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Greek leader visits Israel in first post-corona trip, talks tourism with Netanyahu

“We are looking into the possibility of reopening tourism to Greece and Cyprus,” Netanyahu said.

By David Isaac, World Israel News

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis picked Israel for his first post-corona foreign visit on Tuesday. He was greeted at the airport by Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Mitsotaki at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem in the framework of a meeting between the governments of Israel and Greece.

“We are looking into the possibility of reopening tourism to Greece and Cyprus. The target date is August 1 – depending on the extent of morbidity,” Netanyahu said.

Mitsotakis said, “We need to prepare for a second wave of corona. We need to be vigilant. It’s important for us to open Greece for tourism from July 1. If things go according to plan, Israeli tourists will be able to fly to Greece from August 1 – and we expect them. We have very rigid medical procedures to ensure the safety and health of tourists.”

At the same time, Defense Minister Benny Gantz met Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos. They discussed ways to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries, emphasizing the protection of air and maritime space from radical elements and promoting joint projects for their military industries.

Greece and Israel share a concern about Turkey. Panagiotopoulos recently went so far as to declare his country’s “readiness for military conflict with Turkey.”

Following the meeting, three Memoranda of Understanding – on cyber, agriculture and tourism – were signed between the countries.