Greece’s new conservative prime minister, Constantine Mitsotakis, seems determined to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, despite severe strains that have developed since 150 Orthodox Jews settled in a building in Jerusalem’s Old City owned by the Greek Orthodox Church.
“We have taken the decision for the de jure recognition of Israel,” Mitsotakis told Parliament on Tuesday in a speech outlining the policies of his New Democratic Party, which took power after the national elections April 8.
Another top-ranking Greek minister, Miltiades Evert, pledged that “the New Democracy government will normalize and improve its relations with Israel.”
Greece has not had full diplomatic relations with Israel since its founding in 1948. The two countries have low-level ties, and Israel has had a diplomatic mission in Athens since 1949.
But despite the clear warming signs, Jews here are uneasy that the incident in Jerusalem could sour relations just as Greece’s previously cool attitude toward Israel seems about to change.
When Moshe Gilboa, Israel’s diplomatic representative in Athens, met with Foreign Minister Antonis Samaras on Tuesday to discuss de jure recognition, much of their conversation concerned the Greek Patriarchate’s building, taken over by Jewish settlers.
Samaras made plain that his government was not happy with the events.
AN IMPROVED ATMOSPHERE
Gilboa, who probably will be appointed Israel’s first ambassador to Greece, expressed understanding of the Greek position. He promised to convey it to his government and do his best to solve the problem.
The Athens government has formally protested to Israel against the Jewish takeover of the church property. It is especially critical of the authorities for failing to implement an eviction order issued by a Jerusalem District Court on April 12, a day after the move.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere under the new center-right regime is considerably more amicably disposed to Jewish concerns than under the former Socialist regime of Andreas Papandreou.
The government sent three deputy ministers and two members of Parliament to the Jewish Cemetery for Holocaust Memorial Day ceremonies. It was the largest and highest-ranking official delegation since the ceremonies were instituted 35 years ago.
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