Greece
(Updated September 2014)
In Greece,
population 10 million, the 5000 Jews represent a small minority (3000,
mainly in Athens, and 1000 in Thessaloniki). Despite denials on the
part of most Greek opinion leaders and leaders of the Greek Jewish community,
anti-Semitism does seem to exist in Greece, perhaps not so much in social
behaviour, but rather as a latent structure. The Orthodox Church continues
to include in the liturgy ritual of Good Friday anti-Jewish references
and also the religious prejudices against “the Christ killers”
remain virulent. Anti-Semitic rhetoric in Greece usually takes the form
of opposition to a conspiratorial conception of “Zionism”,
interpreted as a “Jewish plot for world domination”. Latent
prejudices and bigotry became evident during the last two years over
the issue of having religion included on Greek identity cards. When
the Greek government according to EU standards removed this reference
it was vilified for “bowing to Jewish pressure”. Although
all mainstream political parties denounce anti-Semitism, they sometimes
also exhibit a curiously strong anti-Semitism seemingly confused with
an anti-Israeli and anti-American stance. This form of anti-Semitism
was reinforced by Israel’s alliance with Turkey, an alliance that
led Greece to reinforce its links with the Arab world. Despite their
close affiliation to the United States, successive post-war governments
and even the Junta followed a foreign policy unfavourable to Israel,
which as an ally of Turkey was seen as a potential enemy. The state
of Israel was only recognised de-jure by the conservative New Democracy
government of Prime Minister K. Mitsotakis in 1990, partly as a result
of the Greek involvement in the Gulf War and partly as a result of the
ongoing peace process in the Middle East. Populist elements within all
political parties still continue to engage in the anti-Semitic rhetoric
that stresses the conspiratorial element. Nearly all these prejudices
and popular demonising fortified the barriers in the social relationships
between Jewish and non-Jewish Greeks.
1. Physical acts of violence
Several Jewish sites were vandalised and defaced with Nazi slogans and
graffiti in the last few years, for example the Jewish cemetery in Athens
(on 25-26 May 2000) and the Holocaust Memorial and the synagogue in
Thessaloniki. In part the only active neo-Nazi group Chrissi Agvi is
responsible for these attacks. The al-Aqsa Intifada set off a series
of small pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which, however, all went ahead
without any outbreaks of violence. During the period covered by the
report no physical attacks on Jews or Jewish organisations or incidents
concerning them have been reported.
However, we would like to note that only a month before the following
incidents were recorded by ANTIGONE, the Central Board of Jewish Communities
in Greece and by other NGOs. On 15 and 16 April 2002 the Holocaust Memorial
in Thessaloniki was vandalised by person(s) unknown who sprayed red
paint on the wreaths, which had been laid two days previously in memory
of the victims of the Holocaust, and on the surrounding area. The word
“Palestinians” was written in paint nearby. The incident occurred
a day after a large pro-Palestinian demonstration had been held in Thessaloniki.
The Central Jewish Board of Greece wrote to the Minister of Public Order
asking for measures to be taken to guard these sites more effectively
in the future and to publicly condemn the incidents. The Government
(on 17 April), political parties and the Orthodox Church strongly condemned
the incident. On 15 April 2002, the Jewish cemetery of Ioannina in Northern
Greece was vandalised by person(s) unknown with Nazi and anti-Semitic
graffiti slogans. The cemetery had already been desecrated on 16 January
2002. The Greek Government, political parties and the Orthodox Church
condemned the incident in strong terms. On 18 April the Holocaust Memorial
of Drama in northern Greece and the Jewish cemetery of Zavlani in Patras
(southern Greece) were vandalised with Nazi and anti-Semitic graffiti
slogans. The Greek Government, political parties and the Orthodox Church
condemned the incident.
2. Verbal aggression/hate speech
Politics
The rumour, first published by some newspapers of the Arab press, that
4000 Jews had been warned by the Israeli Secret Service Mossad and did
not go to their offices on 11 September, the day of the terrorist attack
in New York, was tabled as a question in Parliament by MP and leader
of the ultra nationalist party “LAOS” G. Karatzaferis soon
after the attack. Print and broadcast media – even the Bulletin
of the Technical Chamber of Greece (8 October, 2001) – reported
this rumour as well. According to a poll conducted five weeks after
the event, 42% of Greeks subscribed to this rumour, as opposed to 30%
who rejected it. The Central Jewish Board and the Israeli Embassy protested
to politicians and the press. In a statement the Union of Athens Press
Journalists mentioned the small television station “Tele Asty”
(which is owned by Karatzaferis and spread the anti-Semitic rumours)
as a special case of racist behaviour towards the Jews. It should also
be noted that most newspapers reported this rumour ironically and not
in an anti-Semitic way.
Insults
The Chairman of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in his written
reply to the National Focal Point’s request for information has
included a number of cartoons published in national dailies that may
be considered as insulting to Jews.
Graffiti
This has been reported in the previous section under “Vandalism
and Disparagement”. There have been no other reported graffiti
or other anti-Semitic inscriptions by human rights NGOs.
Media
On 2 April the two largest dailies Ta Nea and Elefterotypia (center-left)
as well as the right-wing daily Apogevmatini printed as unquestionable
reality a heinous libel that Israelis were trafficking the organs of
dead Palestinian fighters and performing medical experiments on Arab
prisoners.
The Chairman of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in his written
reply to the National Focal Point’s request for information has
stressed that “there is a conscious attempt to create an anti-Semitic
climate by various articles that are critical of the policies pursued
by Israel and personally its Prime Minister”; he specifically pointed
out two articles that put forward the view that Jews have excessively
used the pain resulting from the cruelty of the Holocaust published
during the period in question:
- “Auschwitz and Palestine”, published in the daily national
newspaper Kathimerini on 2 June 2002.
- “The excessive use of the Holocaust”, published in the daily
national newspaper Kathimerini on 4 June 2002. He also pointed out that
cartoons with anti-Semitic content have appeared in newspapers during
the period in question and in previous months.
A small number of commentators, who frequently appear on small TV stations
like the ultra right wing Tele-Asty and Extra Channel expressing anti-Semitic
views, are not considered “opinion leaders” and their influence
is very small. The popular composer Mikis Theodorakis wrote an editorial
for the Greek daily TO VIMA in which he claimed that the Jews are “imitating
the Nazi savagery” and that they are “enchanted by the Nazi
methods”.
Internet
1997 the Hellenic Nationalist Page published an anti-Semitic diatribe
on its Internet site, entitled “New Zionist Attack against Hellenism”
which is still on their homepage. Taking issue with phrases in the ad
referring to the Maccabean victory over the Greeks, the article accused
the Jews of racism and claimed, falsely, that Rupert Murdoch, owner
of the New York Post, was a Jew. The article also reiterated other charges
the group had made in the past, such as Jewish collaboration with “the
Ottomans in the subjugation of Byzantium,” and the Jews’ promotion
of the notion that “they are the only (or at least the most victimised)
victim in history.” Further, it questioned the “imaginary
6 million figure” of people who perished in the Holocaust, in contrast
to the documented figure of 800,000 Greeks lost in World War II. Similar
articles have appeared on this website in recent years. The latest addition
(news 2001) presents an article on “The exclusive victims of genocide”
which contains similar anti-Semitic stereotypes and refers to another
article from 1996 (with a link to be opened) on “Zionists and Mongols
– Butchers of Hellenism.”
Physical Signals
A photograph surfaced in September 2014 of the police chief of the Greek island called Hydra giving a "nazi salute" while on a trip to Germany. The photo was reportedly taken in 2011 at the Nuremberg Transit Museum. The officer, Lieutenant Yiorgos Kagkalos can be seen in the picture posing in front of a red vehicle boldly painted with the Nazi swastika and other logos. Kagkalos is raising his arm in the stereotypical motion of the nazi salute.
3. Research Studies
Opinion polls carried out after 11 September terrorist attacks showed
that a significant proportion of the Greek public readily accepted conspiratorial
rumours implicating the Israeli secret services in the attack. There
is no reliable scientific data available, but it may be that media reports
may have in their critical approach towards Israel’s military operations
inadvertently led to a rise in anti-Semitic sentiments among the Greek
population.
4. Good practices for reducing prejudice, violence and aggression
Only small examples had been visible: On 6 June the topic in Modern
Greek presented in the formal examinations for entry into Greek Universities
(Panhellenic Examinations) was an excerpt from the “Diary of Anne
Frank”. Students were asked to comment and compare WWII and modern
incidents of racism and anti-Semitism. On 28 January 2002 the President
of the Republic was visited by the teachers and pupils of the primary
school of the Jewish Community of Athens. On 29 January Leon Benmayor,
honorary Chairman of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki and Holocaust
survivor, was honoured with the Golden Cross of the Greek Legion of
Honour by the President of the Republic for his contribution to science.
There was also an excellent treatment of Zionism as the quest for national
identity and a state by the IosPress group of journalists who write
for the national daily Eleftherotypia (published on 28 April 2002).
5. Reactions by politicians and other opinion leaders
The Government, political parties and the Orthodox Church have always
condemned any anti-Semitic incidents through their official spokespersons
and the Government has taken special security measures for safeguarding
Jewish establishments. The government on 17 April condemned acts of
vandalism at the Holocaust memorial in Thessaloniki and the Jewish cemetery
of Ioannina.
There have been no particular reactions by politicians or other opinion
leaders during the period in question. This brought the Greek Helsinki
Monitor/Minority Rights Group to the conviction “that the government
has yet to take a strong and consistent stand against anti-Semitism.
Even extreme anti-Semitic views openly expressed by Orthodox clergy
members, politicians, factions, cultural icons, and journalists pass
without comment. Attacks on Jewish monuments and property receive little
if any attention in the media and faint condemnation by the political
and spiritual leadership.” The large majority of politicians and
opinion leaders from both the right and the left have been strongly
critical of the military offensive against the Palestinian Authority
and the following events, but have equally condemned terrorist acts
stressing the need for a peaceful settlement and the futility of military
solutions. On 31 March the speaker of the Greek Parliament and leading
PASOK member Apostolos Kaklamanis condemned Israel for committing genocide
against the Palestinian people. The Central Jewish Council expressed
its deep regrets “for the unacceptable and unfair comparison”
of the Holocaust with Israeli action in the West Bank. During an OSCE
parliamentary discussion on current European anti-Semitism on 8 July
2002, the Simon Wiesenthal Center urged the Greek Prime Minister and
other Greek leaders to publicly condemn the use of anti-Semitic stereotypes
and Nazi imagery that has characterised much of the public and media
criticism of Israel.
Sources:
C.R.I.F. - Released by the European Jewish Congress |