Israeli Man Sues Berlin Restaurant After Being Denied Service Over Accent

An Israeli citizen living in Berlin has filed a lawsuit against the AL HAMRA restaurant in the Prenzlauer Berg district, claiming he was refused service and expelled after pronouncing the word "hummus" with an Israeli accent. The incident occurred in mid-February but was only recently revealed due to the legal action, according to the German newspaper taz. When the customer ordered hummus, the waiter objected to his pronunciation, stating that "hummus" is an Israeli word and that in this Palestinian establishment, it should be pronounced "hommos."

The Israeli man told the waiter he was from Israel and asked if that was the reason for the refusal. The waiter reportedly responded, "Then no," and pointed towards the exit. The organization Ofek, which supports victims of antisemitism and discrimination, noted that the waiter attributed a political stance to the customer solely based on his origin. After the restaurant ignored his complaint and his lawyer's demand for an apology, the man is now seeking compensation in a Berlin court under German anti-discrimination laws.

The restaurant declined to comment to taz. The Israeli described the experience as humiliating, saying, "My girlfriend and I just wanted to eat hummus. It was very painful to be expelled because of my Israeli accent and origin. I believe food should bring people together and build bridges." Marina Chernievsky, CEO of Ofek, said the case reflects a broader pattern of isolation and exclusion faced by Israelis and Jews in Germany since the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023. Ofek has recently assisted in seven cases in Berlin where people were denied entry or service.