Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) shakes hands with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a joint press conference together with Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Christodoulides (not pictured) after a trilateral meeting in Jerusalem, Israel on Dec. 22, 2025. (AFP Photo)
By Anadolu Agency
December 30, 2025 02:25 PM GMT+03:00
Greece supports Israel because it is a “friend and ally,” Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said in a social media post, drawing criticism from opposition parties.
In a post on X, Georgiadis said Greece would remain in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest despite online calls for withdrawal over Israel’s participation.
He claimed decisions by some countries to pull out were driven by what he described as ideological dominance of the left.
“We are staying in Eurovision, and we support Israel because Israel is our friend and ally,” Georgiadis wrote.
Responding to a user citing findings by Amnesty International and a ruling by the International Court of Justice regarding Gaza, Georgiadis dismissed them as irrelevant, calling them bodies dominated by left-wing ideology.
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Support from migration minister
Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris backed Georgiadis, arguing that European and international courts and organizations have long been influenced by left-wing ideology.
He said such bodies opposed measures including external migrant camps, transfers to safe third countries and border protection.
Plevris added that during Israel’s fight against terrorism, these organizations showed excessive sensitivity toward perpetrators rather than victims.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C), Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Christodoulides (L) and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) hold a joint press conference after a trilateral meeting in Jerusalem, Israel on Dec. 22, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Opposition backlash
The main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) criticized the ministers’ remarks, stressing that international courts and justice are binding for countries that accept the rules-based international order, including Greece.
The Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) said Georgiadis’ description of the International Court of Justice as an irrelevant body and Plevris’ comments on European institutions reflected an attempt to relativize international law, accusing the ministers of adopting an extreme-right strategy.
The opposition New Left also condemned the statements, describing them as extremist and arguing that both ministers favor a world shaped by the interests of the powerful.
December 30, 2025 02:46 PM GMT+03:00