An Israeli couple was expelled from a restaurant in downtown Naples, Italy, after the owner told them, “You’re Israelis, you’re not welcome here.”
The incident was documented in a video that went viral on social media and was widely covered in the Italian press.
The tourists claimed that the incident began when they mentioned their Israeli origin to the owners of the restaurant "Taverna a Santa Chiara" and received a hostile response.
"We experienced antisemitism firsthand. We never imagined this could happen in Naples, a city that promotes freedom," said Moses, who described the event as "embarrassing" and added that the couple is considering filing an official complaint.
Nivis Monda, the restaurant owner, gave a different version, saying that the confrontation erupted after the tourists spoke with other diners about Israel. She intervened in the conversation to express her support for the campaign "Spazi Liberi dall'Apartheid Israeliana" (Free Spaces from Israeli Apartheid).
"The tourists verbally attacked me, accused me of antisemitism, and threatened me while filming," claimed the owner.
The incident sparked mixed reactions in Italy, with some of the public condemning the restaurant's conduct and others expressing support for its political stance.
The event ignited a wide public debate in Italy about antisemitism and the implications of Israeli-Palestinian tensions on Israeli citizens in Europe.