JERUSALEM — Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted an official dinner in honor of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday.

"I am deeply convinced that this trip is an opportunity to further strengthen our relationship. But beyond the three areas you mentioned, I can think of several more: cooperation in defence, innovation and direct investment by Israeli companies in Greece."

"I believe that although this intergovernmental meeting is taking place in unusual circumstances, we are pleased that we have managed to come to Israel. This is my first trip abroad since the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic and I am very pleased that it can be used as an occasion to further strengthen our relations. Again, thank you very much for the wonderful hospitality. You really made us feel at home," Mitsotakis underlined.

Οn his part, Netanyahu thanked the Greek Prime Minister, noting: "We are watching with great interest your economic reforms. I can tell you from my personal experience that they are bearing fruit."

Mitsotakis replied: "They were before the coronavirus. We have risen nine places in the ranking of key competitiveness indicators, which is an indication that we are moving in the right direction. The coronavirus will be a big hit, but we hope we can recover quickly. Thank you for referring to tourism. We will be able to welcome you when you decide it is the right time to visit Greece. August 1 may be a good date, but of course it will depend on the data. But one thing you need to know is that we will make sure that our visitors feel safe and secure in Greece. Therefore, we hope to see several Israeli tourists in Greece by the end of the summer."