Greek PM in Israel, Wins Tourism Pledge and Warns on Turkey

Greece and Israel pledged on Tuesday to work toward a resumption of bilateral tourism in August if coronavirus precautions permit and discussed shared concerns over Turkey’s energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on his first trip abroad since the pandemic erupted, brought a cabinet delegation to Jerusalem in a show of confidence in mutual health measures and to promote a trilateral natural-gas consortium with Cyprus.

Greece opened its main airports to mainly EU visitors on Monday. Israel – some 1.2 million of whose citizens traveled to Greece annually in recent years – is a big market.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said he hoped that as of Aug. 1 travelers to and from Greece would not be required to self-quarantine – a de facto resumption of airline traffic.

“This also depends on what happens with the coronavirus pandemic, but if the numbers allow it, this is the target date for opening the skies,” he told reporters alongside Mitsotakis.

With Greece, Israel and Cyprus partnered up on energy projects in the eastern Mediterranean, Mitsotakis warned against what he called Turkey’s “aggressive behavior.”

He cited “recent incidents of illegal and provocative Turkish behaviour at our sea, air and land border” and “the destabilizing effect that Turkey has made vis-a-vis its relationship with Libya.”

Turkey, which has declared part of the eastern Mediterranean a shared exploration area with Libya, says it is within its sovereign rights.

Israel sees the Greek visit as an opportunity to dilute European opposition to its planned annexation of communities in Yehudah and Shomron.

“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.