Israel returns 22 stolen ancient artefacts to Greece

The cultural exchange comes amid strengthening ties between the two countries.

Ancient Greek artifacts returned by Israel are displayed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens [Alexandros Beltes/EPA]

Israel has returned 22 ancient artefacts stolen from Greece, a cultural exchange that comes as the two countries strengthen ties.

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

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The Israel Antiquities Authority’s Theft Prevention Unit had located the items, Pninat Yanay, Israel’s ambassador to Greece, said.

Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni accepted the objects from the Israeli Antiquities Authority at a ceremony held at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

“It is the first time that Israel has returned antiquities to Greece, marking the starting point of closer cooperation between the two countries for the protection of cultural heritage,” Mendoni said.

“Every return of a cultural object to its place of origin has a broader symbolic and moral dimension.”

The collection includes 15 Attic vases, six Corinthian vases, and a bronze female statuette.

The objects are dated between 700 BC and 320 BC.

Yanay said the return of the antiquities created “the conditions for further strengthening cooperation between Greece and Israel”.

Greece-Israel relations

Greece and Israel have strengthened energy and defence ties in recent years.

In August, Israel signed a $3.5bn defence deal to build a multi-layered air defence system in Greece, called the Achilles Shield. It is the largest defence deal between the two countries, and one of the most significant export agreements in Israel’s recent history.

此次文化交流正值两国关系日益密切之际。

以色列归还的古希腊文物在雅典国家考古博物馆展出。[Alexandros Beltes/EPA]

以色列归还了从希腊被盗的 22 件古代文物，这是两国加强联系的一次文化交流。

周二，希腊和以色列官员没有提供关于这些文物如何在以色列被发现，以及它们从希腊被非法运走的具体情况。

列表 1/3：法国航空公司表示将遵守以色列的规定，禁止某些国家的机组人员出勤

以色列在加沙的“黄线”推进，导致流离失所者无处可去（共3条，此为第2条）。

以色列发动的三起袭击事件中的第三起：加沙地带一人死亡，被占领的西岸记者受伤

以色列驻希腊大使普尼纳特·亚奈表示，以色列文物管理局防盗部门已经找到了这些物品。

希腊文化部长莉娜·门多尼在雅典国家考古博物馆举行的仪式上从以色列文物管理局手中接收了这些文物。

门多尼表示：“这是以色列首次向希腊归还文物，标志着两国在保护文化遗产方面开展更紧密合作的开始。”

“任何一件文化物品回归其原产地都具有更广泛的象征意义和道德意义。”

该系列藏品包括 15 个阿提卡花瓶、6 个科林斯花瓶和一尊青铜女性小雕像。

这些物品的年代可追溯至公元前700年至公元前320年。

亚奈表示，文物的归还为“进一步加强希腊和以色列之间的合作创造了条件”。

希腊-以色列关系

近年来，希腊和以色列加强了能源和国防方面的联系。

8月，以色列与希腊签署了一项价值35亿美元的国防协议，将在希腊建造一套名为“阿喀琉斯之盾”的多层防空系统。这是两国之间规模最大的国防协议，也是以色列近代史上最重要的出口协议之一。