Protests in Greece escalate against Israeli tourists amid rising tensions
- Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at the port of Syros, preventing the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris from docking.
- Around 1,500 Israeli passengers were unable to disembark as protests escalated and Greek police were unable to disperse the crowd.
- The incidents indicate a troubling increase in anti-Israel sentiment in Greece, raising serious concerns for the safety of Israeli tourists.
In Greece, an Israeli cruise ship was unable to dock at Syros due to a large gathering of pro-Palestinian protesters on the shore. This incident resulted in about 1,500 Israeli passengers being effectively trapped aboard the Crown Iris, as the captain opted not to disembark due to safety concerns exacerbated by demonstrators expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The protest lasted for two hours and led the ship to change its course towards Cyprus instead. This situation reflects a broader trend of hostility faced by Israelis and Jewish tourists in Greece, particularly following the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Amid these protests, isolated acts of violence have also occurred. Reports indicate that a group of Israeli teenagers was attacked by pro-Palestinian individuals on the island of Rhodes. Such incidents have raised concerns regarding the safety of Israeli tourists in Greece, prompting warnings from organizations such as the Central Jewish Council of Greece, which indicated a worrying escalation in hostility towards Jewish visitors due to the current geopolitical tensions. The attacks have become a cause for alarm among tourists, who have historically enjoyed Greek hospitality. Expert Gallia Lindenstrauss noted that such protests and attacks are not isolated events, but rather indicative of a growing anti-Israel sentiment that has gained momentum in the wake of the current conflict. The relationship between the public sentiment in Greece and the government’s official stance on Israel appears to be diverging, with grassroots activism and regional sentiments influencing public actions against Israeli individuals and entities. These sentiments have been intensified by the violence in Gaza, especially following events that led to numerous casualties in Israel earlier this month. Greek officials, facing international scrutiny, condemned the protest that blocked the cruise ship and emphasized that such actions contradict the country’s values of tolerance and hospitality. Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis described the blockade of the Israeli ship as