‘Israelis not welcome’ – Belgian hostel under fire for boycotting Israeli travelers

Brussels hostel is the latest tourist venue to reject customers from Israel, citing ongoing war against Hamas.

By World Israel News Staff

A Belgian hostel is under fire from a human rights organization, after hostel employees terminated an Israeli traveler’s reservation, saying that Israeli nationals were not welcome at the venue.

The incident involves the Hostel Bruegel, in the Belgian capital city of Brussels, after an employee, identified only by the first name Wolke, contacted an Israeli citizen, informing the customer that their reservation had been canceled due.

Wolke said that the hostel did not serve Israelis, and appeared to link the ban to the ongoing war against the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip.

“Hi, We don’t accept people who are active in crimes against humanity, israeli [sic] are not welcome. I’ve cancelled your reservation. Friendly regards Wolke.”

The Israeli traveler, whose name has not been publicized, had been slated to stay at the hostel from December 18th through the 22nd.

On Sunday, the Israel-based human rights group B’Tsalmo filed a complaint with the Booking.com platform, petitioning the online service to sever all ties with Hostel Bruegel over its discriminatory practices.

“No one in the world would dare to tell anyone to be ashamed of their identity,” B’Tsalmo CEO Shai Glick wrote to Booking.com.

“This is serious discrimination in violation of the value of equality and a very
serious violation of human rights.”

The incident is the latest in a string of cases involving hotels, hostels, or bed-and-breakfast venues refusing service to Israeli nationals.

In June, the Hotel Material in Kyoto, Japan was probed after hotel officials cancelled an Israeli man’s reservations while accusing the IDF of war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

Later that month, a Paris hotel booted an Arab-Israeli family out in the middle of the night after the receptionist discovered that the three held Israeli passports.

Weeks later, the operator of a vacation apartment in Oxford, England nixed the reservation made by an Israeli tourist after learning of her nationality.

Earlier this month, yet another incident was reported, this time in northern Italy, when the Hotel Garni Ongaro in Selva di Cadore, cancelled a reservation made by an Israeli couple just one day before their planned arrival.