Italian Hotel Denies Service to Israeli Couple

A hotel in northern Italy, Garni Ongaro, has sparked outrage for refusing a reservation from an Israeli couple, stating that Israelis are 'responsible for genocide'. The couple received a message from the hotel informing them that they were not welcome and offering a free cancellation. This incident has drawn attention from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which is investigating, and local authorities, including the governor of Veneto, who called the situation 'extremely serious'. The hotel manager has since closed his social media accounts amid accusations of antisemitism, while the Jewish Community of Venice expressed profound sadness over the incident. As antisemitism has reportedly risen in Italy during the ongoing conflict in Gaza, calls for a boycott of the hotel and Booking.com are growing. The case raises questions about the application of Italy's anti-discrimination laws to foreign nationals and tourists.