Israeli Ambassador vs. Doukas: Reactions and Government Intervention

Strong reactions in the opposition were provoked by the statements of the Israeli Ambassador Noam Katz against the Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas. Katz accused Doukas of inaction regarding the protection of the city from anti-Semitic graffiti and for not creating a sense of comfort for Israeli tourists.

The Mayor of Athens responded sharply, referring to a "genocide" in Gaza and arguing that he does not accept lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians. Doukas' associates believe that the ambassador's statements are related to the mayor's recent positions on Gaza.

PASOK-KINAL, SYRIZA-PS, and New Left called on the government to take a stand on Noam Katz's statements. PASOK-KINAL emphasized that Athens defends international law and human rights, while Kostas Zachariadis (SYRIZA-PS) wondered if the government would react. The New Left argued that the embassy draws courage from the Greek government's stance.

Numerous opposition officials also expressed their opposition to Mr. Katz's statements.