Tag Archive for Greece

| May 19, 2015
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Greek mayor reluctantly relents in disgraceful Holocaust monument scandal

European antisemitism runs deep: After global outrage, Kavala Mayor Dimitra Tsanaka, who had opposed the Star of David on a local monument to Jewish Holocaust victims, quietly capitulates saying new stele will be dedicated “soon”.

By The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Faced with blistering criticism over objecting to the presence of the Star of David on a monument dedicated to Holocaust victims, the mayor of Kavala, in northern Greece, told protesters that the dedication ceremony, originally set for this Sunday, will take place “very soon.”

Kavala Mayor Dimitra Tsanaka [Archive] – Photo: AP

The monument is dedicated to the 1,484 Jews who lived in Kavala, a small fishing town about 400 miles north of Athens, and were sent to their deaths in the Treblinka extermination camp in 1943. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: , , ,
| September 2, 2014
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Re-elected Greek mayor dawns yellow Star of David in protest against fascism

Yiannis Boutaris wore a ‘Jewish’ badge at his swearing-in ceremony in response to a Golden Dawn lawmaker from the far-right party also being on the city’s municipal council.

By Christine Pirovolakis

 

DPA – The mayor of the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki wore a yellow Star of David, similar to the ones worn by Jews rounded up in the city during WWII, to his swearing-in ceremony on Thursday in protest against fascism.

Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris (center) sports a replica Nazi concentration camp Star of David.

Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris (center) sports a replica Nazi concentration camp Star of David after his swearing-in ceremony for another five-year term in the northern port city.-

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Category: The Diaspora | Tags: , , ,
| May 31, 2014
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Jewish graves vandalized in Greece’s 2nd largest city


A dozen graves defaced in Thessaloniki, home to Greece’s largest Jewish community until it was nearly wiped out during the Holocaust.

By

 

 

Greek authorities say vandals have attacked the Jewish cemetery of Thessaloniki, whose Jewish population was nearly wiped out during World War II.

Greek nationalists.

Greek nationalists shout slogans during a demonstration in Thessaloniki, Greece, Wednesday, May 28, 2014. – Photo: AP

Police said Friday marble ornaments were smashed off 12 graves, while vandals also tried to remove the tombs’ heavy marble covers.

Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos promised that police would do “whatever is humanly possible” to arrest the vandals.

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Category: Jewish News | Tags: , , ,
| January 8, 2014
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Long Overdue: Greek school to finally present graduation diplomas to Holocaust survivors

The graduation certificates of 157 Jewish students who fled Thessaloniki for their lives or were deported to Nazi concentration camp were found by Greek teacher.

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A teacher at a school in Greece will present recently discovered graduation certificates to 157 Jewish students who fled Thessaloniki or were deported to Nazi death camps, or to their descendants.

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki. – Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Antonio Crescenzi, a teacher at the Italian School in Thessaloniki, found a trove of old documents by accident about a decade ago. After sorting through them he realized their significance, he told the Israeli Maariv daily. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: , , ,
| August 20, 2013
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US Naval Analyst: Mideast Gas a Chance for US to Break from Turkey

The newly drilled natural gas fields in the Mediterranean provide the U.S. with an opportunity to break with Turkey, whose adoption of a hostile neo-Ottoman ideology to guide it in the 21st century, worries them.

By Elad Benari

 

The natural gas fields in the Mediterranean provide the United States with an opportunity to break with Turkey, according to Seth Cropsey, formerly the deputy undersecretary of the Navy in the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations.

“Politics and alliances in the eastern Mediterranean are shifting, and the region’s security framework is splintering,” Cropsey wrote Monday in PJ Media. “The region is now divided as much within the Muslim world as between it and the non-Muslim states.” Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , , ,
| June 3, 2013
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After EU Pressure, Greek party finally backs tough anti-racism law

Only after condemnation from EU, Greek PM’s party ‘reevaluates’ its opposition to new tougher bill that outlaws Holocaust denial.

By JTA

 

ATHENS – Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his conservative New DemewThe about-face on Thursday apparently was in response to widespread condemnation over the party’s stance from the European Union, as well as to Greek and international Jewish groups that had urged Athens to take stronger steps against the ultranationalist, neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras - Photo Greek Press Office

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras – Photo: Greek Press Office

New Democracy had refused to back the bill sponsored by two smaller parties in the ruling coalition, saying that existing legislation was sufficient to deal with racist attacks that have been spawned by Golden Dawn.

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Category: Jewish News | Tags: , ,
| March 8, 2013
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Greece, Israel & the U.S. Launch Joint Naval Exercise

US, Israeli & Greek warships begin a 2-week joint naval exercise codenamed “Noble Dina” on Thursday, the Israeli military reported.

By Maayana Miskin

 

Israeli, Greek and US warships began a joint two-week Mediterranean naval exercise on Thursday, IDF spokespeople revealed. The exercise has been codenamed “Noble Dina.”

NavyThe drill will test a variety of skills, including navigation, search and rescue, fast response to naval crisis situations, medical evacuation and more.

According to AFP, there are reports that the exercise was designed in part to practice defending offshore gas rigs. In recent years Israel has discovered huge gas fields off the Mediterranean shore. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| December 22, 2012
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Hundreds of fragments from pre-WWII Greek Jewish graves finally found

The remains of destroyed Jewish graves were uncovered in Thessaloniki by police after a 70-year search.

 

The 668 fragments were found buried in a plot of land in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, following a 70-year search for the remains of graves smashed when the city’s main Jewish cemetery was destroyed.

Headstones destroyed during the Nazi occupation of Greece during World War II.

Headstones destroyed during the Nazi occupation of Greece during World War II. – Photo by AP

The head of the city’s Jewish community, David Saltiel, said most of the gravestones found dated from the mid-1800s up until World War II.

“This is our history,” Saltiel, head of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, told The Associated Press. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: , ,
| October 30, 2012
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Greece & Israel Conduct Joint Military Exercise

The Greek Air Force & the Israeli Air Force recently concluded a 2-day exercise in Greece.

The joint Israel-Greek exercise took place as ‘Austere Challenge 12’, the IDF’s joint exercise with the U.S. Army, got underway.

By Elad Benari

 

The Israeli Air Force and the Greek Air Force recently concluded a two-day joint exercise on Greek soil, Channel 2 News reported on Monday.

According to the report, the Greek Air Force said that, as part of the exercise, F16i fighter pilots from both armies practiced dogfights, bomb raids and long term aerial refueling.

As Israel’s relations with Turkey cooled over the past few years – its relationship with Greece, including security cooperation, has warmed up. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| May 17, 2012
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Turkey accuses Israel of violating north Cyprus airspace

Turkish army claims Israeli aircraft entered Turkish-controlled area five times on Monday; fighter jets launched in response

 

Turkey accused Israel on Thursday of violating the airspace of Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus in a controversial oil and gas exploration area.

The Israeli aircraft violated the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’s airspace five times in Monday’s incident which saw Turkish fighter jets chase out the intruder, the army command said in a statement.

It gave no other details about the incident nor the type of Israeli plane involved in the alleged incursion over the breakaway statelet, which is recognized only by Ankara.
ציר עוקף טורקיה. נתניהו ונשיא קפריסין היוונית כריסטופיאס (צילום: EPA)
PM Netanyahu and Cyprus president Dimitris Christofias (Photo: EPA)

 

Israel and the internationally-recognized Republic of Cyprus have both discovered huge offshore natural gas deposits beneath the Mediterranean Sea between them, and have tentatively discussed cooperation on delivering gas to European and Asian markets. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| May 15, 2012
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Greece condemns far-right party’s Holocaust denial

“There were no ovens, this is a lie … there were no gas chambers either,” says leader of Golden Dawn party, prompting outcry from Greek Jews.

 

ATHENS – Greece’s government and Jewish community on Monday condemned the leader of a far-right party for saying there were no gas chambers in Nazi concentration camps.

Nikolaos Mihaloliakos, whose Golden Dawn party became potential kingmakers after an inconclusive election on May 6, also challenged the view that six million Jews were killed in World War Two.

Greece's Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos

Greece's Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos - Photo: REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

“There were no ovens, this is a lie … there were no gas chambers either,” Mihaloliakos said on Sunday in an interview on the private Mega television station.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| April 1, 2012
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Israel, Greece conduct joint naval drill amid ongoing tension with Turkey

U.S. Sixth Fleet also participating in the exercise, which includes simulation of attack on offshore natural gas platforms.

Israel, the United States and Greece are in the midst of a naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, in what Greek media outlets are saying is a message to Turkey following frayed ties with both Israel and Greece.

IAF exercise - Greek air force - 1.4.12 - Photo by: Greek air force

IAF exercise - Greek air force - 1.4.12 - Photo by: Greek air force

The exercise, called “Noble Dina,” involves simulations of combat against submarines, air battles and protection of offshore natural gas platforms. The U.S. Sixth Fleet is also participating in the exercise, which the Greek media, which first reported on it, has described as being meant to send a message to Turkey. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| March 4, 2012
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Israel, Cyprus, Greece sign electric cable deal

287-km. underwater electricity line will connect Israel’s energy supply to EU, via Cyprus and Crete.

 

Israeli, Greek, Cypriot officialsBy IEC

Israeli, Greek, Cypriot officials - Photo By IEC

For both Israel and Cyprus, connecting the countries through an underwater cable will foster more than just electrical stability for two energy islands – it will further the sense of “duty and friendship” between two allies, Athanasios Ktoridis, chairman of the board of DEH Quantum Energy, said in Jerusalem on Sunday.

“Through this project we shall develop a better understanding of our diverse and bountiful cultures,” Ktoridis said.DEH Quantum Energy is owned by Greece’s DEH Public Power Corporation, Quantum Energy of Cyprus and the Bank of Cyprus.

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Category: Israel News, Mid-East News | Tags: , ,