Israel's will to further deepen its cooperation with Greece and transform their relationship into a axis of cooperation between Europe - Middle East - Gulf, as well as the clear message that the two countries are "an anchor of stability, cooperation, security and prosperity" in the Mediterranean, says the Israeli ambassador Yossi Amrani. In an interview with APE-MPE, on the occasion of today's 73rd anniversary of Israel's independence, Yossi Amrani describes Greek-Israeli relations as close and strategic and clearly defines the context in which he moves: "I spare no effort, I will rest on the laurels of the success of our relations to date, because there is much more to be done in all areas, economic, strategic, political, in the relations between the two peoples" and to "make them stronger, closer, productive, benefiting the two countries and the two peoples".
He called "the miracle of freedom and sovereignty" the most important thing in Israel's 73 years of independence.
"We will see a big increase in Israeli tourist arrivals in Greece and a return to the numbers of 2019"
Regarding the arrival of Israeli tourists in Greece this summer, the ambassador of Israel estimates that there will be a big increase and a return to the numbers of 2019. "Reading the Israeli press, every day there is an article about Greece and what it has to offer , from Zagorochoria to Meteora, the islands and the Peloponnese. It's just amazing. If you read Israeli newspapers, you think you are reading a bulletin from the Greek Ministry of Tourism," he says.
Tripartite Greece - Israel - Cyprus and United Arab Emirates (3+1), on Friday
Yossi Amrani makes special mention of the tripartite cooperation of Greece, Israel, Cyprus, as a sign of close cooperation, underlining that Greece is an important player in the region. Regarding the tripartite meeting of Greece, Israel, Cyprus, which will take place on Friday in Nicosia, at the level of foreign ministers, with the participation of the United Arab Emirates, he states that the regional developments, the common concerns of the three countries and their economic cooperation.
Speaking about EastMed, the Israeli ambassador is quick to make it clear that "now is the time to move and make decisions". "If we do not exhaust the natural resources available to us, in a few years economically, financially, environmentally, it will not be possible. This is the moment to take advantage and move quickly" he explains specifically.
Israel wants to join the Friendship Forum
The ambassador makes a special mention at the Friendship Forum, highlighting as a high priority for Israel its participation in its next meetings. "Greece's history is a story that bridges East and West and I believe that with Greek foreign policy initiatives, the Friendship Forum, for example, Greece can play a very active role in building an area of cooperation and friendship" emphasizes.
He assured that Greek-Israeli relations are in no way affected by Israeli-Turkish ones and expresses the belief that the Israel-Greece relationship has its own essence. Greek-Israeli relations are very strong and Israel believes in their value, it crystallizes.
Greek music influenced the birth of today's Israeli music
Focusing on the ties between the peoples of Greece and Israel, the ambassador notes that Greek music influenced the birth of current Israeli music and adds: “This is something that started in the entertainment centers of the 60s in Ramla and Lod. It's the kind of music we love, as Israelis born in the 1960s and 1970s were influenced by Greek singers."
The following is the interview of the ambassador of Israel to Greece, Yossi Amrani, with Dimitris Manolis for the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency
Israel celebrates today 73 years since its Independence. What does it portend for the future of your country?
After 73 years in which new generations were born into a sovereign, independent state of Israel, I think the most important thing is the miracle of freedom and sovereignty. Israel, the Jewish people have not lived many years of sovereignty and independence.
After two thousand years, almost 2.000 years, since the destruction of the Second Temple, we are building a state. A state born in the land of Israel. A state that is part of the international community, a state of ingenuity, creativity and a very strong bond with the Jewish heritage - where it comes from. But at the same time, we are part of the region. We are a state in the Middle East. And last year with the "Abraham Covenants" it was shown that Israel becomes part of the region. I think this is a very important development.
Returning from Israel on Sunday, after a long absence from home due to the coronavirus, I must tell you that one of the most impressive experiences in my life as a diplomat is that every time I go to Israel, I find a new country. Every time I go I find how we reinvent ourselves. I landed on Sunday night and went to Jerusalem. And one cannot but be impressed with the highway network, with the tunnels, with the bridges, with the changing landscape of the country, keeping the old but at the same time, following the times, it is a modern country. Just consider that in 1948 when the state was founded, it was almost impossible to get to Jerusalem. Today there are modern trains, modern highways to get to Tel Aviv. It is a city that has life around the clock, it never stops. And you see how the city is changing, the economic boom in Israel. If you move north you will see new ports, for example Haifa port.
So the significance of Independence Day is to reflect on what happened 73 years ago, what happened since then. We can be proud of our achievements and this is something we Israelis should keep in mind and remember. We did it. Israel is a success story. That doesn't mean there isn't much else or much more to do. But at the same time, you look around and you see a state. A state was born in 1948, which existed before as a nation, but was then established as a state with all the differences. With all the differences between people and political opinions, with objections and disagreements and we are a very political state. We had four elections in two years. Nevertheless, the country never stops. And that is the achievement.
The messages of the political world for the 200 years since the Greek Revolution were very warm. The two countries have established a strong strategic partnership in recent years. What is the importance of Greece for Israel today? How is their relationship developing in security matters, what is its perspective and in which areas does your country place special emphasis?
Greece celebrates 200 years since the start of the war of independence in 1821. Israel celebrates 73 years. We may be a bit younger as a state, but we are both old ancient nations, with very significant contributions to world culture for thousands of years and especially today. We are part of democratic life. We are part of Mediterranean life. In a way Greece, Israel is the cradle of civilization and humanity.
For me it is natural that these two pillars of Western Civilization, these two pillars of humanity should be close allies and friends. My commitment, my goal as Israel's ambassador to Greece for the last year and a half is to promote the relationship and develop it stronger, closer, more productive, benefiting both countries and both peoples. We must not forget that we are Mediterranean countries and our relevance, the importance of our relationship is that we are an anchor in the Mediterranean for stability, cooperation, security and prosperity. The current relationship between Israel and Greece is not at an end. More can be achieved.
I spare no efforts, I will not rest on the laurels of the success of our relations to date, because there is much more to be done in all areas, economic, strategic, political, in the relations between the two peoples. It is not known that Greek music influenced the birth of current Israeli music. This is something that started in the 60's entertainment centers in Ramla and Lod. It's the kind of music we love, as Israelis born in the 1960s and 1970s were influenced by Greek singers. You are listening to Israeli music. You are listening to Naomi Shemer a legendary Israeli songwriter and we are listening to Theodorakis, Hadjidaki. The words and the music. So we are neighbors. We are friends. We have much to gain from each other. And the future of our friendship - and I say this on this festive Day - is one of cooperation and partnership. It's not targeting anyone. It aims at stability, peace and prosperity.
Is Israel's cooperation with Greece a strategy?
Of course. The relationship is mutually beneficial. It provides us with a strategic, economic, regional horizon. The EastMed pipeline and the Greece-Cyprus-Israel electrical interconnection (Euro-asia interconnector) are two examples of such cooperation. And of course there is a very close cooperation between the two peoples. Israel is the first country whose vaccinated citizens can come and visit Greece without additional restriction beyond the restrictions that apply to everyone else. We have close relations between the peoples. We have cultural exchanges. I think this is a very clear proof of how strong our relations are and how much stronger they can become.
And as far as the cooperation between the two countries in the field of security and defense is concerned?
The relationship has a very strong pillar of strategic security cooperation. Our armed forces coordinate tactics and exchange know-how. There are some international exercises in which Israel, Greece and other countries participate. We have seen progress with defense procurement. Israel for its security, its defense, has developed a very strong and vibrant defense industry. We cooperate with Greece. We are willing to cooperate more. We respect the procedures in Greece, its priorities and assessments. In recent years we have seen significant development. I hope more will be achieved soon. But it depends on the decisions of the Greek government. But you will find us as willing allies, willing partners, as in sharing information, know-how, technology. We are available.
In the tripartite framework, Greece, Israel and Cyprus have developed their cooperation at all levels. What is the importance of this tripartite cooperation in terms of stability, cooperation and peace in the Eastern Mediterranean? What are the main challenges they face?
On Friday, we will have another tripartite meeting plus one more country (3+1). This time it is the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Israel, Greece and Cyprus, which will take place in Cyprus. It's a routine meeting. This time the representative of the United Arab Emirates will participate. This is a sign of close cooperation. This is a direction we can take our relationship. And this is another indication of things that were unheard of before and today are natural. Greece is a player in the region.
The agenda of the upcoming tripartite meeting in Cyprus will be exchanges. The agenda maintains the routine of regular meetings, includes discussions on regional developments, common concerns and discussion on the economic agenda. And the economic agenda is the East Med pipeline and other projects.
I think the most difficult aspect is getting past our bureaucracies, getting past our inhibitions and moving beyond politics and political sensitivities.
Aiming to be a bridge between the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf, with the Balkans and the rest of Europe, Athens hosted the Friendship Forum. How did Israel see the realization of the Forum, which is simultaneously proceeding with agreements to normalize its relations with the Arab countries? Is a new dynamic being created in the region in terms of promoting stability in the wider region?
The story of Greece is a story that bridges East and West and I believe that with Greek foreign policy initiatives, the Friendship Forum, for example, Greece can play a very active role in building an area of cooperation and friendship.
A few months ago we had the Friendship Forum in Athens. The Forum is an important development. Israel was not invited to this Forum. We hope to be invited to future forums. This has already been discussed and will be discussed further. Israel is a legitimate, integral part of the Mediterranean region or the Middle East, economically, strategically, a very effective strong partner. We can do more. We can turn the bilateral strategic relationship into an axis of cooperation between Europe - Middle East - Gulf. I think the 'Abraham Accords' provide us with a much broader dimension of relationship, connecting our infrastructure, our ports. This can be a beneficial advantage, a boom for the Greek economy, but also for Israel.
We are part of the area. For us it seems very natural, if there is a regional gathering, to be invited as equal partners. We hope that at the next Friendship Forum, which will take place in another country and not in Greece, we will be invited. This is an indication we have and I hope it will come true. It is a very high priority for us to participate on equal terms with other countries in any regional gathering.
Is a process of rapprochement between Israel and Turkey underway? What conditions does Israel set? Could it affect Greek-Israeli relations and wider regional cooperation?
Relations with Turkey are important for every country in this region. Turkey has a strong historical, economic presence in the region. We have full respect for Turkey. We have had very close cooperation with Turkey in the past. It was the Turkish government's decision to change the parameters of the relationship. If the Turks are interested in improving the relationship with Israel, we are willing to do so. We have our own terms. We have our own concerns and they are clear and known to the Turks. We hope that this campaign to improve relations with neighboring countries, including Greece, will be successful. This will contribute significantly to stability, prosperity and peace in the region.
Turkey has played a role with certain players in close proximity to Israel. With the Islamic Brotherhood, with Hamas. They are aware of our concerns and I think there is no reason or need for me to address those concerns publicly. They know our positions. They know our sensitivities. If they expect their sensitivities to be respected, so should others.
Greek-Israeli relations are not affected in any way. The Israel-Greece relationship has its own essence. Relationships are very powerful. Nothing of the sort can affect the bilateral relationship or the bilateral, multilateral aspect of relations. Once again I would like to emphasize that the future of Israel-Greece relations is independent of Greece's relationship with Turkey or Israel's relationship with Turkey. We believe in the value of relationship. The only limits are the limits we put on ourselves. Sky is the limit. And having a good relationship with Turkey and a strong cooperation between Israel and Greece and Israel, Greece and Cyprus and others is a win for everyone.
At what stage is the EastMed project and what does it signal for Greece and Israel, but also for the Eastern Mediterranean?
There are different ideas being discussed and I think in the last few months specific initiatives are coming from potentially different partners. We realize that the time is now to move and make decisions. The energy market, the gas market, EU energy policies will create different conditions in a few years. If we want our economies to prosper and build some strategic values, now is the time to act. There are different ideas being discussed. It was in the media. I don't think I would want to go into detail about the different routes and possibilities, but I would like to emphasize that timing is important. It's time to make a decision and move on. There are some discussions. There have been some meetings between the energy ministers of Israel-Egypt, Israel, Greece, Cyprus and others. A teleconference was held between the Energy Ministers of Southeast Europe and Greece, Israel and Cyprus. We are making progress, but we need to do much more and faster.
We have the stocks. We have gas. If we don't use it now, if we don't exhaust the natural resources available to us, in a few years economically, financially, environmentally, it won't be possible. This is the moment to seize and move quickly. Through regional cooperation. There have been discussions. The Greeks participated, the Cypriots participated, we and the Egyptians. There are different options to make this dream, this vision of the Eastern Mediterranean, to pass from the imagination of some to reality. I believe in this project. But as a believer in this work, we must make things happen and we must take action. We have to move. There are different routes, different possibilities, let's go for what is economically, politically feasible. The benefit is first of all to exploit the resources. Second, the income in third countries, the strategic added value for Israel, Egypt, Greece and Cyprus.
Is the project feasible according to the studies?
There are different routes to the East Med. The issue is political and economic and the financing of the project. Different alternative routes make this possible. The Israeli Energy Minister believes in the project, as does the Prime Minister. I will quote what Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a recent interview. There is enough gas for more than one pipeline.
In 2019, Greece hosted approximately 715.000 Israeli visitors, making it the 9th country in terms of arrivals. Given the bilateral agreement on the possibility to travel to Greece for those Israelis who have been vaccinated with a negative test, what are your indications and estimates for the arrivals of Israeli tourists in Greece this year?
I think after a year with almost no tourism, with very limited tourism from Israel to Greece, we will see a big increase and a return to - and hopefully beyond - the numbers of 2019. I returned from Israel on Sunday night with EL AL flight. The plane was full. The very fact that the Greek government through the efforts of the Minister of Tourism Haris Theoharis and others to lift the obligation for self-isolation, made it possible for Israelis to travel. We need to facilitate more. Once the restaurants, bars and music venues open in Greece and the islands, I think we will see a real mass movement of people. Greece is a favorite country for Israelis. Greece is very close to Israel. Israelis love to spend time in Greece. Many Israelis have real estate, houses here. They are just waiting for the opportunity to come and let's not forget that spring and summer are just around the corner. It's time for people to start their vacations. We all missed this opportunity. Travel and experiences. Reading the Israeli press, every day there is an article about Greece and what it has to offer, from Zagorochoria to Meteora, the islands and the Peloponnese. It's just amazing. If you read Israeli newspapers, you think you are reading a bulletin from the Greek Ministry of Tourism.
How is the vaccination situation in Israel?
This is one of the most impressive experiences I've had. Life went back to normal, too quickly in my personal opinion. I was in Jerusalem and Haifa, my hometown. People are wearing masks, but they are outside. There are pedestrians in the parks. All restaurants and all coffee bars are open. Malls are open. I was walking down Jaffa Street in Jerusalem, one of the most beautiful streets I have ever seen, and it was flooded with people. People wear masks. People are social distancing, but you see people and they're all out having coffee or lunch. At the corner of the sidewalks on Yehuda Street you see the musicians singing. It's beautiful. They play jazz, Mediterranean music, Jewish music, everything. So the city is full of people. The same in Haifa. I think that after a very difficult year of social isolation and social distancing with the natural anxiety about the coronavirus, now the vaccination gives us some immunity, but also relaxes all the worries and fears, and people are coming back to life again.
SOURCE: AMNA.gr website, 15.4.2021