Chris Avramidis wrote that five ministers and deputy ministers of the government, along with members of New Democracy, participated in a meeting with representatives of an Israeli lobbying organization, in the presence of the Israeli ambassador. According to Reporters United, the aim was to establish a group in Parliament called "Allies of Israel," led by Kostas Tsiaras. Avramidis mentioned that they asked the government spokesman who participated, what obligations they undertook, and whether there was any agreement or institutional involvement of the government or Parliament. As he wrote, he referred them to contact the ministers and MPs, stating that it was not his job to respond regarding the participation of each MP. According to Avramidis, they did not receive an answer to the question of whether ministers could participate in a permanent parliamentary group connected to a lobbying organization supporting a foreign state. The journalist further noted that, according to Reporters United, the organization had been linked to missions of MPs to the West Bank alongside settlement leaders, while its founder had supported the annexation of occupied Palestinian territories and the so-called "voluntary transfer" of Palestinians. He wrote that the government stated it disagreed with these positions but did not answer whether it condemned them or if the members of the group would support them. He mentioned that the government spokesman responded that meeting with someone did not mean adopting their views and questioned the adoption of publications. Avramidis argued that the participants themselves had announced the establishment of the group. #Παλαιστίνη #Ισραήλ #πολιτική #δημοσιογραφία (translated)
