Greek Minister says there’s no plan for Greece to welcome exiled Palestinians

Greek Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis revealed on Monday that Greece has “absolutely no plan or intention” to welcome Palestinians facing expulsion from Palestine. 

Amna.gr reported that Mr Gerapetritis was responding to a query from Spartiates MP Alexandros Zervas during a plenary session, where he addressed his concerns about the government’s migration policy.

Zervas further mentioned the US Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis and his recent remarks at the Circle Of Ideas conference which took place in Athens, where he claimed that Tsunis had discussed granting Greek nationality to migrants after a five-year residency.

Mr Gerapetritis shared that granting Greek citizenship is regulated by law in accordance to the Greek Constitution.

“It is not determined by anything else, it is not influenced by any statement of any foreign factor, nor the [US] ambassador in Athens,” he said.

FM G.Gerapetritis @ #EU #FAC: In Gaza, there is an urgent need for at least a 5-day humanitarian pause to open a sustainable humanitarian corridor that will allow the channeling of essential supplies (food, water, medical services) & the restoration of critical infrastructure pic.twitter.com/ZyFdLenx0Y

— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) November 20, 2023

“There is no such thing as a ‘directed colonization’,” the Minister added, pointing out that it is “precisely the border guarding policy that this government has introduced which has reduced the illegal flow of migrants by 90% over the last 4.5 years.”

Another question by Plefsi Eleftherias MP Alexandros Kazamias regarding concerns of the Greek government’s stance on the humanitarian crisis in Palestine was raised.

Mr Gerapetritis said that he is in contact with both sides and will be participating in a video conference of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on the situation in the Middle East with “hope that there will be an immediate humanitarian pause so that the phenomenon of the suppression of the rights of civilians will stop.”

In response, Mr Kazamias said the Greek government is not and should keep its distance from the government of Israel regarding this matter.

Source: AMNA.gr.