LONDON
\nAuthorities in Greece have stepped up their presence at two ports to keep protesters away from an Israeli cruise ship, The Guardian reported.
\nThe MS Crown Iris, on an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean, is due to dock at Patras and Katakolo.
\nEarlier this week protesters turned up at Kalamata, and in July the same ship had to be diverted to Cyprus after similar protests stopped passengers disembarking at Syros.
\nProtesters are appearing in opposition to the war in Gaza and Israel\u2019s treatment of the Palestinian people.
\nChristina Lada, a teacher who took part in the protest at Kalamata, told The Guardian: \u201cDespite the ceasefire, Israel is still continuing its attacks in Gaza. Innocent, unarmed civilians are being killed.\u201d
\nYannis Sifanakis, a prominent campaigner in Greek anti-war demonstrations, said: \u201cThose Israelis who support the actions of their government aren\u2019t welcome here.\u201d
\nProtests have not been limited to tourist visits. As many as 5,000 people recently took part in a demonstration on the island of Crete to demand the closure of the Souda Bay naval base, used by US ships and aircraft to refuel en route to Israel.
\nPetros Constantinou, who coordinates Greece\u2019s Keerfa anti-racist movement, said: \u201cOur main demand, now, is to stop any collaboration with Israel.\u201d
\nConstantine Filis, head of the ACG Institute of Global Affairs in Athens, said: \u201cBecause of geographic proximity and our traditional ties with the Arab world, the average Greek is more sensitive to what is happening in Gaza than the average central or north European.
\n\u201cGreece is in a difficult position. Israel is much more important for us as an ally and partner than it is for most European states.\u201d
\nGreece has become a popular destination for Israeli tourists in recent years. In 2024, the number of Israelis visiting the country hit more than 600,000, with this year\u2019s figure expected to be higher.
\nPrevious Greek governments tended to lean more toward support for the Palestinian cause, and Athens was the last EU capital to formally recognize Israel\u2019s existence.
\nBut in recent years, Greece, including under current Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has sought closer ties with Israel given its military and geopolitical significance and close ties to the US.
\n\u201cGreece is not going to risk its relations with Israel,\u201d Filis said. \u201cBut from a humanitarian perspective we must be more inclusive, more balanced, more determined to demonstrate the wrongdoings of Israel in Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LONDON Authorities in Greece have stepped up their presence at two ports to keep protesters away from an Israeli cruise ship, The Guardian reported. The MS Crown Iris, on an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean, is due to dock at Patras and Katakolo. Earlier this week protesters turned up at Kalamata, and in July the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":511716,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-511695","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n