Israeli Foreign Ministry Warns of Heightened Vigilance Amid Anti-Israel Protests in Greece

The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a warning on Sunday urging Israeli citizens to avoid anti-Israel protest sites planned across Greece, including Athens, Thessaloniki, various islands, and tourist areas. The ministry advised heightened alertness, concealing Israeli and Jewish symbols, and refraining from sharing real-time locations on social media. It also recommended staying away from protest gatherings, avoiding confrontations, monitoring local authorities' updates, and following security forces' instructions.

This alert follows a recent incident on the Greek island of Crete where young Israelis returning from a party were attacked with rifles and axes, reportedly because they sang in Hebrew. One victim's mother recounted that the attackers searched rooms for Israelis and that her son sent her a farewell message.

In a related context, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) released a report highlighting a 136% global increase in antisemitic incidents in 2025, alongside a 97% rise in antisemitic violence. The year marked the deadliest for Jews in the diaspora since the 1994 attack on the Jewish community center in Argentina, with 20 people killed in antisemitic attacks across the US, UK, and Australia. Despite declines in some countries like the US, Australia, Canada, and France, antisemitic incidents remain significantly higher than pre-October 7 levels in all G7 nations. Australia saw the sharpest increase since 2021 at 270%, followed by Germany (215%), the US (131%), and France (124%). Germany leads in incidents per Jewish population size, with nearly 70 incidents per 1,000 Jews. Australia recorded the largest surge among major Jewish communities, with a 246% rise since October 7 events.