Athens, Aug 18, IRNA – Greek President Karolos Papoulias did not received visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show his opposition to the Israel.
The veteran Greek politician Papoulias was Greek Foreign Minister for eight years during the premiership of Anreas Papandreous, father of current Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou.
Greece did not recognized the Israel until 1991, when Andreas Papandreou was in power.
Netanyahu arrived in Athens on Monday and met with Prime Minister George Papandreou and Head of center–right New Democracy Party Antonis Samaras, but other heads of Greece political parties, by declaring opposition to the establishment of ties between Athens and Tel Aviv, did not accept to meet with Netanyahu.
They also strongly criticized Greek government for inviting Netanyahu.
The Greeks, in the frameworks of parties, societies and different gatherings by issuing statements condemned Netanyahu visit to Greece and said that invitation of the killer of Palestinian children is against Greek culture and history.
Association of Solidarity with Palestinian nation, by criticizing the action of socialist government of Greece, said in a statement that hands of Netanyahu is stained with blood of children, old men and women of Gaza Strip and relief workers of Freedom Flotilla.
Tens of thousand of Greeks marched in the streets of Athens on Monday and called on judicial officials to issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu as a war criminal.
Labor Union, Women Union, Democratic Force Union as well as a number of other unions, by issuing statements, asked the government not to continue this talk.
Simultaneously, Greek media and websites questioned Greece political ties with the Israel and said that establishment of relations with the Israel would be sharing the massacre of the innocent people of Palestine.