On May 14 and 15, the Greek Intifada Association organized demonstrations in front of the Israeli embassy in Athens.
Organizers issued a statement denouncing the premeditated ethnic cleansing and massacres that occurred in 1948 as well as the expansionist aggression of the Occupation state. The policies of apartheid and ghettoization were also decried, with the Intifada Association stating that: âCelebrating the 60 years of Israel means celebrating 60 years of state terrorism, ethnic cleansing and racism.â
The organizers also condemned the Greek government and artists, including singer Haroula Alexiou, for participating in events related directly or indirectly to âIsrael at 60 celebrations.â International participation in these events lends legitimacy to Occupation practices of land theft, home demolition and assassination that have continued in earnest throughout the month of May.
On the May 14, protestors gathered for a nightlong protest in front of the Israeli embassy. On the 15 the protest continued in the afternoon, with activists releasing black balloons in commemoration of the Nakba. Black balloons were also released from a number of cities and camps across historic Palestine both to mark the days of the Nakba and blacken the skies as US president Bush began his praises of Zionism in the Knesset.