Greek Activists Return from Israel Amid Celebrations

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The news in Greek

1. ακτιβιστής  (m.)
   Άτομο που εργάζεται ενεργά για τη στήριξη μίας αιτίας ή ενός σκοπού. ↩︎
2. κράτηση  (f.)
   Περιορισμός ελευθερίας κάποιου για ένα χρονικό διάστημα. ↩︎
3. υποδέχομαι
   Καλωσορίζω κάποιον που φτάνει από ένα μέρος. ↩︎
4. έξοδο  (n.)
   Το ποσό χρημάτων που δαπανάται ή απαιτείται για κάτι. ↩︎
5. επιστροφή  (f.)
   Η πράξη ή η διαδικασία του να επιστρέφει κάποιος ή κάτι. ↩︎
6. κρατούμαι
   Είμαι σε κατάσταση όπου δεν μου επιτρέπεται η ελευθερία κινήσεων ή δράσεων. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: How did the Greek activists return to Greece?

Question 2: Who welcomed the activists at the airport?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
ακτιβιστής  (m.)	activist
κράτηση  (f.)	detention
υποδέχομαι	welcome
έξοδο  (n.)	expenses
επιστροφή  (f.)	return
κρατούμαι	are detained

Read the full story

On Monday, a charter flight carrying 27 Greek activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla landed at Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos Airport. These activists were part of a larger group detained by Israeli authorities and subsequently deported. Their return was met with a welcoming party including supporters and family members.

The operation was part of a broader deportation that saw over 170 activists from various nations, including Sweden’s Greta Thunberg, transported out of Israel on the same day. Thunberg was among those arriving in Athens, as confirmed by multiple sources, including the Times of Israel and the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The deportation was coordinated quickly, with the Greek Foreign Ministry overseeing the repatriation of its citizens.

Reports from Greek media, such as ERT, detailed that the chartered flight, number 4979 of Aegean Airlines, departed from the Israeli city of Eilat-Ramon at 14:47 local time. The flight was part of a logistical operation also covering activists from France, Italy, and Sweden, ensuring they can eventually return to their respective countries.

The arrival of the activists, especially prominent figures like Thunberg, attracted significant attention and support at the airport. Videos and photos shared on social media showed the crowd celebrating the safe return of the activists.

According to French and Israeli media outlets, the costs for these flights were shouldered by Greece, highlighting the collaborative effort between the nations involved to resolve a tense international situation diplomatically.

The remaining members of the flotilla not yet deported continue to be held in Ketziot Prison in conditions described by their legal representatives as substandard. The incident has sparked discussions about the treatment of international activists and the geopolitical implications of such interventions.

Info: “Greek Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Greek”, a language school dedicated to teaching the Greek language. We offer various types of online courses to suit different learning preferences, helping students learn to speak Greek effectively.