Uruguayan hostel rejects Israeli guests over owner’s anti-Israel politics
The owner of an “eco-lodge” in Uruguay refused an Israeli couple as guests claiming he disagrees with Israeli politics.
Amit Bradush, 22, and his partner received a message from the hotelier via Booking.com explaining their reservation had been canceled because the owner’s political views were “very contrary to the policies of your country,” the website of the El Pais newspaper reported.
“I had not seen that they were from Israel. I strongly oppose the policies of their country. They are not welcome in my house,” Mauricio Pinero, the owner of Buena Vista ecological resort wrote. He added that the prepayment had been reimbursed and said that young Israeli guests who are on their post-army trek are particularly difficult.
“I am neither a discriminator nor an antisemite. The kids who come after finishing military service in Israel have a profile of celebration, arrogance and things that are not good. We work with a different type of audience. It is not a problem with anyone in particular,” he said.
Jewish and Israeli officials have criticized the action, which drew intense media coverage in Uruguay.
“We repudiate what happened with two young Jews who were not admitted to a hostel in Barra de Valizas because they came from Israel,” read a statement released by the Comite Central Israelita, Uruguay’s umbrella Jewish organization. “Our society is pluralistic and diverse. Let us not allow isolated facts to distill malice, spreading prejudice and bad intention.”
Uruguayan Tourism Minister Liliam Kechichian said the incident was “totally inadmissible” and will be investigated. “In Uruguay, it is not acceptable to discriminate on the grounds of religion. We hope that Israeli tourists will continue to visit Uruguay and enjoy the beauty of the country,” she said.
Israeli Ambassador to Uruguay Nina Ben-Ami said of the incident: “It is an unpleasant case of discrimination against Israeli citizens, based solely on their identity. It was not based on the political opinion of the tourists, the owner of the hostel did not even know the couple. It seems a case of blind prejudice and I hope it is an isolated case.”
On the hostel’s Facebook page, Pinero said he plans to “continue to maintain” his position “of not accepting [Israeli] young people who have just left the military service,” El Pais also reported.
“About two or three years ago, a kid just out of Israeli military service stayed here. One night, as part of a talk on international politics, as I did not agree with his perspective, he told me that he was trained to kill me in 15 seconds,” he wrote.
“We vehemently repudiate his attitude, his pseudo-explanation and his arrogance of disqualifying an entire people because he does not like their government,” B’nai B’rith said in a statement.
Last month, the government of Uruguay slammed Israel’s ambassador for using social media to criticize the country’s chancellor for calling Tel Aviv the capital of the Jewish state.
Uruguay is home to some 12,000 Jews, according to the Latin American Jewish Congress. It was the first country in South America to officially recognize Israel. – (JTA)