The Palestinian Community in Greece has strongly condemned a recent comment made by SKAI TV commentator Aris Portosalte, who referred to the Palestinian flag as a "rag".

In a statement, the Palestinian Community in Greece declared:

“We listened with deep disgust and outrage to the comments made by journalist Aris Portosalte, who called the Palestinian flag a ‘rag’. Such offensive language is not only completely unacceptable – it is a crude insult to a people who have been struggling for decades for freedom, justice, and dignity.

The Palestinian flag is not just a piece of cloth. It is a symbol of hope, of resistance to occupation, of remembrance for our martyrs and refugees, and of faith in a fairer, more peaceful world. Mr Portosalte’s remarks are not just an affront to the Palestinian people – they are a blatant violation of journalistic ethics and a fundamental lack of respect for human dignity.
We therefore call:

  • On Aris Portosalte to issue a sincere and public apology to the Palestinian people.
  • On the Journalists’ Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers (ESIEA) to respond swiftly and publicly condemn this unacceptable statement.
  • On Greek political parties to take a clear stand against hate speech and racism being spread under the guise of ‘journalism’.

In a society built on democratic values, there can be no room for racism, Islamophobia, or the normalisation of fascist discourse. We will not allow such voices to go unchallenged or gain legitimacy through silence. The Palestinian people deserve respect. Our flag is not a ‘rag’ – it is our pride.”

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