A cruise liner carrying Israeli tourists was forced to reroute to Cyprus after being turned away from the Greek island of Syros following a quayside protest over the Gaza war. The Crown Iris, operated by Israeli firm Mano Maritime, arrived at Syros with around 1,600 Israeli passengers but was prevented from disembarking amid safety concerns.
More than 300 demonstrators on the Cycladic island made clear the tourists were unwelcome over Israel's conduct of the war and treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. A large banner emblazoned with the words 'Stop the Genocide' was held aloft alongside Palestinian flags. The protesters also took issue with Greece's increasingly close 'economic, technological and military' relationship with Israel.
Some passengers on the vessel reacted by raising Israeli flags and chanting patriotic slogans, eyewitnesses said. Mano Maritime confirmed the incident, stating that 'passengers were stuck on board without permission to disembark.' Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Saar, contacted his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, over the incident, though no details of their discussion were released.
The protest concluded without injuries or arrests, but the episode highlighted mounting disquiet in Greece over Israel's actions in Gaza. Anti-Israeli graffiti have proliferated across the country, as has signage in support of Palestinians. In recent years, Greece has become popular among Israeli tourists, reflecting the increasingly close ties between the two Mediterranean nations.
