Trending 
The mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, and Israel’s ambassador to Greece, Noam Katz, have exchanged sharp words over allegations that the city is failing to tackle antisemitic graffiti.
In an interview with Kathimerini published on Sunday, Ambassador Katz claimed that Israeli visitors to the Greek capital often feel “uncomfortable” due to the presence of anti-Jewish graffiti and accused the municipal authorities of failing to act against “organised minorities” responsible for the defacement.
Mayor Doukas issued a swift rebuttal on social media platform X, stating: “We have demonstrated a firm stance against violence and racism, and we do not accept lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians.” He insisted that Athens, as the capital of a democratic country, both respects its visitors and upholds the right to free expression.
Doukas went further, criticising the ambassador’s focus on graffiti while “an unprecedented genocide is taking place in Gaza.” He also stressed that offensive graffiti is routinely removed by city services.
Greece has witnessed numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations in recent months, including protests greeting cruise ships carrying Israeli tourists at various island ports. While the country maintained a largely pro-Arab foreign policy for decades, ties with Israel have deepened significantly since 2010, especially in the areas of defence and energy cooperation.
Despite recent tensions linked to the Israeli bombardment in Gaza, Greece has become an increasingly popular destination for Israelis. Doukas noted that the number of Israeli nationals obtaining Greek residency permits through property investment surged by 90 percent last year.
