CounterPunch Exclusives

CounterPunch Exclusives

Israeli Tourists Have a Bad Reputation Around the World

Photograph Source: A. C. for Unsplash

In May, 2025, a restaurant worker in Thailand asked an Israeli tourist to remove her shoes before entering the establishment, a traditional cultural custom in the country. The tourist refused to take off her shoes, shouting, “My money helps build your country.” Everything was caught on a video which went viral.

The incident sparked a debate about the open secret of rudeness and aggression rife in Israeli tourists abroad. A discussion long forbidden, as most who even hinted at the phenomenon were tarred as antisemitic for suggesting this. But since the onset of Israel’s campaign of annihilation in Gaza, its violent pogroms in the occupied West Bank, ethnic cleansing in southern Lebanon and unprovoked war against Iran, reservations have greatly eased throughout the world.

The reality is that there are scores of reports of Israelis behaving in this manner in the countries they visit. From vandalism to disrespect of local customs to violent confrontations, from........

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