Austrian Food Vendor Accused of Refusing Service to Israelis Over Gaza Conflict

An Israeli family on vacation in Bad Hofgastein, Austria, has filed a formal complaint after a local food stall owner allegedly refused to serve them. According to the father, Lidan H., the vendor explicitly stated he does not sell to Jews and discarded hamburgers he had prepared upon learning they were from Israel, citing the Gaza conflict as a reason. The regional authority has initiated disciplinary proceedings following the complaint, though the vendor has denied the allegations, calling them "nonsense."

Reports from the Austrian news agency APA and the newspaper "Kronen Zeitung" indicate that the incident has sparked further social media complaints against the same stall. Other users claim to have experienced similar rudeness and antisemitic behavior when speaking Hebrew.

Eli Rosen, president of the Jewish community of Salzburg, Styria, and Carinthia, called for a swift investigation, warning against legitimizing hatred of Jews under the guise of political criticism. The Israeli Embassy in Vienna described the incident as "extremely worrying," emphasizing that discrimination against Israelis and Jews is unacceptable and requires action. Israeli Ambassador to Austria David Roet stated on X that the incident contributes to an environment normalizing antisemitism and false accusations against Israel, impacting families and children.