A cruise ship carrying Israeli tourists departed the Greek island of Syros on Tuesday without its passengers disembarking, following a protest by more than 150 demonstrators at the port.
The protesters waved Palestinian flags and called for an end to the conflict in Gaza.
They displayed banners reading “Stop the Genocide” and “No a/c in hell” – a reference to the conditions faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The vessel, identified as the Crown Iris and operated by Israeli company Mano Cruise, had about 1,700 passengers on board.
It is now en route to Cyprus.
Mano Maritime said in a statement released to the Guardian: “The ship arrived at Syros, encountered a demonstration by pro-Palestinian supporters, and passengers were stuck on board without permission to disembark.”
Local media reported that the demonstrators chanted slogans on the dock, though there were no reports of any violence.
Greece’s coast guard confirmed the ship set sail around 3pm, earlier than its original schedule.
“The management of Mano Cruise has decided in light of the situation in the city of Syros to now sail to another tourist destination,” the company said in a press release.
“All passengers and crew members are resting and spending time on the ship on their way to the new destination.”
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar contacted his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, over the incident, the Greek foreign ministry confirmed.
It did not release any details of their discussion.
A statement from the protesters took aim at Greece’s close relationship with Israel, according to the Guardian.
“As residents of Syros but more so as human beings, we are taking action that we hope will contribute to stopping this destruction from the genocidal war that is taking place in our neighbourhood,” it said.
Greece has become an increasingly popular destination for Israeli tourists in recent years.
