According to the police, charges were filed against the three Palestinians – aged 27, 26, and 25, all of whom have lost family members to Israeli attacks – for “dangerous bodily harm by complicity” with alleged racist elements. A case was also filed against the two Israelis: a 29-year-old, later identified as an active-duty officer of the Israeli occupation army (IDF), for “simple bodily harm and threats with a racist motive”, and a 30-year-old for “insult with racist elements”. Both the 29-year-old Israeli and the 27-year-old Palestinian were taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Palestinians’ statement: “We demand full transparency”

In a statement released after the incident, the Palestinians at Syntagma denounced media coverage and police handling of the case:

“Justice is not served with false testimonies and fragmentary videos. We demand complete transparency and that all the footage from the cameras at Syntagma Square be obtained, so that the truth may shine.”

They stressed that they have endured repeated harassment by Israeli tourists:

“We have been at Syntagma for three months now in a sit-in protest, facing attacks and provocations. Yesterday’s incident was one more case. The media once again adopted Israeli propaganda, presenting Palestinians as violent and Israelis as victims, by showing only a specific moment out of context.”

Trial postponed

The trial of the three Palestinians and the two Israelis was scheduled for Sunday at the Evelpidon courts but has been postponed to Monday, 23 September.

The Palestinians’ lawyers stated that “the Israeli perpetrators insulted the Palestinians, threatened them that they would kill them in Gaza and everywhere, and acted aggressively, removing the Palestinian flag. The Palestinians defended themselves and tried to take back their flags, which were eventually classified as weapons.”

They underlined that “the attempt to desecrate the place where Palestinians mourn their victims and their symbols is an act of provocation against a people who are dying but struggling and persisting.”

A large crowd gathered outside Evelpidon on Sunday to support the three Palestinians, who were released pending trial. On their public page Initiative Against Genocide, the Palestinians thanked their supporters: “With solidarity everything is possible.” They called on people to join them again at the courts on 23 September.

Hind Rajab Foundation: Call to investigate identified IDF officer

Following the incident, the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) identified one of the Israelis involved as David Hadar, a sergeant in the IDF’s Golani Brigade – a unit repeatedly implicated in war crimes in Gaza. The foundation has since called on Greek authorities to launch a thorough investigation into both the Athens attack and Hadar’s wider role in atrocities committed by the Golani Brigade.

In its statement, the HRF stressed that the Athens incident is not an isolated case:

“It reflects a broader pattern whereby individuals who have taken part in atrocities in Palestine are displaying the same aggressive behaviour abroad.”

HRF Chairman Dyab Abou Jahjah emphasised that Greece has a duty under international law to investigate and prosecute such crimes, warning that “impunity for war crimes and genocide must not be tolerated on Greek soil”.

Lawyers’ statement

The defence lawyers of the three Palestinians issued a joint statement calling for accountability:

“This specific attack should be judged strictly by the Greek courts and from our side the defence of the unjustly accused Palestinians is self-evident. It is obvious that the Greek justice system cannot remain idle in the face of the presence and attacks of Israeli soldiers who are alleged to have participated in war crimes.We demand that it stand up not only to the circumstances and the Law but much more to morality and humanity.”

Signed:

Antoniou Panagiotis

Dousi Efi

Kouniaki Evgenia