(Washington, D.C., May 13, 2022)–A 19-member delegation of leaders of American Jewish and American Hellenic organizations completed a fifth, three-country Leadership Mission to Greece, Cyprus and Israel, to explore the major political, economic and security developments underway in the eastern Mediterranean and to advance the interests of the United States in the region.

Meetings were held with more than 30 high-ranking government officials, military officers and policy analysts from the three countries and the United States between April 26 and May 4, 2022.

The participating organizations included: B’nai B’rith International, American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA), American Hellenic Institute (AHI) and Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

In a post-mission statement, the groups noted:

“Our meetings clearly affirmed the trilateral partnership between Israel, Cyprus, and Greece is strong and vibrant and is well-positioned to sustain that course. Together with the United States, the 3+1 framework is committed to achieving peace, stability and prosperity in the eastern Mediterranean and broader region. We applaud the leaders of the 3+1 framework for their close cooperative partnership, recently evidenced by the Virtual Foreign Ministerial held May 9, and attended by each of the country’s foreign affairs leaders, that conveyed an aim to intensify their cooperation across a broad array of sectors. The outcome of this Ministerial echoes what our delegation heard in our productive discussions with public officials in each of the three countries.

“We further maintain the trilateral partnership possesses the potential to allow the eastern Mediterranean to become a community of nations based on shared common values and aspirations. This approach anticipates that the partnership is neither exclusionary nor exclusive, and we hope it expands to like-minded countries that respect democratic values, international law and sovereign rights.  This will only serve to strengthen the region.

“As dedicated supporters, the American Hellenic and American Jewish communities are committed to advancing the trilateral partnership and 3+1 framework.  We will continue to work to foster closer cooperation with the United States and support the common efforts to achieve tangible and measurable outcomes across all areas.  For example, we commend initiatives to combat anti-Semitism, joint response efforts to natural disasters and innovations to bolster commerce, tourism, and green technologies.

“Finally, we are grateful to the many public officials who afforded us the opportunity to exchange views and ideas. The friendship and hospitality shown to us made the trip even more meaningful and productive.”

Leadership Mission: Listing of Meetings, Briefings & Visitations
(In order of the country visited)

Cyprus

• Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides.
• Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Overseas Cypriots Photis Photiou.
  • Commissioner Photiou hosted the joint delegation for a luncheon. U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus Judith Garber and Israel Ambassador to Cyprus Oren Anolik attended.
• President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou.
• The delegation also received a military briefing by Lieutenant General Dimocritus Zervakis, who is chief of the National Guard, at National Guard Headquarters.  Lt. Gen. Zervakis hosted a dinner reception for the delegation at the Officer’s Club.
• The delegation visited the Tomb of Makedonitissa, a war memorial and military cemetery where each organization’s head laid a wreath.
• The delegation visited the Cyprus – Israeli Monument, which commemorates 2,200 Jewish children born in Cyprus to Jewish Holocaust survivors detained in Cyprus between 1946 and 1949.

Israel

• President of Israel Isaac Herzog.
  • Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to Israel Kyriakos Loukakis attended.
• Israeli Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
• Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
• MK Ram Ben Barak, chairman, Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee.
• The delegation toured Palmachim Airforce Base.
• The joint delegation held discussions with the following officials at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
  • Director of Southern Europe Department Ori Rothman
  • Shuli Dovidovich, Head, Bureau for World Jewish Affairs and World Religions
  • David Levy, Acting Director, U.S.-Israel Political Relations Department
• Ambassador-designate of Israel to Greece Noam Katz.
• The delegation received high-level security briefings.
• The delegation received a policy briefing, “Regional threat analysis,” from Professor Efraim Inbar, president, and Dr. Eran Lerman, vice president, Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS). Dr. Lerman is a former Deputy for Foreign Policy and International Affairs and former member of the Israeli National Security Council.
• The delegation observed Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Day.
• The delegation had a VIP tour in the Western Wall Tunnels and dinner hosted by friends of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Greece

• Foreign Minister Nikolaos Dendias.
• National Security Advisor of Greece Dr. Thanos Dokos.
• Senior Advisor to Prime Minister of Greece for EU and U.S. Affairs Thanasis Bakolas.
• Defense and military briefing at the Ministry of Defense by Deputy Minister of National Defense Nikolaos Chardalias and Chief the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (HNDGS) General Konstantinos Floros.
  • Also present: Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff Lt. Gen. Charalambos Lalousis, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis, Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff Lt. Gen. Themistoklis Bourolias, as well as other high ranking military officers.
• Chief of the HNDGS General Konstantinos Floros hosted the delegation for a luncheon at the Navy Officers’ Club at the Ministry of Defense.
• The delegation toured the 114 Combat Wing at Tanagra Air Base led by Commander Col. Stefanos Ambouleris, and the new Greek-purchased Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft received by the 332 All Weather Squadron.
• The delegation toured Hellenic Aerospace Industry.
• The delegation received a private tour and dinner of the Benaki Museum and a presentation by Athanassios G. Platias, professor of Strategy at the University of Pireaus, “The Geostrategic Changes in the Mediterranean and their Consequences.” Former Minister of Tourism and Culture Geroulanos Pavlos, whose family founded the Benaki Museum, arranged and hosted the tour and dinner.
• The delegation attended the 18th Annual AHI Athens Award Dinner.

Leadership Mission Participating Organizations
American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA) is a leading membership-based grassroots service association for American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes. Its mission is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence through community service and volunteerism.

• Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas
• Supreme Vice President Lou Atsaves
• Supreme Secretary Savas Tsivicos
• Supreme Governor Vassos Chrysanthou
• Daughters of Penelope Georgia Halakos (Greece only)

American Hellenic Institute (AHI) is a non-profit Greek American think-tank and public policy center that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

• President/CEO Nick Larigakis
• AHI Foundation President Leon Andris
• AHI Board Member James Lagos, Esq.
• AHI Foundation Board Member and former AHIF President, Constantine Galanis
• AHI Board Member Maria Wills
• AHI Board Member Demitri Halakos (Greece only)
• AHI Board Member Kostas Alexakis (Greece only)

B’nai B’rith International is a worldwide Jewish community service organization widely known as one of the world’s most influential humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organizations.

• CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin
• B’nai B’rith International Foundation Chairman Irving Silver, Esq.
• Frances Silver
• Director of B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem Alan Schneider, Esq.

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is the central coordinating body representing 53 national Jewish organizations on issues of national and international concern.

• Chair Dianne Loeb
• Chief Executive Officer William C. Daroff
• Vice Chair Malcolm Hoenlein
• David Eisner, Member, National Leadership Council

Background

AHEPA, AHI, B’nai B’rith International, and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations completed their groundbreaking inaugural Biannual Leadership Mission to Israel, Cyprus, and Greece in January 2014. The missions have been widely recognized and praised as contributing to intergroup and international cooperation and friendship as well as to diaspora support for the trilateral partnership.

In December 2018, the organizations co-sponsored an international conference held in Jerusalem titled, “New Realities in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

In August 2011 and December 2012, they co-organized roundtable discussions in New York City between leaders of the American Jewish and American Hellenic communities.