Israeli President Shimon Peres thanked his Greek counterpart, Karolos Papoulias, for his country’s help in stopping a flotilla bound for Gaza.

Peres hosted Papoulias on July 11 in Jerusalem for a reception and a working meeting.

“I genuinely thank you for fulfilling the directives of the Secretary-General of the United Nations by stopping the flotilla,” Peres told Papoulias. “I thank you for not allowing people interested in violating the law and disrupting order to reach Gaza, which is ruled by a terror organization … Greece, in an impressive manner, showed the U.N. that she stands ready to assist.”

Peres called the Greek president’s visit “the start of the opening of a new chapter in Greece-Israel relations.”

He also thanked the country for sending firefighting planes and firefighters to help in extinguishing last year’s Carmel forest fire. — jta