A violent altercation erupted on a beach near Athens, Greece on Sunday when a Syrian man bit an Israeli tourist’s ear, tearing part of it off during a scuffle that began with verbal insults and slogans, according to local reports and Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
The incident took place at Boulevard Beach, a popular coastal spot just outside the Greek capital.
Two Israeli couples were reportedly relaxing when the Syrian man approached them, filming on his phone and shouting slogans such as “Free Palestine.”
The tourists told police that the man began throwing sand at them, prompting one of the men to push him away. Security staff intervened and removed him from the area.
Roughly an hour later, the man returned and allegedly attempted to attack one of the women. Her husband stepped in to protect her, at which point the man lunged and bit the tourist’s ear, partially severing it.
Emergency responders transported the injured man to hospital in Athens, where he received medical treatment.
Greek police arrested the Syrian assailant, who is a resident in Greece. The situation became more complex when he filed a counter-complaint, accusing the Israeli man of making racist remarks. Both men were briefly detained for questioning before the injured tourist was released to continue medical care.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed it is monitoring the incident closely. It said the Israeli embassy in Athens is in contact with Greek authorities and the hospitalised tourist.
Source: gulfnews.com
