Israeli singer Elior Zandani says three men beat him in Athens after hearing Hebrew

Israeli singer Elior Zandani says he was beaten by three men in Athens last weekend after they heard him speaking Hebrew on the phone.

Zandani, 25, took part in the ninth season of the Israeli talent show "The Next Star" about four years ago, according to Walla. He described the incident in an Instagram story, which Israeli outlets picked up on Monday.

He said he flew to Greece to sing in tavernas and celebrate his 25th birthday. On Saturday night he went out to a party, then stepped outside after about two hours to take a call. While talking, he walked to a taxi area, where a group of three people noticed he was speaking Hebrew.

"They started attacking me verbally and the situation became excessive," he wrote, in a Hebrew-language post translated here. He said he did not back down, and the argument became a fight. He said he took heavy blows to the face, which swelled badly, and that he hit back.

At some point he realized he was outnumbered and on his own. "I took my legs and ran," he wrote. "I'm not ashamed to say I was stressed. A situation like this in a foreign country is one of the most unpleasant things I've been through."

Zandani added that he is "not strong at hiding Israeli signs," a reference to speaking Hebrew openly in public. He closed with a message to followers: "Take care of yourselves everywhere. Am Yisrael Chai."

He posted a photo showing a black eye. Reports differ on the extent of his injuries. Arutz Sheva said he suffered facial wounds and a broken nose. Walla described swelling and bruising and said the incident appeared to have ended with blows only.

The account comes from Zandani himself. No police report, medical record or statement from Greek authorities has been made public, and the identities and motive of the three men are unknown. What they said to him, beyond his description of a verbal confrontation, has not been published.

Israelis traveling abroad have in recent years often been advised by officials to keep a low profile in some places, and many have reported hostility when speaking Hebrew in public. Zandani's story fits that pattern in the telling, but the facts of this particular fight rest on his own words so far.

Greece is a popular destination for Israeli tourists, and Athens is a short flight from Israel.