A restaurant in Furth, Bavaria has drawn sharp criticism after displaying a sign declaring "Israeli citizens not welcome" on its premises. The temporary posting prompted immediate protest from the local Jewish community, with the Israelite Cultural Community of Furth condemning the action as antisemitic exclusion.
Julia Tschekalina, chairwoman of the Israelite Cultural Community, called the incident "simply shameful and terrible" in statements to the German Press Agency. She indicated the community would explore legal options, including considering filing a police report and involving Bavaria's antisemitism commissioner Ludwig Spaenle. The restaurant operator later confirmed the controversial posting had occurred.
The Furth incident is not isolated, as Bavaria's antisemitism commissioner revealed another similar case on the same day. A musical instrument store in Upper Bavaria reportedly demanded that an Israeli orchestra provide an assessment of the situation in the Gaza Strip before renting them an amplifier. Commissioner Spaenle characterized this as a form of "public conscience testing" that aligns with the goals of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
Spaenle strongly criticized both incidents, stating that excluding Israeli citizens from businesses is "untenable and intolerable" because it holds Israeli adults, children and youth responsible for decisions made by the Israeli government. He emphasized that civil society needs to respond appropriately to such occurrences, which represent a concerning pattern of antisemitic behavior emerging in Bavarian commercial establishments.