‘They yelled Allahu Akbar’ – Israeli couple stabbed in Athens

“Suddenly we heard them shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and they started stabbing the Israelis,” says eyewitness to Athens attack.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli couple vacationing in Greece were stabbed in an unprovoked antisemitic attack by Arabic speakers, Hebrew-language news reported.

The attack occurred overnight Friday as the couple walked on Ermou Street, a central thoroughfare in Athens.

Two Arabs heard the Israeli man and woman speaking Hebrew, and saw that one of them was wearing a Star of David necklace, according to reports.

“Suddenly we heard them shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and they started stabbing the Israelis,” Uzi Bukai, an eyewitness to the attack, told Israel Hayom.

“I ran there and saw the [wounded] Israelis, they said they had been stabbed. I ran to the police, they arrived and intervened. If they hadn’t intervened, it would have ended much worse.”

Bukai added that “they targeted the victims simply because they recognized them as Hebrew speakers and then stabbed them,” adding that there are “a lot of Israeli tourists” in Athens.

“I’m scared. People need to be cautious,” he said.

Nearby police managed to arrest one of the attackers, who is originally from the Gaza Strip and was previously known to the authorities due to his behavior during pro-Palestinian protests.

The other perpetrator fled and managed to evade capture, and police are currently searching for him.

“This case is being handled by the Department for Israelis Abroad and the Israeli Embassy in Athens,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a media statement.

“None of the attacked Israelis required hospitalization. There were two stabbers: one suspect, a Gazan who has previously participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, was caught, while the other escaped. The attackers identified the group of Israelis after hearing them speak Hebrew and noticing [religious Jewish] jewelry [worn by one victim.]”

In June 2024, an Arab-Christian tourist from Israel was attacked by three Greek nationals, who believed he was Jewish.

The trio only stopped their attack after the victim’s mother showed them she was wearing a necklace with a cross, and an Arab passerby spoke with the victim in Arabic.