Two Israeli tourists have claimed they were expelled from a restaurant in Naples after the owner discovered they were “Zionists”.
According to Italian daily newspaper Il Mattino, a row erupted after Reuven and Geula Mozes arrived at Taverna Santa Chiara, located in the heart of the city’s historic center.
The pair claimed that the taverna’s owner, Nives Monda, became aggressive after she overhead them talking to a group of French tourists about how beautiful Israel is and suggesting they visit the country.
At this point, Monda apparently stated that she had joined the campaign "against Israeli apartheid and against Palestinian genocide” and said “Zionists are not welcome here”.
After a verbal exchange, during which the two Israelis accused the owner of being "antisemitic," a "Jew-hater” and supporting terrorism, the proprietor allegedly kicked the couple out of the restaurant. "You can go, I don’t want your money,’’ he reportedly told them in English.
A spokesperson for the restaurant, in a statement posted in Italian, accused the couple of espousing “anti-Palestinian racism” and maintained staff had simple voiced opposition to “the ongoing Palestinian genocide”.
They said: “On Saturday, May 3... were victims of an episode of intimidation by a tourist who, after having lunch in our restaurant, began to speak aloud, making it clear that she was a supporter of the international crimes of the Israeli government against The Palestinian people.
"At that point, as conscientious citizens that we are, we pointed out that we condemn the ongoing Palestinian genocide, which is a crime against humanity.
“The tourist immediately started accusing us of antisemitism, of supporting the Palestinian people, which in her words, she identified as a people of terrorists and therefore, of ourselves supporting terrorists.
"The tourist, meanwhile, began to film us and our workers, as well as other customers without consent of those who were filmed... defaming us as supporters of terrorism and antisemites.
“Our only responsibility is to have taken a stand, within the Israeli Apartheid Free Spaces campaign, against the ongoing Palestinian genocide.
“In our venue, which has always been welcoming people of every nationality, faith and ethnicity, we cannot and will continue to not tolerate any form of racist exclusion, be it inspired by antisemitism, Islamophobia, or, as in this case, anti-Palestinian racism.”
The restaurants owners also announced their intention to file a lawsuit against the couple, accusing them of defamation.
The Israeli embassy in Rome said it was aware of the incident and was seeking clarification from local authorities.
“Targeting individuals or families based on nationality is unacceptable and must be addressed,” the embassy said in a statement.
