Antisemitic Vandalism Surfaces in Greece and Germany

Antisemitic graffiti, including the phrase "kill all Jews" and a neo-Nazi symbol, was discovered near Myrtos beach in Kefalonia, Greece, over the weekend. The vandalism also included the word "Gaza." In Munich, Germany, a swastika and the phrase "Yes Hitler" were found spray-painted near the European Patent Office. Liran Sahar, a 45-year-old Israeli living in Munich, spotted the graffiti and reported it to the police, who removed it within approximately two hours.

Sahar, who has resided in Munich for nine years and works as a representative for the Hadassah organization, expressed his distress. "My heart is completely broken," he stated, noting that while many passersby might not have noticed, the blatant display deeply affected him. He recounted that this was the first time he had encountered such explicit antisemitic graffiti in Munich, despite having seen minor vandalism previously.

Despite the incident, Sahar emphasized that he generally feels safe in Munich, describing it as a "bubble" compared to other German cities like Berlin. He noted the strong police presence and the respect for Israel within Bavarian government institutions. However, he expressed concern that the current public atmosphere emboldens extremists from various political spectrums, including the far-right, Islamist, and far-left, to express their views more openly.

Sahar also voiced apprehension about the potential impact of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) gaining power, stating that if they were to take control, he would reconsider his future in Germany. This incident follows a similar one two weeks prior, where antisemitic graffiti was spray-painted on the entrance to the Jewish Museum in Philadelphia, USA, marking the third such vandalism at the museum in under a year.