During a press conference at the 89th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that Greece will recognize the State of Palestine, but emphasized that the timing and manner of the decision will be carefully considered.
“The Greek government will recognize the State of Palestine. The question is when, how, and under what circumstances we decide it will give the strongest push toward what I believe must be the ultimate goal: a two-state solution,” Mitsotakis said.
Greece’s Stance Toward Israel
Addressing criticism over Athens’ stance toward Israel, he noted: “These accusations are unfair. We have a relationship with Israel, but we also criticized the way Israel has carried out its military operations. We will continue to do so as long as the offensive continues without a ceasefire.”
The remarks come as momentum builds across Europe and beyond. In July, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize Palestine during the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York (September 9–23). Since then, over a dozen Western nations have indicated they plan to follow suit.
Netanyahu’s Reaction to Palestine Recognition
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly condemned such moves, arguing that recognition of Palestine rewards “Hamas’s horrific terrorism” and undermines Israel’s security, while fueling antisemitism.
With growing international pressure and shifting diplomatic alignments, Greece now signals its intent to join the wave of recognition—aligning itself with calls for a negotiated two-state solution in the Middle East.
