Israel’s Netanyahu seeks support from Greece at United Nations

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday asked Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to support Israel at the United Nations.

The request was made during Netanyahu’s meeting with the top Greek diplomat at his office in West Jerusalem.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed the hope that the good bilateral relations between Israel and Greece will also find expression in Greece's vote at the UN," Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

Netanyahu also ordered the director of the national security council "to coordinate a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Israel, Greece and Cyprus [Greek Cypriot Administration] on this issue."

Last month, Greece abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution in favor of a Palestinian request for an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Israeli occupation and its effect on the Palestinian people.

Tuesday’s meeting between Netanyahu and Dendias also discussed the Iranian nuclear program as well as expanding the "cycle of peace" with Israel in the region, the statement said.

Under US sponsorship, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed agreements to normalize their ties with Israel in September 2020. The move was followed later by Sudan and Morocco.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar