For several days, Israeli media have fixed their attention on Greece, where mass demonstrations in support of Palestine and against Israel’s planned expansion of military operations in Gaza have swept through city streets. Israeli television correspondents have been broadcasting live from central Athens, often positioning themselves in Exarchia Square with Palestinian flags and anti-Israel graffiti in the background. Reporters speak of what they call a sharp shift in Greek public opinion against Israel, even while acknowledging that many Greeks recognize the economic risks of a downturn in Israeli tourism.
Over the weekend, the widely read Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth described Athens as a “lost paradise” for Israeli travelers. Once a city known for warmly welcoming Israeli visitors, it now “shows its angry face,” the paper wrote, citing a series of recent violent incidents against Israelis as evidence.
That sentiment, the paper noted, is not confined to the capital. In rural Greece, middle-income Israelis who had relocated in recent years to villages on the island of Lesvos describe a markedly colder reception. While many say they do not fully support their own government’s policies, they feel targeted by left-wing activists and some local SYRIZA officials, treated as though they are defending a political agenda they never chose.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis now appears to be edging away from his close ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as political and social pressure intensifies at home. Critics accuse Israel of carrying out a “final solution” in Gaza, drawing a wave of international condemnation — with the United States standing out as one of the few voices of unqualified support.
For months, Athens had maintained a careful “equal distances” policy, grounded in a long-standing strategic partnership with Israel and reinforced by the so-called Floridis doctrine, which warned that weakening Greek–Israeli ties would benefit Turkey. That stance now appears to be shifting. Greece has airdropped 8.5 tons of food into the Gaza Strip, joined the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, and Slovenia in condemning Israel’s planned occupation of Gaza, and Mitsotakis has held direct talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The government’s earlier avoidance of terms such as genocide or ethnic cleansing — and its reluctance to openly denounce Netanyahu — had drawn criticism from the opposition, which has long called for formal recognition of a Palestinian state. Recent moves suggest a recalibration, spurred in part by rising public sympathy for the Palestinian cause. On Sunday, large solidarity rallies took place in over 100 tourist destinations across Greece, signaling a protest movement that could grow further.
This policy shift also underscores the diplomatic balancing act facing the European Union, particularly as Washington maintains staunch support for Netanyahu. That balance may be tested further if French President Emmanuel Macron follows through on his pledge to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, potentially widening the transatlantic divide.
Inside Greece’s ruling New Democracy party, lawmakers have yet to receive a formal briefing on the scope of the shift, fueling speculation and uncertainty. What is clear is that Mitsotakis is personally steering the response — speaking directly with the Israeli president, the Palestinian Authority, and the US Secretary of State, while authorizing humanitarian airdrops himself.
Greek–Israeli relations remain closely intertwined with Athens’s dealings with both Washington and Ankara, adding another layer of complexity to an already delicate moment. The progressive opposition continues to press the government to take an even stronger stance against Israel, questioning whether its recent gestures toward the Palestinians mark a genuine policy change or simply a calculated adjustment to public opinion.
