Greek Foreign Minister in Israel despite Domestic Crisis

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is in Israel for a three-day visit despite the domestic crisis back home, where the Finance Minister has resigned after Sunday's referendum on a European Union plan to bail out the debt-ridden country.

Kotzias arrived on Sunday as Greeks went to the polls and thoroughly rejected the plan.

The Foreign Minister's visit is the first by a senior Greek official since the radical left-wing Syriza party took power.

Kotzias met with Deputy Foreign Minister, Tzipi Hotovely and is scheduled to sit down with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin, Cabinet ministers, Opposition leader Yitzchak Herzog and Palestinian Authority leaders.

The Syriza party strongly backs statehood for the Palestinian Authority while maintaining good relations with Israel, but Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Kotzias' visit has an "economic emphasis."