Airbnb Hosts Cancel Israeli Couple's Cooking Class in Italy Over Israeli Flag

An Israeli-American couple, Carmit Levy and her husband, had their pre-booked pasta-making class in Italy canceled by the hosts at the last minute due to the Israeli flag displayed on Levy's profile picture. The hosts cited "ethical and family reasons" for the cancellation, which Levy described as a "blatant discrimination" and potential antisemitism.

Levy, 35, from Florida, and her husband, a resident of Kibbutz Ein Gev, had booked the experience through Airbnb's "Experiences" platform. Shortly after booking, the host, identified as Nico, messaged Levy requesting she cancel the reservation. He explained that the Israeli flag on her profile picture was deeply offensive to them and they preferred not to proceed with the booking.

Levy expressed her outrage, stating, "I was boiling with rage. How dare they ask me to cancel for ethical reasons?" She informed the host that adults don't have to agree on opinions but that it didn't give them the right to discriminate. The host retorted that Levy should be ashamed for bringing her political views into a cooking experience and exposing them to her political stance, which made them feel uncomfortable.

Levy then contacted Airbnb customer service to report the incident, intending to escalate the issue. However, she reported that Airbnb has been unresponsive, with customer service repeatedly stating that a "special team" would contact her, but no one has followed up. Levy expressed disappointment with both the hosts and Airbnb's handling of the situation, especially during what should have been a joyous honeymoon.