An Italian hotel allegedly denied service to a group of young patrons due to their Israeli nationality.
Hotel Garni Ongaro in Italy informed the group members that they would not be accommodated after they made an online reservation with the hotel on Booking.com.
The hotel reached out to the group via message over the Booking.com website.
"Good morning. We inform you that the Israeli people as those responsible for genocide are not welcome customers in our structure. Therefore, if you would like to cancel your reservation, you would be happy to do so and we will be happy to grant free cancellation," read the message.
Hotel Garni Ongaro in Italy has informed Israeli guests they are unwelcome simply because they are Israeli.
— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) November 14, 2024
I can only imagine the pain and sense of injustice I would feel if a hotel denied me a place to stay simply because of my identity, being Palestinian.
This is… pic.twitter.com/RkZVru9dJQ
There is no evidence suggesting that Booking.com was aware of this correspondence or the cancellation.
Article 3 of the Italian constitution warrants equal treatment and social value free from bias related to gender, race, language, religion, political views, and personal or social status. It is unclear whether or not this legislation applies to tourists and foreign nationals.
"We couldn't believe that something like this could happen to our generation, in Italy," said the Israeli woman who booked the hotel to Nova News. "Anti-Semitism or racism towards Israelis or Jews (whatever you want to call it) definitely exists in Italy and unfortunately it is spreading these days. I think any kind of racism or discrimination should be condemned."
News of the incident quickly made it to social media, where users had mixed responses to the hotel's decision.
"This is collective punishment. I have many Israeli-Jewish friends—people who travel around the world, dedicating their lives to advocating for peace and coexistence, tirelessly working to end the war," said a user who posted about the situation. "Refusing to host individuals based on nationality or identity is not only wrong—it's a vile, discriminatory act that is both illegal and morally bankrupt."
"I get where you're coming from, but let's be real: governments are doing nothing to stop the genocide that Israel is committing. The way I see it, Hotel Garni Ongaro is just stepping up where governments won't—it's their way of "sanctioning" Israel as citizens of the world," responded one user.
'There's no violence here, and it's not discrimination. Businesses have the right to choose who they serve, especially when it's about standing up against genocide. If they decided to not serve Jewish people, that would be something else," they continued.
I get where you're coming from, but let’s be real: governments are doing nothing to stop the genocide that Israel is committing. The way I see it, Hotel Garni Ongaro is just stepping up where governments won’t—it's their way of “sanctioning” Israel as citizens of the world.…
— Woman in tech against the woke ideology (@montreal_girl) November 14, 2024
