Assailants Stab Two Israelis in Athens, One Arrested

(JNS) – Two Israeli were stabbed on Friday on Ermou Street, an upscale shopping avenue that runs through central Athens.

One of the assailants, originally from the Gaza Strip, was apprehended while the other fled the scene, Hebrew-language Ynet News reported.

The Gazan suspect “had participated in the past in pro-Palestinian demonstrations,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said.

The attackers targeted the Israelis after hearing them speak in Hebrew, with one of them wearing a Star of David necklace, the ministry added.

The victims did not require hospitalization, according to the ministry.

Unconfirmed reports suggested that the Israelis were a couple who were attacked after leaving a restaurant on their way back to their hotel.

In 2023, Greek police arrested two Pakistanis in Athens on suspicion of planning attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets.

Officers arrested two Pakistanis of Iranian origin, aged 27 and 29, who were planning attacks on Israelis in central Athens, Greek sources told media. One of the targets was a kosher restaurant and another a synagogue, according to reports.

In a statement, the Mossad said that those detained were part of a “wide Iranian network that operates from Iran and out of many countries.

“After the investigation of the suspects started in Greece, the Mossad assisted in uncovering intelligence related to the infrastructure, methods of operation and connection to Iran,” added the statement.

Over the last several years, Greece has accepted more than 214,000 refugees and almost 20,000 asylum-seekers, most of whom arrived from the Middle East, according to International Rescue Committee.

In 2019, Greece hosted refugees and asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, Syria, Congo and Iran, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR).