Pro-Palestinian Protests Disrupt Israeli Cruise Ship Docking on Multiple Greek Islands

In a series of protests across Greek islands, demonstrators opposed to Israel's war on Gaza have repeatedly targeted the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris. The ship, carrying mostly Israeli passengers, faced protests on Syros, Rhodes, and Crete, with protesters chanting slogans such as "Stop the genocide" and "Free Palestine." On Crete, police used tear gas and detained several protesters to allow passengers to disembark, while in Rhodes police clashed with demonstrators, resulting in arrests but no major disruption to the ship's docking. The cruise operator Mano Cruises altered its itinerary, notably bypassing Syros after protests there, which had led to the ship departing earlier than planned. These events prompted diplomatic communications between Israeli and Greek officials over the demonstrations. Local business groups expressed concern about the protests' impact on tourism, as anti-Israel sentiment grows amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.