Netanyahu to Greek PM: I'm not skeptical about peace
Prime Minister Papandreou promises to convey message to Palestinian President Abbas, says just peace is possible
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said Thursday he would give Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a message from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling for direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
"I am not skeptical, and neither are you, about peace with the Palestinians," Netanyahu said at the end of a meeting with the Greek leader. "I would be happy if you would give Abbas this message."
Netanyahu also called on Greece to join international sanctions against Iran.
The Israeli prime minister met his Greek counterpart and the Greek foreign minister at his official residence in Jerusalem. The visit follows a chance meeting between the two in Moscow, when Netanyahu invited Papandreou to visit Jerusalem. After the meeting the two leaders attended a joint press conference.
Netanyahu noted this was not the first visit of a Greek prime minister to Israel, but added that such a visit had not taken place for some decades.
Athens and Jerusalem are the basis of the world's civilization, Netanyahu said, speaking of relations between the countries.
"The relationship between us continues in the modern age when Jews lived in Greece," he said, adding that today Greece and Israel are the cornerstones of stability in the Middle East and partners in the cause of peace.
The prime minister called for the link between the two states to be strengthened and promised to aid Greece in the fields of technology and finance.
We too say 'never again'
The Greek prime minister said he had been in Israel while holding other positions, and spoke of changes Greece needed to make in its economy.
"These are necessary steps," he said. "I hope this crisis will pass and will be an opportunity to strengthen the economy of our state."
He also pointed out the close relationship between Israel and Greece, noting that the Greeks also suffered from Nazi occupation and lost a large part of their population: "The Jewish Holocaust pains me greatly and I was moved by my visit today to Yad Vashem. We too say 'never again'."
Papandreou welcomed the steps taken to ease Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.
"These are very important steps, aimed at changing conditions on the ground to lead to a political process," he said. "We are sure that direct talks with the Palestinians will begin soon. I believe that a feasible peace, a just peace, on the basis of two states for two people, is possible… This is the message I will take to (Mahmoud Abbas) in Ramallah."
