An expression used by Greeks and Italians to highlight their common ancestry, culture, history, and status as Mediterranean nations. However, that's the English translation. Italians are given to say "Stessa faccia, stessa razza" while Greeks intone "Ilia fatsa, ilia ratsa". It's a rather charming little expression, one Greeks and Italians use when visiting each other's nations as tourists, smoothing over discourse and excusing small differences.

It's odd other people with acrimonious relationships like the Israelis and Palestinians or the Koreans and Japanese don't have something similar.