Protesters prevent Israeli tourists from disembarking cruise ship in Crete

About 1,000 Israeli travelers were unable to disembark from a cruise ship in the Greek island of Crete yesterday after a group of pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the port’s exit, Hebrew media reports.

Several dozen demonstrators harassed the passengers of the Israeli-owned Mano Maritime cruise ship as it reached the port of Souda, holding signs with anti-Israel messages and chanting “Free Palestine,” according to Ynet.

As some passengers boarded buses toward the nearby city of Chania, protesters threw stones, hurled curses, and made throat-slitting gestures, witnesses say.

Police were unable to protect the Israeli group as the demonstrators blocked the gates, other witnesses add.

Many passengers chose to stay aboard or return to the ship, which later sailed back to Israel. No injuries were reported.

“We feared for our lives,” Hava, one of the passengers, tells Ynet. “It is a scandal that tourists from a sovereign country are treated this way.”

Protesters in Greece, a popular Israeli tourist destination, have targeted Israelis several times in the past year. In August, anti-Israel groups held demonstrations at dozens of locations around Greece in a “day of rage” to protest Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.