Disabled Israeli tourist denied taxi due to ‘ethnic cleansing’

An Israeli woman in a wheelchair was denied transport in Milan because of her nationality.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli woman with a physical disability was denied transportation in Italy after a company refused to accept her booking, citing her Israeli nationality as their reason.

Yael Mehodar, who uses a wheelchair and is currently visiting Milan, attempted to reserve an accessible ride in advance through a company that advertises services for customers with disabilities. Instead, her request was rejected.

In an email riddled with grammatical errors, the company told Mehodar her booking was being denied because she is an Israeli citizen.

The message accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing and starvation” in Gaza and declared the company would refuse service to Israelis until “the genocide ends.”

The business further claimed that its refusal to serve Israeli customers was not discrimination against the Jewish state’s citizens, but a protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Speaking to Channel 12’s Morning News on Sunday, Mehodar said the ordeal had made her feel unsafe and unwelcome in the picturesque Italian city.

“It’s just crazy. This is a company that offers accessible services for people with disabilities,” she said.

“I thought this was a business that would be a little bit more sensitive. Why are they dealing with other issues rather than helping disabled people?”

Mehodar added that she had also encountered large pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Milan during her trip, which left her feeling unsettled.

“The feeling is terrible,” she said. “It’s clear that it’s not possible to reason with the protesters.”

She said that receiving an explicit rejection of service simply for being Israeli made her feel “horrible.”

Following the incident, Mehodar said she concealed her nationality when contacting other transportation companies, fearing she would face further discrimination.

Numerous Israeli tourists have reported discrimination due to their nationality since Oct. 7.

Hospitality website Booking.com recently removed an Italian hotel and Bosnian hostel from their site after the proprietors of the properties refused to accept Israeli guests.