Israeli Tourist Denied Tuscan Booking Over BDS Stance

An Israeli woman named Ofek, from northern Israel, booked a room at a guesthouse in Tuscany, Italy, for a vacation planned in about three weeks. After booking online, she contacted the guesthouse via WhatsApp to inquire about paying directly, bypassing the online credit card payment. The guesthouse initially agreed, telling her to cancel the online booking and they would arrange a direct reservation.

However, after Ofek canceled her initial booking and contacted them again, the guesthouse's response changed dramatically. They informed her that they had identified her as Israeli from her booking details and, as supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, they did not wish to support Israeli policies. The guesthouse stated their opposition to what they termed 'systems of injustice and oppression,' expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and their stance against Israel's 'military occupation.'

In their message, the guesthouse explained their goal was 'not to contribute in any way to the severe violations of human rights and basic freedoms of the Palestinian people' allegedly committed by Israel. The message concluded with a direct address to Ofek, stating, 'I hope you understand.'