Georgian PM lauds “centuries-old brotherhood” with Israel on Hanukkah celebration
The PM said “Georgia and the Georgian people stand by Israel and the Jewish people”. Photo: Government press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday hailed the “brotherhood, love, respect and friendship with the Jewish people”, which he said were “built on 26 centuries” of ties, in comments for Hanukkah celebration at the Great Synagogue of Tbilisi.
Addressing the Israeli Ambassador Hadas Meitzad, rabbis and foreign diplomats gathered for the festival of lights that symbolises the victory of good over evil and the importance of spirit, freedom and justice, the head of the Georgian Government stressed Georgians and Jews had been “through trials and tribulations together, through pain, joy, victory, and goodness, and they will emerge victorious together”.
Reaffirming his “deep sorrow” over the attack of the militant Palestinian organisation Hamas on Israel on October 7, Garibashvili decried the “horrible, barbaric act of terrorism” his Government was condemning “unequivocally”.
November 7 was indeed a harrowing day for us, for everyone, because we experienced the pain that our brotherly nation, our Jewish people in Israel went through, which caused the killings, the deaths of 1,200 innocent people”, the PM said and added “Georgia and the Georgian people stand by Israel and the Jewish people”, before wishing the country “peace, victory and prosperity”.
Tonight we came together ,Prime Minister @GharibashviliGe the Rabbis and members of the Jewish community and fellow Ambassadors to ???????? , to lit the first candle of Chanukah ????
— Hadas Meitzad ????????????️ (@HadasMeitzad) December 7, 2023
We dedicated this candle to the Bibas family ????Yarden, Shiri, Ariel and Kfir and called for their… pic.twitter.com/rEb8IYzVwX
Extending his gratitude for “friendship”, the PM emphasised “I have said it more than once, that we are biased toward the Jewish people. We are biased because of this brotherhood, this special brotherhood of 26 centuries”.
Along with addresses to the audience, the event also saw several individuals being awarded for special contributions to the Georgian-Jewish relations.