Israel on Tuesday returned a collection of 22 artifacts illegally removed from Greece, in the first repatriation of its kind between the two countries, as Athens renews its push to recover illegally taken and stolen antiquities from around the world.
Among the artifacts returned are fifteen ancient Attic vessels, six vases from Corinthian workshops, and one bronze statue of a female figure, all dating to between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE.
Of the Attic vessels, 11 are black-and-white, three are red-and-white, and one is ambergris, dating to the ancient and classical periods. The six Corinthian vases date to the ancient period, while the authenticity of the bronze female statuette requires further investigation.
The antiquities were seized in 2020 during a joint investigation into illegal antiquities trafficking conducted by the IAA’s Theft Prevention Unit, Israel Police, and the Israel Tax Authority. As part of the operation, the forces raided a gallery, warehouses, and apartments in the Gush Dan area, where thousands of illegally acquired archaeological items from Israel and around the world were found.
They were officially returned in a Tuesday handover ceremony at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, attended by Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, Israeli Ambassador to Greece Pninat Yanay, and Israel Antiquities Authority’s (IAA) Theft Prevention Unit Director Amir Ganor.
“This celebration is not only about returning antiquities to their rightful home. It is also a celebration of something much greater and deeper: the special, strong, and profound friendship between the State of Israel and Greece,” she wrote.
Combating illegal antiquities trade
“Two modern states, two ancient nations, and two great civilizations that deeply understand the meaning of history, the importance of heritage, and the responsibility to preserve it for future generations. These antiquities belong to Greece’s past. Today, through their return, they also become part of the shared future of Israel and Greece.”
“Let us try to imagine a child looking at one of these ancient vessels today and feeling a spark of wonder,” Yanay added. “They see what another child might have seen and felt 2,000 years ago, and thus become another link in the chain of generations that had been broken.”
“For me, there is also something deeply moving in the thought that I have the privilege, as Ambassador of Israel, of placing this ancient object into your capable hands, and that my country had the honor of contributing to this significant moment and mission.”
“The illegal trade in antiquities knows no borders, neither the boundaries of the law nor the borders between countries,” Ganor said. “Antiquities that are looted in one country find their way to another, causing irreversible damage to the cultural heritage of the country of origin.”
“The illegal trade in antiquities serves as a cover for the financing of terrorism and organized crime, and it serves as a means of money laundering. Cutting off smuggling chains and preventing continued illegal profiting on the back of antiquities helps to thwart and prevent various types of criminal activity, and certainly helps to protect cultural heritage assets.”
Becoming links in the chains between generations
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu added that “The State of Israel is well aware of the deep connection between a people and its heritage, and the importance of preserving the historical evidence that tells its story.”
“The return of these antiquities to Greece expresses our commitment to protect cultural heritage assets, and to act resolutely against the illegal trade in antiquities, wherever it takes place.”
He continued, congratulating the IAA and both Greek and Israeli law enforcement agencies for their actions that led to the return of the artifacts.
“The strengthening cooperation between the countries expresses a shared responsibility to preserve the treasures of the past, for the sake of future generations,” he said.
Israel, Greece expected to sign a heritage MoU
As a result of cooperation between the IAA’s Theft Prevention Unit and the Greek Antiquities Police in this case, a joint international enforcement workshop was held for representatives of the two units last month.
During the workshop, the two units discussed the possibility of expanding information sharing, identifying items suspected of being looted, and tracing antiquities trade routes.
In her remarks at the handover ceremony, Mendoni noted that during her visit to Jerusalem in March 2025, she discussed the expansion of cultural cooperation between Israel and Greece with Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar.
According to Mendoni, the return of these antiquities is a practical expression of the commitment that the two ministers discussed at their meeting. A memorandum of understanding is expected to be signed between the countries, which will anchor their cooperation in the field of protecting cultural heritage assets.