Israel’s new ambassador to Greece, Pninat Yanay, has arrived in Athens to take up her duties.

A distinguished Israeli lawyer, strategic adviser, international relations expert, and media commentator, Pninat Yanay brings to her new position extensive experience in the fields of law, business, diplomacy, public diplomacy, and strategic communications.

She holds an LL.B. in Law from Bar-Ilan University and completed postgraduate studies in Public and International Law through Tel Aviv University, in cooperation with Northwestern University in Chicago. She is a lawyer specializing in representation in complex criminal-law cases, particularly financial crime, as well as litigation, having represented clients in high-profile cases before courts throughout Israel. At the same time, she established a pro bono legal-aid department at her law firm, with the aim of providing legal representation to people who lacked adequate access to legal services, as well as to women who had suffered sexual abuse.

Between 2012 and 2020, she represented leading Israeli companies in the defense and security sector, as well as businesses in the fields of cybersecurity, homeland security, and energy, particularly in Africa. She developed relationships with presidents, ministers, and senior officials, contributing to the advancement of Israeli economic, defense, and technological interests. She subsequently founded a strategic consulting firm, providing advisory services to major Israeli companies on crisis management, regulatory matters, business development, government relations, strategic communications, and high-level negotiations.

She is also a well-known figure in Israeli public life. She regularly appears as a political, defense, and legal analyst on major Israeli television networks and is the creator and host of the program The Main Issue with Adv. Pninat Yanay. She is also a columnist and podcast host for the newspaper Maariv, focusing on major political, social, and legal issues. Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, she founded LOVE ISRAEL, a digital information and public-diplomacy platform that provides international officials, diplomats, and journalists with real-time information and survivors’ testimonies, helping mobilize international solidarity events in support of Israel.

Her public and charitable activities include founding 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 that provide emotional support and skills development to children in Africa.

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, appointed Pninat Yanay as Israel’s ambassador to Greece. Her appointment reflects Israel’s commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between Israel and Greece in areas such as defense, energy, tourism, investment, innovation, culture, academic cooperation, and relations between the two peoples.

Commenting on her arrival in Athens, Ambassador Yanay said: “I am truly excited to take up my duties in Greece, a country with which Israel shares a deep friendship. I have tremendous respect and admiration for Greek history, culture, and the Greek people. Greece is a key partner of Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean, and I look forward to working closely with our Greek friends to further strengthen our bilateral relations in all areas. At the same time, I see my role as an opportunity to address Greek society and the Greek public directly, highlighting the many human ties that unite our two countries and taking our relations to new levels. As a lawyer who has always defended the truth, I intend to fight fake news about Israel and present the beautiful side of the country.”

The new ambassador succeeds Noam Katz, who is widely recognized for his successful tenure as Israel’s ambassador to Greece.