An Italian hotel has sparked controversy by canceling a reservation made by an Israeli couple who told them they were “responsible for the genocide.”
Patrik Ongaro, director of the Garni Ongaro hotel, has deleted his social media after being accused of anti-Semitism and faces an investigation by the authorities.
The Jewish couple, who have not been identified, leaked a screenshot of the message they received from the hotel in Selva di Cadore, near Belluno, in the picturesque Italian Dolomites, earlier this month.
It said: ‘Good morning, we inform you that the Israeli people, as responsible for the genocide, are not welcome as clients in our structure.
“Therefore, if you wish to cancel your booking, we will be happy to do so and we will be happy to offer you free cancellation.”
Details of the incident were revealed by Jewish groups in Italy and quickly shared online with Israeli media outlets dominating the news, who demanded an investigation by authorities.
Israel’s embassy in Rome said it would raise the matter with Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni’s government.
Walter De Cassan, Dolomites regional president of the Italian Hotel Association, said: “I have received confirmation of the veracity of this incident from Israel and as an organization we condemn this action and disassociate ourselves from the hotel.”
“We have a duty to ensure hospitality to everyone to the extent possible.”
The Garni Ongaro hotel in Selva di Cadore, near Belluno, in the picturesque Italian Dolomites
The Jewish couple, who have not been identified, leaked a screenshot of the message they received from the hotel
Regional governor Luca Zaia said: “I am deeply concerned about this and speechless about what has happened.
‘I hope it’s not true because our local hospitality is nothing like this. I firmly believe that our tourist hospitality should be inclusive, apolitical and respectful of everyone. “It is totally unacceptable.”
The couple, originally from Tel Aviv and who have not been identified, relayed details of the incident to Israeli authorities, but continued their vacation in Italy.
Speaking to Italian media, former Israeli ambassador to Rome Dror Eydar said: “I have been in contact with the government to request concrete sanctions against this hotel.”
On one website the hotel description says: “Exposed to the sun all year round with its own garden terrace and next to a beautiful forest ideal for long walks in summer and snowshoeing in winter.”
‘This very quiet hotel is ideal to relax and forget about the hustle and stress of work.’
On Friday, the three-star hotel was not available on Booking.com – which gives it an 8.5 out of ten – and its website was also down.
A recent review on Booking.com praised it as a “family hotel with a very friendly owner and in a perfect location.”
Before shutting down his social media, Ongaro posted a photo of himself sitting on a tree stump and revealed that he had “received threats from an unspecified Israeli organization.”
A recent review on Booking.com praised it as a “family hotel with a very friendly owner and in a perfect location.”
She added: ‘The breakfast choice covers exactly what I need and nothing in excess that could go to waste.
‘There is parking for motorcycles and cars, everything perfectly organized. And the views are incredible!’
A review on Tripadvisor said: “The owner was a very polite and friendly man, he goes out of his way for his guests and is very hospitable.”
But the site added: ‘Tripadvisor has been made aware of recent media reports or events relating to this property which may not be reflected in the reviews found in this listing. ‘
Before shutting down his social media, Ongaro posted a photo of himself sitting on a tree stump and revealed that he had “received threats from an unspecified Israeli organization.”
He added: ‘This came after my refusal to accept Israeli clients as they are responsible for an act of genocide.
On Friday, the three-star hotel was not available on Booking.com – which gives it an 8.5 out of ten – and its website was also down.
“This doesn’t surprise me, but it shows that if we all did something, no matter how small, we can make a difference and if certain people feel uncomfortable, then it means they fear our actions.
“That being said, if something happens to me then you’ll know why.”
Several people had commented supporting him on Italian social media, but a Palestinian activist, Ihab Hassan, condemned him.
He wrote in X: ‘I can only imagine the pain and sense of injustice I would feel if a hotel denied me a place to stay simply because of my identity, being Palestinian.
‘This is collective punishment. I have many Israeli Jewish friends, people who travel around the world dedicating their lives to defending peace and coexistence, working tirelessly to end war.
“Refusing to take in people based on their nationality or identity is not only wrong, it is a violent and discriminatory act that is both illegal and morally flawed.”
A Booking.com spokesperson: “We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind and, in the rare event that we are alerted to discriminatory behavior by a property, we immediately investigate and will remove the listing from our platform, as we have done in this case”. instance.’