Jerusalem: Israel has blamed “Palestinian incitement” for a shooting near its embassy in Athens, Greece, early Friday, despite Greek police not yet disclosing more details regarding the incident.
“The attack on the Israeli embassy in Athens is yet another violent attack which is the result of anti-Israeli incitement by Palestinian Authority officials and pro-Palestinian organisations,” Xinhua quoted spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry Emmanuel Nachshon as saying in an official statement.
Unidentified attackers opened fire near the Israeli embassy in Athens before dawn Friday in what appeared to be a drive-by shooting. No casualties were reported from the attack, which was condemned by the Greek government.
During the attack, four men on two motorcycles fired Kalashnikov automatic rifles at the facade and the walls of the diplomatic building, according to an initial police report.
The police found 54 shell casings and cordoned off the area to search for more clues. They were also studying video recordings taken by the surveillance cameras to try to identify the attackers.
The Greek foreign ministry released a statement saying that “the Greek government is fully determined to ensure the protection of all diplomatic missions in Greece”.
Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have reiterated that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials are to blame for several militant attacks against Israelis that took place in recent months, amid mounting tensions between Jews and Palestinians.