Incident at a European airport: 'I hate Israel'
Israeli woman Sheli Shmari recounted a conflict with a café employee at Larnaca Airport, who stated that she hates Israel and demanded that she not speak Hebrew near her. Airport management conducted an investigation and took internal disciplinary measures against the employees, without disclosing details.
Sheli Shmari, a resident of Holon who was vacationing with her family in Cyprus for Rosh Hashanah, encountered an antisemitic incident at Larnaca Airport. According to her account, a Costa Coffee employee, in the presence of a manager, declared, 'I hate Israel,' and then demanded that Israeli tourists not speak Hebrew near her. A British woman waiting in line also reacted to the employee's words, calling them disrespectful. When it was Shmari's turn, she politely pointed out the inappropriateness of the behavior, but the employee and manager only laughed. After Shmari raised her voice and called the employee an antisemite, the manager changed his tone and claimed it was a 'private joke.' Shmari filed an official complaint with the airport administration. In response, the administration apologized, reported conducting an investigation, and taking internal measures against the employees, without disclosing details due to confidentiality. Shmari noted that this was her eighth visit to Cyprus and she had never before encountered expressions of hatred or antisemitism.