Israelis in Austria denied service for being Jews, Israel embassy calls it 'concerning' - report

An Israeli family was denied service at a restaurant in Bad Hofgastein, Austria, after revealing they were Jewish, as reported by Austrian newspaper Krone. The restaurant owner, reportedly Muslim, refused to serve them. The family complained to district authorities, who initiated administrative penalty proceedings. The vendor denied the allegations. The Israeli embassy expressed deep concern, and the head of Austria's Jewish community said antisemitism is worsening. The incident highlights growing concerns over antisemitism in Austria.

An Israeli family visiting the Austrian town of Bad Hofgastein was denied service at a restaurant after revealing they were Jewish, according to a report by the Austrian newspaper Krone. The family, identified only as Lidan H. to preserve anonymity, approached the snack bar after a day trip to the country's highest mountain. The owner, reportedly Muslim, asked where they were from and told them they could not buy anything once they learned they were Jews. "Because we are Jewish, that's exactly what he told us," H. told Krone. H. did not confront the vendor but filed a complaint with the district administration, which confirmed it had initiated administrative penalty proceedings. The vendor denied the allegations, calling them "all nonsense," and declined further comment. The Israeli embassy in Austria expressed deep concern, stating in a social media post that discrimination against Israelis and Jews is unacceptable and that concrete measures must follow if warnings have no effect. Israel's Ambassador to Austria, David Roet, said the incident cannot be viewed in isolation from a climate where antisemitism is increasingly normalized. Elie Rosen, head of the Jewish community in Austria, told Krone that antisemitism in the country is worsening daily, with more isolated incidents occurring, and criticized the Austrian government's lack of meaningful response.