The Greek government is under intense fire from the entire opposition for its silence amid the devastating events unfolding in Gaza and its refusal to join the majority of European countries in reviewing the EU trade agreement with Israel. Nikos Androulakis described the situation in Gaza as "ethnic cleansing" and condemned Greece’s stance as "shameful." Meanwhile, Sokratis Famellos accused the government of "legitimising the crime" through its silence, stressing that "neutrality equals complicity." The Greek Communist Party (KKE) labelled the government as being "on the wrong side of history," and Alexis Charitsis urged the PM to take a stand and cut commercial ties with Israel.

The opposition’s reactions

Nikos Androulakis, leader of PASOK–Movement for Change, spoke on a radio interview, commenting on the dire situation in Gaza and the government’s refusal to take a clear position.

“Where is the international community and the major powers to step in and stop this ethnic cleansing? Because that’s exactly what it is. There’s an effort to forcibly displace millions of Palestinians from Gaza. This is a crime against humanity. In my view, Netanyahu should be taken to the International Court of Justice. These are crimes against humanity. We all condemned Hamas’s jihadist attacks on Israel – a horrific act. We all want this organisation, which operates with brutal terrorist tactics, to be stopped. But the international community cannot remain silent,” he emphasised.

“Yesterday, the Greek government’s stance was an insult to the Greek people. The Netherlands took the initiative within the EU to review the trade agreement the EU has with Israel, with many countries joining in to send a message demanding Israel end this ethnic cleansing. And the Greek government stood against this,” he added, noting that the PM avoided commenting on the Gaza crisis even at the UN Security Council.

SYRIZA and Famellos attack the government: ‘Not in our name’

Sokratis Famellos, leader of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, called on the government to stop being a European outlier alongside the far right and immediately sign the joint statement from European countries regarding Gaza.

“Mr Mitsotakis, we will not allow you to legitimise the crime happening in Gaza. Not in our name,” demanded the SYRIZA leader.

He stressed:

“While 24 European countries openly and forcefully condemn the crimes Israel is committing in Gaza, Greece remains silent. Mr Mitsotakis’s silence is not neutrality. It is complicity.”

Famellos said the Mitsotakis government is “legitimising the killing of civilians, the deaths of helpless children, and the destruction of an entire people. Greece cannot stand indifferent in the face of such a crime.”

“We demand the government stand on the side of humanity, peace, and solidarity – not on the side of crimes against civilians. Mr Mitsotakis, I urge you to condemn the crime. Stop being a European exception alongside the far right. Sign the joint statement from European countries without delay. Stand for peace, call for humanitarian aid, a ceasefire, and a just solution to the Palestinian issue, especially as Greece holds a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Mr Mitsotakis, we will not allow you to legitimise the crime being committed in Gaza,” Famellos concluded.

“Not in our name,” he repeated.

KKE raises a parliamentary question: ‘Always on the wrong side of history’

“The bombing of schools, hospitals, refugee camps, the killing of thousands of civilians and children in Gaza – now, with the backing of the US, NATO, and the EU, Israel’s killers are completing their crime by starving the Palestinian people. The children who survived the bombings now risk dying of hunger,” said Dimitris Koutsoumpas, General Secretary of the Greek Communist Party (KKE).

“We demand that all humanitarian routes be opened immediately, with aid, water, food, medicine, and doctors sent at once to tackle the starvation caused by Israeli barbarism. The unanimous parliamentary decision recognising the Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital must be implemented,” he added.

Koutsoumpas went on to say that the Greek government’s stubborn refusal to condemn Israel’s crimes against humanity “puts it firmly on the wrong side of history and is completely at odds with the feelings of the vast majority of the Greek people,” as stated in a parliamentary question submitted by the KKE regarding Greece’s shameful stance on Gaza.

Charitsis: “Mr Mitsotakis, take a stand and cut trade ties with Israel”

Alexis Charitsis issued a powerful call for PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis to speak out immediately on the atrocities in Gaza and announce the suspension of Greece’s trade with Israel.

“I know we disagree on almost everything. But I want to believe that the lives of 14,000 babies cannot leave you unmoved,” said the head of New Left, addressing Mitsotakis and warning, “As long as you don’t take a stand, you are complicit in their murder – an applauder of genocide.”

Charitsis also revealed that the Palestinian Ambassador to Greece recently contacted him to express deep disappointment over Greece’s absence from a joint statement signed by 22 countries – including France, Germany, Canada, the UK, and Australia – calling on Israel to allow full access to humanitarian aid in Gaza.

“Mr Mitsotakis, enough is enough! Today, during the UN Security Council meeting, which Greece presided over, you remained silent about the crimes in Gaza. The UN has stated that 14,000 babies could die in Gaza within the next 48 hours without humanitarian aid. Your silence makes you complicit in their deaths – an applauder of genocide. I know we disagree on almost everything. But I want to believe the lives of these babies cannot leave you indifferent.”

He concluded:

“I urge you tonight to announce the suspension of all trade relations with the state of Israel. End all military cooperation with Netanyahu’s far-right government. Join the 22 European countries backing the joint statement opposing the siege policy on Gaza. Greece should never have to be ashamed of its government’s silence again.”

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