Even as Israel continues forging partnerships to defend European countries like Greece, antisemitism continues to seep into the country’s tourism industry.
Noam, an Israeli traveler, booked an activity with Olympos Trek, a Greek adventure tourism company operating since 1995 and considered one of the leading operators in the Mount Olympus and Thessaly region. The company specializes in activities like rafting, rock climbing, canyoning, kayaking, and mountain treks. But after completing his booking, Noam received an unusual message informing him his participation was canceled. The reason, according to the company, wasn’t related to availability or operational considerations, but to his being Israeli.
The message sent to him read: “For ideological reasons concerning the current atrocities of Israelis happening in Palestine, we have no room for people from Israel.” For Noam, it was a shock. Instead of receiving confirmation for the activity he’d registered for, he found himself rejected solely because of his citizenship. This isn’t criticism of government policy—it’s discrimination against a person based on citizenship alone.
Excluding people from public spaces simply because they’re Israeli—whether on campuses, in workplaces, or during trips abroad—is discrimination against Israelis, an expression of prejudice, and shouldn’t become normalized but should be met with condemnation and opposition.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated case. Since the war broke out, reports have been mounting of Israelis encountering discrimination during vacations in Europe, ranging from canceled hotel and attraction bookings to refusal of service and explicit messages stating Israelis aren’t welcome.
What was once perceived as isolated incidents is becoming, in the eyes of many travelers, a troubling phenomenon where businesses choose to mix ideology and politics with tourism, and sometimes even deny service to a person solely because of the passport they hold.
Notably, Israel MOD signed a $750 million deal in April of this year to supply the advanced Elbit Systems PULS rocket artillery system to Greece. Greece joined additional NATO countries that have selected the PULS system, emphasizing its growing popularity as a highly effective and versatile solution for Europe and beyond. Additionally, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus form a strategic trio to ensure energy security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.