Israeli political leadership congratulates Greece on bicentennial
In letters to their Greek counterparts, the president, the prime minister, the speaker of the Knesset and the foreign minister of Israel have congratulated Greece for the 200th anniversary of its War of Independence against Ottoman rule.
“When we celebrate your national day, we are also celebrating the profound contribution of Greece to global values and culture,” Israel President Reuven Rivlin said in a letter to his Greek counterpart Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
“Today’s world is safer and more stable when it follows the principles of democracy. It is richer and more reasoned when it draws from the well of philosophy,” he said.
In his letter to Greek leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Since winning independence, the modern Hellenic Republic has successfully established itself as a vital part both of the European and Mediterranean regions, allowing Greece to be a crucial bridge between nations while always cherishing your own unique spirit and rich heritage of which you are justifiably proud.”
Netanyahu said he looked forward to further expanding “the already excellent ties of friendship between our two governments and peoples.”
In a letter to his Greek counterpart Konstantinos Tassoulas, the Speaker of the Knesset, Yariv Levin, congratulated the Greek people on the bicentennial, adding that the parliaments in both countries were based on “the common commitment to the values of democracy, pluralism and human rights.”
Finally, in his letter to his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias, Israeli Foreign Minister Gaby Askhenazi described bilateral relations as “an important anchor of stability of the region and to regional cooperation,” adding they were “of strategic value to both our countries.”
