Israeli Cancels Naples Hotel Booking After Pro-BDS Political Message

An Israeli woman from central Israel canceled her hotel reservation in Naples, Italy, after receiving a message from the Decumani Hotel De Charme expressing support for the "No Room for Genocide" campaign, which is associated with the BDS movement and pro-Palestinian organizations. The woman, identified only as R', had planned to visit Naples with her husband, who was attending a conference there. After booking a room and providing her personal details, including her Israeli nationality, she was sent a message from the hotel stating their support for the campaign and their respect for the rights of communities facing racial, ethnic, and social discrimination, explicitly welcoming Palestinians and refugees opposing oppression peacefully.

Although the hotel did not explicitly bar her from staying, the political message made R' feel unsafe, prompting her to cancel the trip due to concerns for her security. She described the experience as unpleasant and mood-dampening before the trip even began. The campaign mentioned by the hotel aims to pressure governments worldwide to take action against Israel over the Gaza conflict by encouraging tourism businesses to participate.

This incident follows a similar case in Italy in May, where an Israeli woman named Hodaya canceled a booking in Tuscany after the host demanded she declare opposition to the Israeli government's policies as a condition for her family's stay. Hodaya filed a complaint with the booking platform, emphasizing that hosts should not discriminate based on political views. The booking website has yet to respond to R's inquiry regarding the Naples case.