Israel not facing effective pressure, Greece says

24/9/2024 6:21

        Israel is not facing sufficient pressure to end the war in Gaza and the escalation in Lebanon is a minefield that the international community may not be able to deal with, Greece's foreign minister said on Monday.
        
        Greece was elected as a member of the United Nations Security Council for 2025-2026 earlier this year, and Athens believes the country's historical ties with the Arab world and Israel give it credibility to act as a peace broker.
        
        "It seems that there is no effective pressure upon Israel. We are friends of Israel, and we're strategic partners of Israel, and we're trying to be as open and sincere with them," George Gerapetritis told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
        
        Greece condemned the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas Islamist militants against Israel but has called for a halt to Israel's ground and air assault on Gaza that Palestinian authorities say has killed more than 41,000 people and flattened whole cities.