Athens mayor, Israeli ambassador exchange barbs over antisemitic graffiti in city

Athens Mayor Haris Doukas speaks during an interview with AFP at his office in Athens, at the town hall, on January 23, 2024. (Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP)
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas speaks during an interview with AFP at his office in Athens, at the town hall, on January 23, 2024. (Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP)

The mayor of Athens has become embroiled in a war of words with the Israeli ambassador to Greece who accused city authorities of not doing enough to clean up antisemitic graffiti.

Israeli Ambassador to Greece Noam Katz told the Kathimerini daily in comments published today that Israeli tourists felt “uncomfortable” in Athens because Mayor Haris Doukas does not act against “organized minorities” who put up anti-Jewish graffiti.

Doukas responds within hours on X: “We have proved our strong opposition to violence and racism and we do not take lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians.”

“Athens, capital of a democratic country, fully respects its visitors and supports the right of free expression of its citizens,” the Socialist PASOK party mayor adds.

“It is revolting that the ambassador concentrates on graffiti (that is clearly wiped off) while an unprecedented genocide is taking place in Gaza,” Doukas adds.

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