Majority of Greeks express opposition to Israel: Surveys

ATHENS

The majority of Greeks express opposition to Israel, according to surveys whose findings were published in the daily Kathimerini.

Public sentiment on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is considerably clearer, with a majority of Greeks expressing opposition to Israel and relatively sympathetic views toward the Palestinians, said the daily, citing the findings of QED market and social research company.

Regarding the ongoing war in Gaza, 35% of Greeks consider Israel primarily responsible, around 25% attribute blame to all parties, and just 10% fault the US and the West, it added.

According to another survey company, Prorata, only 20% of Greeks currently say they feel closer to Israel, down from 34% in November 2023.

Commenting on the findings, Elias Dinas of the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence underlined that much of Europe, including a significant portion of Greece with far-right ideology, has transitioned from antisemitism to philosemitism.

“Despite their rhetoric, deep down there’s a consistent desire to align with power. Once the logic of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ became evident, attitudes began to shift,” Dinas said.