Just hours after a large protest against an Israeli cruise ship docked in Greece, a group of Israeli teenagers were reportedly attacked by pro-Palestinian individuals.
According to Channel 12, the incident took place outside a club in Greece where a group of 18-year-old Israeli teens encountered a pro-Palestinian crowd. One of the teens claimed the group tried to provoke them. In response, the teens attempted to avoid confrontation by leaving through a back alley.
"In hindsight, that was a mistake," one teen told reporters. "Suddenly, 20 to 25 people, who appeared to be Arabs, started chasing us. We ran for our lives. Two of us hid along the way, and one was caught, beaten, and lightly injured before he managed to return to our apartment."
He described a tense atmosphere: "You can’t walk in the streets—there are scooters and ATVs everywhere. Every engine sound makes you panic."
The teens said local police arrived late and offered no immediate help. "We packed up and went straight to the airport with the police. It was terrifying," the teen added. Israel’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed that it is aware of the incident and that an investigation is underway.
The violence followed a major protest that disrupted the planned docking of the Crown Iris, an Israeli cruise ship operated by Mano Maritime. The ship had intended to stop at Syros Island but was redirected to Cyprus after protesters blocked its arrival.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered at the port, waving a large Palestinian flag and chanting slogans condemning Israel and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Bentzi Kaplan, an Israeli tourist traveling aboard the Crown Iris with his grandchildren, spoke to Arutz Sheva - Israel National News. "The island has about 10,000 residents, and fewer than 200 protesters were able to stop the ship. Maybe Israeli passengers should have demonstrated too," he said.
"But the company didn’t want to take any risks. They brought everyone back on board. It’s total chaos and very stressful, but they’re not willing to take chances."
The cruise ship had originally set sail on Sunday, but due to security concerns, all passengers were instructed to return to the vessel, and plans were adjusted accordingly.