Europe."
Mitsotakis said the Greek-Israeli-Cypriot energy exploration arrangement "is not directed against nor exclusive of anyone," but accused Turkey of trying to exert political and military control over the region.
Alexandros Diakopoulos, Greek National Security Advisor, tells @MatthiasInbar that if Greece capitulates and is put in a corner, Turkey will be a bigger threat to Israel than Iran.
Full interview on 'Strictly Security', Saturday at 7 pm EST pic.twitter.com/otN7CddhkY
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) June 16, 2020
"Turkey is welcome to give up on its imperialistic pipeline dreams and cooperate with us as an equal and law-abiding partner – not as the neighborhood bully," he said.
Turkey says it is acting within its sovereign rights.
Israel says its planned annexation of large settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley is in line with the US plan for peace with the Palestinians, but the European Union has said it "could not pass unchallenged."
"We expect Greece to be an anchor of support for us in the union," Yossi Amrani, the Israeli ambassador to Athens, told Army Radio when asked about the annexation plan.
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