Israeli cries 'antisemitism' over spa treatment in Swiss hotel

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
18 Jan 2025 13:06
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Israeli businessman plans to sue the luxury Swiss hotel, claiming his eviction was driven by "antisemitism".

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Tourists carry their skis on a snowless hill back to the resort of Leysin, in the Swiss Alps, on December 28, 2015 (AFP)

Yaniv Bender, a former CEO of Psagot Investment House in "Israel", claimed that he and his family were evicted from a luxury hotel in Arosa, Switzerland, in what he further alleged was a deeply "antisemitic incident".

Bender claimed that the manager of The Tschuggen Collection hotel ordered the family to leave late at night in freezing temperatures, accusing them of being "barbarians".

The dispute allegedly began when Bender requested to postpone a scheduled spa treatment due to his wife’s condition, but the hotel refused and insisted on payment. An altercation with the manager ensued, during which the manager allegedly insulted Bender and demanded they leave immediately.

Bender plans to sue the hotel, claiming the eviction was driven by "antisemitism".

“This was pure hatred. I don’t know if it was related to the war in Gaza, .......” he said.

Reactions to the incident

Unsurprisingly, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Jewish Association, condemned the incident and demanded action from Swiss authorities. He called the alleged insults by the hotel manager “horrifying” and announced plans for legal action against the hotel.

In response, a spokesperson for The Tschuggen Collection denied the allegations of antisemitism and said the decision to evict the family was based on their behavior.

The spokesperson stated, “As a small, inclusive, family-owned hotel company, we welcome and value guests from all over the world. That said, we strongly reject the characterization of events by the Bender family.”

This is not an isolated incident. The Israeli government and settlers have consistently waved the antisemitism card to resolve personal issues or silence critics, particularly those who oppose their actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including the ongoing killing of Palestinians. This strategy has been employed to deflect legitimate criticism of Israeli policies by conflating political dissent with baseless claims of prejudice.