At this pivotal moment, as the deepening relationship between Greece and Israel marks the culmination of a long-standing friendship, Israel’s new Ambassador to Greece and attorney, Pninat Yanai, has arrived in Athens, succeeding Noam Katz. From her very first statements welcoming the new chapter in bilateral relations, she focused on the prospects for further defense cooperation between Greece and Israel, highlighting Greece’s pivotal role in the Eastern Mediterranean. In an exclusive statement to Parapolitika, Pninat Yanai went beyond the institutional and geopolitical dimensions. She placed particular emphasis on people-to-people diplomacy, stressing that the bonds between Greeks and Israelis can serve as an equally important pillar of the bilateral relationship.
Ambassador Yanai states that she will work to bring Greeks and Israelis even closer together, “creating opportunities for people to meet, for jobs to be created, and for strong, long-lasting business and social ties to develop.” She also referenced the importance of strengthening social cohesion and cooperation across areas of ongoing engagement. The appointment of Pninat Yanai further signals the weight Israel places on its relationship with Athens, paving the way for a new, multi-layered bilateral partnership.
A trusted confidante
The new ambassador is a trusted confidante of Benjamin Netanyahu, reflecting the Israeli Prime Minister’s intention to invest in the development of Greek-Israeli relations. A prominent attorney and public figure in Israel, Pninat Yanai knows how to navigate both the legal landscape and the defense industry arena — a combination that creates fertile ground for laying the foundations of significant investments in this sector.
Her communications experience carries particular weight, as she has appeared on numerous occasions as a political, defense, and legal analyst on major Israeli television networks, has authored articles, and has hosted well-known podcasts. This background raises hopes that her outward-facing work on new Greece-Israel partnerships will be effectively communicated, giving rise to a new diplomatic dynamic. A distinguished Israeli attorney, strategic advisor, international relations expert, and media commentator, Pninat Yanai brings to her new role extensive expertise across the fields of law, business, diplomacy, public diplomacy, and strategic communications.
Pninat Yanai’s statement
“My primary intention is to strengthen relations between our governments and to deepen the strategic partnership between Israel and Greece. I believe, however, that diplomacy between peoples is equally important. I will work to bring Greeks and Israelis even closer together — creating opportunities for people to meet, for jobs to be created, and for strong, long-lasting business and social ties to develop.
Greece has been in my heart long before I could have imagined having the privilege of representing Israel here. Growing up in a neighboring country, I spent family vacations in Greece, experiencing its culture firsthand. When we were children, my grandmother would wake us up with Greek songs. I feel a deep connection to Greece’s human warmth, its strong family values, and above all, its spirit of hospitality. Perhaps that is why, from the moment I arrived, I felt as though I were home,” she told Parapolitika.
Who is who
Holding an LL.B. from Bar-Ilan University, Yanai pursued postgraduate studies in Public and International Law through Tel Aviv University in collaboration with Northwestern University in Chicago. She is an attorney specializing in complex criminal law cases — particularly white-collar crime — as well as litigation, having represented clients in high-profile cases before courts across Israel. She also established a pro bono legal aid division within her law firm, aimed at providing legal representation to individuals without adequate access to legal services, including women who have suffered sexual abuse.
Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, Yanai founded LOVE ISRAEL, a digital public diplomacy and information platform that provides international officials, diplomats, and journalists with real-time information and survivor testimonies, helping to mobilize international solidarity events in support of Israel. She has also committed to countering the spread of misinformation and fake news surrounding Israel.
She has developed a deep awareness of issues affecting Africa, having worked there herself. Pninat Yanai’s public and philanthropic initiatives include the founding of the NGO “Children of Israel for the Children of Africa,” which has raised funding for the construction of housing for orphanages in West Africa. She has also developed educational programs providing emotional support and skills development for children across Africa.
The new ambassador succeeds Noam Katz, who completed a highly successful four-year term during challenging times. In one of his final statements, Katz emphasized that Greek-Israeli relations had not only endured but had expanded and deepened, built as they are on a solid foundation. Katz laid the groundwork for further defense and diplomatic cooperation, and in his farewell message expressed his deep gratitude to the Greek people.
* Originally published in Parapolitika on August 22
