Israel's Foreign Ministry issued an urgent safety alert Friday for Israelis traveling in or residing in Greece, warning of coordinated pro-Palestinian demonstrations expected across the country today.
The alert warns of protests scheduled for dozens of locations nationwide, including Athens, Thessaloniki, and popular tourist destinations on Greek islands. Protesters are expected to gather throughout the day, with potential for arrests and confrontations.
The Foreign Ministry advised Israelis to avoid all demonstration areas, refrain from engaging with protesters, and conceal Israeli and Jewish identifying symbols. The guidance reflects longstanding Foreign Ministry protocol for heightened security situations affecting Israeli travelers abroad.
The demonstrations are being organized by Greek left-wing groups and pro-Palestinian movements, part of an ongoing pattern of coordinated "days of action" against Israeli tourism in Greece. Similar nationwide protests took place last year on August 10 and August 24, targeting Israeli tourists on islands and in coastal cities during peak summer travel season.
Prior protests in Greece have included physical confrontations. Last August, Israeli tourists were attacked at beaches near Athens, blocked from disembarking cruise ships in Cretan ports, and subjected to stone-throwing by protesters. In one incident, Israeli passengers aboard a cruise ship were forced back onboard after activists hurled rocks and metal bars at the port of Agios Nikolaos.
Greece attracts hundreds of thousands of Israeli tourists annually—621,000 visited in 2024—making the country a frequent organizing target for pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The protests occur amid broader anti-Israel sentiment in parts of the Greek political left and among activist movements, despite official Greek-Israeli military and economic ties.
Greek authorities have deployed riot control units to major protest sites in previous years. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas has defended the right to protest, while Israel's ambassador to Greece has called for stronger enforcement and condemned rising antisemitic rhetoric, including inflammatory graffiti in the capital calling for violence against Israelis.
Israelis requiring emergency assistance in Greece can contact Greek police at 100, emergency services at 112, Israel's Foreign Ministry Situation Room at +972-2-5303155, or the Athens consulate emergency line at +30-694-4271668.
