IDF officer files NIS 157,000 lawsuit against hotel owner
A pair of religious men, an IDF officer and a combat reservist, filed a lawsuit for 157,000 shekels against the owner of the "Nof Knaan" guest complex, Yigal Knaan. The conflict arose from a refusal to accommodate them on religious grounds, leading to a forced violation of Shabbat. Knaan filed a counterclaim, calling the situation a "trap."
A pair of religious men, one serving as an IDF officer and the other as an active combat reservist, filed a lawsuit in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court. They are seeking compensation of approximately 157,000 shekels from Yigal Knaan, the owner of the "Nof Knaan" guest complex in the settlement of Nofei Prat and a former member of the conservative party "Noam." The conflict occurred ahead of the weekend, when the pair had booked and paid for a room in advance. On Friday, upon arrival, Knaan stated that he could not accommodate them due to his religious beliefs. Despite the guests emphasizing their own religiosity, the owner returned the money and demanded they leave the premises. As a result, the pair did not manage to return home before the onset of Shabbat and were forced to urgently travel to the parents of one of them, leading to a forced violation of Shabbat. The plaintiffs qualify the incident as blatant and humiliating discrimination. Yigal Knaan, a former Israeli Air Force pilot, does not deny the refusal but responded with a counterclaim, calling the situation a pre-planned "trap." He characterized his action as a defense of traditional values against "aggressive progressive trends" and criticized the judicial system. The case raises questions about the intersection of business owners' freedom of religion and the principles of anti-discrimination.