Tourism boycott hits Israel in both directions -
Tourists boycott Israel & Israeli tourists are now boycotted!
Irish
Hotel Boycotts Israeli Tourists
BreakingNews.ie
October 03, 2002
An Israeli citizen has revealed how a Co Kerry hotelier refused
to accommodate him and his family because of the Israeli governments
treatment of the Palestinians.
Arieh Bender, a journalist from one of Israels biggest newspapers,
said he sent an e-mail to Killarney Lakeland Cottages in Muckross
last week to inquire about accommodation for a party of nine.
He received a reply from someone called Brian OShea saying
we are not accepting bookings from Israeli citizens due to
the treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli government.
Speaking from Jerusalem today, Mr Bender said he was offended to
be told that his custom was not welcome simply because he was an
Israeli.
He said Mr OShea made no distinction between Israelis who
support their governments policies and those who oppose them.
The hotelier told Mr Bender that his decision was based on political
principle and not on any anti-Jewish beliefs, but the Israeli said
he now feels Ireland is not the welcoming land he was led to believe
it was.
Mr Bender said he is now considering taking his holiday somewhere
else in Europe.
Interview With Boycotted Israeli Tourist
( Jerusalem Post Radio, Dave Bender 3 October
2003 )
Amusing interview jumps from the absurdity of trying
to draw parallels with the Biblical story of Jesus - "reason
given for lack of space at the inn..." to the more usual
slur of anti-Semitism and shamelessly dredging up the holocaust
- "child of holocaust survivors says it reminds him of
the darkest days of Europe". The interesting bit is at
the end where the interviewer admits that this isn't an isolated
incident - Israeli tourists have been facing similar boycotts
all over Europe for the past two years.
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