Greece’s Jewish community sounds alarm over surge in antisemitic attacks

The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS) on Thursday expressed “deep concern” over what it called an “unprecedented and rampant” surge in antisemitic incidents targeting Jewish sites across the country.

In a statement, KIS cited a string of recent acts of vandalism, including the desecration of the Holocaust Monument in Larissa, the Memorial to the Old Jewish Cemetery at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, and antisemitic graffiti at the Jewish cemetery in Volos.

“Such incidents are accompanied by extreme rhetoric that has led to acts of crude violence, including attacks on tourists, verbal assaults, acts of vandalism, and the ongoing targeting of individuals who are often labeled as ‘murderers’ solely on the basis of their national or religious identity,” the statement said.

“We reiterate that criticism of the government of Israel, no matter how severe, does not constitute antisemitic behavior,” it said. 

“However, the sweeping, ahistorical, and categorical characterizations of Israeli citizens as murderers, Nazis, and unwelcome in Greece is a vulgar and unacceptable hate-filled rhetoric that threatens the well-being of Greek Jewish citizens and endangers the safety of foreign citizens of Jewish faith who, for any reason, reside in or visit our country.”

KIS urged Greek authorities to publicly condemn the incidents and to take all necessary measures to protect both Greek Jews and Jewish visitors.

“It is imperative that a clear message of zero tolerance be sent against the rising tide of Judeophobia in our country, which unquestionably leads to antisemitism. History teaches us that antisemitism may begin by targeting the Jews, but it never ends with the Jews.”