Georgia-Israel mark 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, May 5
Georgia and Israel are marking the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties.
Speaking at the special ceremony dedicated to the anniversary, Georgia’s Prime Minister spoke about the “special relations” Georgia and Israel have, as Jews have lived peacefully in Georgia for 26 centuries.
The Prime Minister praised the friendship between the Georgians and the Jews as “exemplary”, which started on Georgian soil centuries ago and continues to grow stronger.
"I am happy to see that the brotherly relations between our two nations have grown into a special partnership over the centuries and continue to intensify and acquire strategic characteristics. We deeply appreciate the unwavering stance of the Government of Israel on Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said.
Kvirikashvili singled out the close cooperation between the Georgian-Israeli Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economy, Agriculture, Internal Affairs, Defense, and Healthcare.
“We also have an excellent background cooperating in the fields of culture and education, and this cooperation has centuries-long traditions. In September 2014, the renovation of the Davit Baazov Museum of Georgian-Jewish Relations was completed. Over the past few years, seven synagogues have been restored throughout Georgia with an invaluable contribution from the Cartu Foundation and Bidzina Ivanishvili [Georgia’s former prime minister]," Kvirikashvili stated.
The attending audience also familiarized itself with a holiday message from the Prime Minister of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the special relations between Israel and Georgia and looks forward to even closer cooperation.
"2017 marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. The friendship between Israelis and Georgians is the solid foundation on which we have built and developed cooperation between the two countries. Our Government remains committed to closely cooperating with our Georgian colleagues," the Israeli Prime Minister's message reads.
