Athens' mayor has hit back after criticism by Israel's ambassador, following a wave of protests by Greeks against the war on Gaza.
Israel's ambassador to Greece, Noam Katz, wrote an article in a local newspaper that tourists from his country had been made to feel unsafe and unwelcome due to anti-Israeli graffiti and protests.
"The mayor of Athens did not do enough to protect his city and its minorities," Katz wrote.
"Dukas did nothing to make Israeli tourists feel comfortable. Graffiti on the streets that encourages the murder of Jews is a criminal act that must be punished."
Athens mayor Haris Doukas slammed the Israeli ambassador's comments, saying he "will not accept lectures on democracy from those who kill civilians", describing the intervention as an attack on free speech.
"Athens, the capital of a democratic country, fully respects its visitors and supports its citizens' right to free expression," he said on X.
"We have consistently demonstrated our active opposition to violence and racism. We will not accept lectures on democracy from those who kill civilians and children waiting in line for food aid, from those responsible for the daily deaths of dozens of people in Gaza due to bombings, hunger, and thirst."
He said that, rather than being made unwelcome, the number of Israelis granted a Greek Golden Visa over the past year had increased by over 90 percent and shared images of children starving in Gaza, due to an Israeli siege on the enclave.
"It is appalling that the [Israeli] ambassador chooses to focus solely on graffiti (which is obviously removed), at a time when an unprecedented genocide is unfolding in Gaza," he added.
Many Greeks have been vocal critics of the war on Gaza, with some directly confronting Israeli tourists visiting the country.
Last month, pro-Palestine protesters allegedly prevented Israeli tourists from disembarking a cruise ship in Crete, although Greek authorities have pledged to crack down on such actions.
"Anyone who attempts to prevent a third-country national from entering the country legally will be prosecuted, arrested and subsequently subject to criminal proceedings under anti-racism legislation," Greece's Minister for Public Order Michalis Chrisochoidis said.