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Friendly talks between the Greek and Israeli heads of state in Jerusalem highlighted a call for unity among Western nations against Islamic terror.
On a three-day state visit to Israel, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, at an official welcome ceremony in Jerusalem, stated:
“ISIS’s terror is aimed at all of humanity. We must make clear to Europe that we stand against terror together and that when it comes to the issues of refugees, we will not allow expressions of hatred between people, which is the source of racism and anti-Semitism.”
The red-carpet ceremony was held at the residence of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who supported his Greek counterpart’s call for a united front against Islamic terror.
“Countries in this region must recognize the common danger posed by Militant Islam and ISIS, unite against this enemy and form one alliance – a regional security and economic alliance to bring an end to global terror,” Rivlin said.
The two heads of state held a working meeting, where they discussed the strengthening of bilateral ties between Greece and Israel.
Describing Povlopoulos as “a true friend of Israel,” Rivlin stressed the historic connection between their two peoples, saying, “Throughout history there has been close and fruitful contact between the people of Greece and the people of Israel, in both the world of ideas, and in the world of deeds. Today we are two Western democracies seeking peace, stability and security, and who share the same space here in the eastern Mediterranean, which we have in recent years discovered is quite a small space indeed.”
PM Netanyahu (L) with President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades (C) and Greek Prime minister Alexis Tsipras. (Haim Zach/GPO)
The Greek president also remarked on the Greek-Israeli relationship, saying that the “shared position of our two peoples in this region and our abilities enable us, through cooperation, to overcome the challenges we face….
“The roots of the relationship between our two peoples stretch further back than our diplomatic relations,” he added. “We must understand our tasks. We can cooperate on a range of issues, yet the most important issue is that of regional peace, protecting democracy, human life, and mutual assistance.”
Pavlopoulos also discussed the issues surrounding the refugees escaping countries run by Islamic terrorists, asserting, “Now is the time to act according to our shared values. You have experienced what it means to be refugees. In Greece we are receiving refugees just as our ancestors did, as human beings who deserve rights. Yet when it comes to terrorism, the example of the jihadists and ISIS, we cannot accept this, and we must be absolute in the face of this. Their terror is aimed at all humanity. We must make clear to Europe that we stand against terror together, and that when it comes to the issue of the refugees, we will not allow expressions of hatred between people, which is source of racism and anti-Semitism….
“I view with great concern the rise in the wave of hatred. We must eliminate it, with the memory of the Holocaust; we must fight against terrorism, but for human life. We must not allow the European continent to return to darkness, Europe must continue to be a continent of enlightenment and humanity.”
Pavlapoulos concluded by saying that he sees Israel as a “great and dear friend of my country.”
By: United with Israel Staff
(With files from the Israeli Government Press Office)
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