Former Israeli Lawmaker Recounts Antisemitic Attack in Greek Museum

Former Israeli Knesset member Ayelet Nachmias-Verbin experienced a disturbing antisemitic incident while visiting a small museum on a Greek island. An elderly woman approached Nachmias-Verbin and her friends after overhearing them speaking Hebrew. The woman aggressively confronted Nachmias-Verbin, shouting pro-Palestinian slogans and accusing her of being Jewish.

Nachmias-Verbin, who also chairs the Jewish Agency's Fund for Victims of Terrorism and the JReady initiative, described the encounter as "a difficult moment that will likely stay with me for a long time." She explained that when she mentioned being half-Greek, the woman retorted, "You are Jewish, not Greek," to which Nachmias-Verbin replied, "Both are true."

The confrontation escalated when the woman turned to a child with her and declared, "They are Jewish." Nachmias-Verbin stated this incident served as a stark illustration of "historical, deep-rooted antisemitism not connected to Israel in any way." She noted the woman's eyes were filled with "venom" and that the interaction felt like persecution rather than a political discussion.

Despite the upsetting experience, Nachmias-Verbin emphasized that she does not believe the incident represents Greece or the Greek people's attitude towards Israelis. She expressed gratitude to the museum staff for their support and to the Greek government for its "brave friendship with Israel." Nachmias-Verbin also reflected on her family history, recalling that her Greek-Jewish grandparents fled Thessaloniki in 1933 due to severe antisemitism, making the current encounter particularly poignant.