A group of Israeli teenagers was attacked early on Wednesday, July 23, on the Greek island of Rhodes by dozens of pro-Palestinian assailants, some reportedly armed with knives. The incident occurred after Israeli cruise ship passengers were barred on Tuesday afternoon, July 22,  from disembarking on another Greek island—Syros—because of pro-Palestinian protests at Ermoupoli Port, where demonstrators accused the Jewish state of “genocide” in its war against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

Should Israeli tourists, accustomed to Hellenic hospitality from their close eastern Mediterranean neighbor, be concerned for their safety?

Alarming

In written comments to JNS, Neil Bar, an expert on radical ideologies at the University of Haifa and UC Berkeley, Calif., warned that recent anti-Israeli incidents in Greece are part of an alarming and increasingly organized pattern.

“These aren’t isolated events,” Bar noted. “Since October 7th, we’ve seen a steady rise in targeted attacks—not just against Israeli tourists, but against Jews more broadly.”

Bar pointed to several disturbing examples in recent weeks that suggest coordination and intent. “In the last two months alone, a Holocaust memorial in Larissa was defaced, Jewish cemeteries in Volos and Thessaloniki were desecrated, and earlier this month, men in black shirts bearing Palestinian flags were seen patrolling tourist areas in Athens like Monastiraki and the Plaka, threatening Israeli and Jewish visitors,” he said.

Escalation

“It’s reached a point where the Central Jewish Council of Greece issued a public warning last month, saying Jewish tourists were being ‘attacked and described as murderers,’ simply because of their identity.”

Public Sentiment?

In a phone interview with JNS, Gallia Lindenstrauss, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, described the recent incidents as part of a troubling escalation affecting Israelis in Greece.

She emphasized that while the Greek government in Athens generally maintains good relations with Israel, “there’s a growing disconnect between the government’s stance and public sentiment,” with grassroots hostility becoming more visible since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, which Hamas started with the massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the kidnapping of 251 others.

“These are not just random, isolated events,” Lindenstrauss explained, noting the connection between protests, attacks on tourists and recent port blockades. She pointed out that “elements of Greek society—particularly on the far left and anarchist fringes—have intensified their activism, and unfortunately, some actions are tipping into violence.”

Recently, anti-Israel protesters and port workers at Greece’s Port of Piraeus blocked the unloading of the cargo ship Ever Golden, which was reportedly carrying steel designated for military use in Israel. The protest was organized by the Container Handling Workers Union (ENEDEP), backed by anarchist groups and members of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), according to local media reports.

Similar protests and port blockades occurred in Greece in June and in October 2024, also aiming to prevent the unloading of munitions reportedly bound for Israel’s military.

Other recent incidents highlight how anger over alleged Israeli actions in Gaza has occasionally escalated into outright anti-Semitic attacks reminiscent of those seen in 1930s Germany. Examples include the raiding of a kosher Israeli restaurant in Athens on July 12, and a mob of pro-Palestinian protesters assaulting an Israeli tourist in the Greek capital on June 9. Additionally, a far-left Greek terrorist organization claimed responsibility for two bombings in central Athens in April, and two Israelis were stabbed in February on Ermou Street, a major shopping avenue in central Athens.

Greek Anti-Semitism

Lindenstrauss noted that Greece has a longstanding tradition of pro-Palestinian public opinion, persisting even as official ties with Jerusalem have strengthened in recent years. “There’s been some improvement in attitudes and a decrease in anti-Semitism,” she observed, “but the events since Oct. 7 have been a watershed, reigniting frustration and criticism directed at Israel—and by extension, at Israelis and Jews abroad.”

Greece has made notable global progress in reducing anti-Semitism over the past decade, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s Global 100 survey published in January, showing a 19-point drop in anti-Semitic attitudes—from 69% in 2014 to 50% today. Analysts attribute this to sustained government action, educational reforms, and closer ties with Israel, though they caution that anti-Semitism remains relatively high compared to Western Europe.

The current Greek government, under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, maintains cordial relations with Jerusalem, seeking economic and maritime alliances to counter Turkey. Athens has demonstrated strong solidarity with the Jewish state, becoming one of the first countries to display the Israeli flag on government buildings after the Oct. 7 attack.

Government Is Ally

While Israel’s diplomatic relations with some other European countries have been tested over the ongoing multi-front war, particularly regarding the conflict’s management, Greece has remained a reliable ally.

In March, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted Mitsotakis in the Israeli capital.

“This is two blue and whites that meet. We’re two ancient peoples. Our free civilizations started in Athens and Jerusalem. They have common values, and we share a common interest today and common challenges. I think that we face many opportunities, I look forward to discussing them with you,” Netanyahu stated in welcoming remarks, according to his office.

While the Greek government has yet to comment on the Rhodes incident, it condemned the blocking of the Israeli cruise ship in Syros.

‘New Territory’

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar reportedly spoke with his Greek counterpart, Giorgos Gerapetritis, and requested that he intervene in Syros. Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev spoke with Greek Shipping Minister Vasilis Kikilias, who pledged to ensure such incidents would not be repeated and promised increased security for Israeli ships.

Responding to a JNS inquiry, the Embassy of Greece in Israel provided a link to an interview that Greek Government Spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis conducted with Parapolitika Radio 90.1, in which he strongly condemned the Syros incident, calling it “outrageous.” He emphasized that “every necessary measure must be taken to ensure that in such incidents, citizens are protected, regardless of where they come from, their origin, religion or anything else.”

Marinakis stressed that anti-Semitism, racism and fascism would not be tolerated, distinguishing between democratic protests and the targeting of individuals because of their national origin or religious affiliation, calling such targeting “an act of absolute fascism.”

Responding to whether the incident has caused an issue in Greek-Israeli relations, Marinakis emphasized that “here is no issue.”

Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis also responded to the Syros incident from the parliamentary podium, calling the prevention of the Israeli docking “unthinkable, unacceptable and a direct insult to Greece.” He expressed apologies, conveyed a message of friendship and strong alliance to Israel, and pledged that those responsible for the blockade would face justice.

Bar concluded that recent violence targeting Israelis in Greece must be understood for what it is. While the Greek government has taken steps to curb such incidents, he said, “images from Gaza continue to dominate Greek media, and for many, it becomes difficult to stay emotionally detached.” According to Bar, this emotional response sometimes fuels the belief among segments of Greek society that “Israel is a criminal state committing genocide,” which can lead to violent outbursts, both rhetorical and physical.

“This occurs alongside workers’ unions and Communist groups that escalate the rhetoric and openly call for attacks on Israelis wherever they may be found,” he said.

Bar stressed that these actions are not merely political protests or reactions to government policy: “We need to call a spade a spade. These attacks, whether in Greece or anywhere else, are not personal assaults on soldiers or supporters of Israeli policy in Gaza. This is an attack on Israelis and Jews as such, based on their place of origin or religion, regardless of whether they see themselves as part of that collective or not.”

He added: “This is not legitimate criticism of the Israeli government or its agencies, nor is it even anti-Israeli criticism. This is an anti-Semitic attack in the fullest sense of the word, the kind we wish we only read about in history books.”

Lindenstrauss also warned that such developments are “very dangerous” and could have a “contagious effect,” inspiring similar actions elsewhere. She added that “graffiti and protests are one thing, but when you start seeing violence toward tourists, it’s clear we’ve crossed into new territory.”