Anti-Israel activists staged coordinated protests in over 100 Greek islands and cities, urging the government to sever ties with Israel and telling Israeli tourists they were unwelcome. The demonstrations, organised by BDS Greece, March to Gaza Greece, and Palestinian Community Greece, saw beaches, ports, and cultural sites filled with Palestinian flags, banners, and chants condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, reports The Jerusalem Post.
On Nisyros Island, activists handed visitors notes accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians and warning that “our land, our sea, and our communities have no space for Zionists and supporters of genocide.” The flyers continued: “We will not offer recreational time and space for IDF murderers… If you choose to turn a blind eye, we urge you to take a stand.” Social media posts included a cardboard sign reading “Zionists not welcome” and a poster in English and Hebrew claiming “All Israeli soldiers are war criminals” and “occupiers, rapists, and murderers.”
In one protest, a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) flag was flown alongside Palestinian flags at the Meteora rock formation. On Zakynthos, activists disrupted a concert by singer Vasilis Papakonstantinou, draping a Palestinian flag across the stage.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry warned tourists to avoid demonstrations, conceal Hebrew writing or IDF symbols, and refrain from political discussions. While the Diaspora Ministry said there were no explicit calls for violence, it cautioned that growing radical activity could escalate into confrontations.
The protests followed a July 22 demonstration in Syros, where activists tried to block the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris from docking. Riot police were deployed when the ship later arrived in Rhodes and Agios Nikolaos. Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis condemned the dock riots, calling participants “antisemites” who “hate the West” and ignore other global humanitarian crises. MEP Afroditi Latinopoulou criticised activists for raising Palestinian flags in Greece rather than travelling to Gaza.
The surge in anti-Israel sentiment has coincided with several antisemitic incidents in Greece, including the vandalism of a kosher restaurant in Athens and the reported assault of Israeli teenagers by a Turkish group in Rhodes.
Photo Credit: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki
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