Israel returns 22 stolen antiquities to Greece

Cultural exchange takes place in the midst of strengthening relations between the two countries.

Israel returns 22 ancient artefacts stolen from Greece, a cultural exchange that strengthens ties between the two countries.

Greek and Israeli officials did not provide details on Tuesday about how the artifacts were discovered in Israel or the circumstances surrounding their illegal departure from Greece.

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Israel's ambassador to Greece, Peninat Yanai, said the anti-theft unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority found the objects.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni accepted these objects from the Israel Antiquities Organization at a ceremony held at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

"This is the first time that Israel has returned antiquities to Greece and is the starting point for closer cooperation between the two countries to protect cultural heritage," Mendoni said.

"Every return of a cultural object to its place of origin has a wider symbolic and moral dimension".

This collection includes 15 Attic vases, six Corinthian vases and a bronze female statue.

The age of these objects is between 700 and 320 BC.

Yannai said the return of the antiquities created "conditions to further strengthen cooperation between Greece and Israel."

Greece and Israel have strengthened their energy and defense relations in recent years.

In August, Israel signed a $3.5 billion defense contract to build a multi-layered air defense system in Greece called the Achilles Shield. This is the largest defense contract between the two countries and one of the most important export contracts in Israel's recent history.