Jerusalem, Israel - March 30, 2025 - President Isaac Herzog today, Sunday, welcomed the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his delegation, at Beit Hanasi. The President invited to join him for the meeting, Dimitrios and Urania Karussis, two leading Greek medical experts who have made their home in Israel – and whose son, Ionas “Yona” Karussis, a young architecture student, was murdered when Palestinian terrorists opened fire on innocent civilians in the mixed Arab-Jewish neighbourhood of Jaffa in October 2024. Prime Minister Mitsotakis told the President there was a plan to launch an academic scholarship program in Ionas's memory.
Before the official private meeting, President Herzog and Prime Minister Mitsotakis made brief statements to the media. The Prime Minister signed the official Israeli guest book: "To underline the strategic partnership and strong ties of friendship between our people, in good times, in bad."
President Herzog: “Prime Minister Mitsotakis, you're a dear friend of mine and of the State of Israel, and I want to welcome you on this very important visit. You are coming to Israel when we are inundated with worry and pain about our hostages in Gaza – dozens and dozens of Israelis and non-Israelis who are there in the dungeons of Gaza, alive and dead, victims of barbaric treatment. We are getting very disturbing reports about their medical situations, and of course, Hamas’s cruel behaviour has been tormenting families and the entire nation. This is the highest priority of our nation, and as we've discussed, there are ways nations can support and help. It has to be clear, in the family of nations this is something that's totally unacceptable, and that is why we are now pursuing military operations in order to get back our hostages.”
He added, “We sincerely hope that today, when it is Eid al Fitr, the celebration of Muslim citizens here, and Muslims in the region, and all over the world – it is the time to release them all as a token of the blessing of this holiday, and of course, something which is a moral obligation.”
The President continued, “Thank you for being supportive and being with us in this incredible partnership between Greece and Israel, which is embodied also in another tragedy of the Karussis family, whose son Yona, Ionas, was killed in a terrible terror attack in Jaffa. A beautiful boy. Their lives have been intertwined between Israel and Greece for decades already, and I want to thank you for speaking and meeting the parents of Yona. We are very moved that both of you are here, hoping that his memory will be a blessing for all of us, and hoping that terror will never reign in the region that is tormented with terror. Thank you very much.”
Before the official private meeting, President Herzog and Prime Minister Mitsotakis made brief statements to the media. The Prime Minister signed the official Israeli guest book: "To underline the strategic partnership and strong ties of friendship between our people, in good times, in bad."
Jerusalem, Israel - March 30, 2025 - President Isaac Herzog today, Sunday, welcomed the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his delegation, at Beit Hanasi. The President invited to join him for the meeting, Dimitrios and Urania Karussis, two leading Greek medical experts who have made their home in Israel – and whose son, Ionas “Yona” Karussis, a young architecture student, was murdered when Palestinian terrorists opened fire on innocent civilians in the mixed Arab-Jewish neighbourhood of Jaffa in October 2024. Prime Minister Mitsotakis told the President there was a plan to launch an academic scholarship program in Ionas's memory.
Before the official private meeting, President Herzog and Prime Minister Mitsotakis made brief statements to the media. The Prime Minister signed the official Israeli guest book: "To underline the strategic partnership and strong ties of friendship between our people, in good times, in bad."
President Herzog: “Prime Minister Mitsotakis, you're a dear friend of mine and of the State of Israel, and I want to welcome you on this very important visit. You are coming to Israel when we are inundated with worry and pain about our hostages in Gaza – dozens and dozens of Israelis and non-Israelis who are there in the dungeons of Gaza, alive and dead, victims of barbaric treatment. We are getting very disturbing reports about their medical situations, and of course, Hamas’s cruel behaviour has been tormenting families and the entire nation. This is the highest priority of our nation, and as we've discussed, there are ways nations can support and help. It has to be clear, in the family of nations this is something that's totally unacceptable, and that is why we are now pursuing military operations in order to get back our hostages.”
He added, “We sincerely hope that today, when it is Eid al Fitr, the celebration of Muslim citizens here, and Muslims in the region, and all over the world – it is the time to release them all as a token of the blessing of this holiday, and of course, something which is a moral obligation.”
The President continued, “Thank you for being supportive and being with us in this incredible partnership between Greece and Israel, which is embodied also in another tragedy of the Karussis family, whose son Yona, Ionas, was killed in a terrible terror attack in Jaffa. A beautiful boy. Their lives have been intertwined between Israel and Greece for decades already, and I want to thank you for speaking and meeting the parents of Yona. We are very moved that both of you are here, hoping that his memory will be a blessing for all of us, and hoping that terror will never reign in the region that is tormented with terror. Thank you very much.”
From the President's Residence, the Prime Minister and his delegation went to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before they returned to Greece on a short, symbolic, and hopefully productive visit.
