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An Israeli-owned cruise ship carrying 1,600 passengers was forced to abandon a scheduled stop at the Greek island of Syros on Tuesday after a large pro-Palestinian protest erupted at the port of Ermoupoli, raising serious safety concerns and prompting a reroute to Cyprus.
The MS Crown Iris, operated by Israeli company Mano Maritime and sailing under the Panamanian flag, departed from Haifa on Sunday for a Mediterranean voyage with stops in Rhodes, Syros, and Limassol. But when it arrived at Ermoupoli around midday Tuesday, passengers encountered an aggressive anti-Israel protest at the dock.
Approximately 300 demonstrators, many waving Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Israel slogans such as “Free, Free Palestine” and “Stop the Genocide,” blocked access to the dock. Protesters scattered flyers along the waterfront and marched through the town, declaring on social media that it was “unacceptable” for Israeli tourists to be welcomed while Palestinians suffer in Gaza.
WATCH: Free Palestine protesters are blocking Israelis on a ship from entering Greece 🇬🇷
But the Israelis are not letting the disgusting hatred get to them.
Israelis are the most resilient people. I wish we didn’t have to be. pic.twitter.com/NZn8nB5qfa
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) July 22, 2025
The demonstration, organized by local residents, intensified over several hours. Though initial reports from Mano Maritime suggested only a brief delay, as the situation escalated, and Greek police took hours to arrive on scene, ship authorities ultimately canceled the stop and the Crown Iris was diverted to Limassol, Cyprus, later that afternoon.
Passengers were ordered by onboard security to remain inside for their safety. “We felt safe inside the ship, but the children were stressed,” one traveler told Israeli media. Others raised Israeli flags and sang patriotic songs from within the vessel in protest of the harassment.
“There were 300-400 children on board,” said passenger Dror Marshalkowitz. “Whoever decided to reroute did the right thing. It wasn’t worth the risk.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar intervened, speaking with his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis and calling for action to resolve the incident. Israeli diplomats stayed in close contact with their counterparts in Athens, warning the episode could damage bilateral tourism ties. An estimated 621,000 Israelis visited Greece in 2024 alone.
Greek authorities did not issue an official order blocking the ship’s docking — rather, the decision came from the Israeli crew out of concern that disembarking would endanger the passengers.
Though no violence occurred, the event is part of a troubling rise in anti-Israel and antisemitic activity in Greece, particularly since Hamas’s October 7th massacre in southern Israel.
In recent months, Israeli-owned businesses in Athens have been vandalized, tourists have been attacked, and police have thwarted terror plots against Israeli and Jewish targets. Greece’s National Security Council currently advises Israeli citizens to exercise heightened caution while visiting.
The Syros incident highlights a growing global trend: where Israeli and Jewish travelers are not only being met with hostility, but increasingly barred from public spaces altogether.
