An incident at a restaurant in Naples that led to the ejection of an Israeli couple has sparked widespread attention in Italian media, with some describing it as “first-hand antisemitism.”
The episode occurred at Taverna a Santa Chiara, a restaurant in the historic center of the city, where Gili Moses and her husband said they were asked to leave solely because they are Israeli. The dispute with the restaurant’s owner was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media.
Israeli couple evicted from restaurant in Naples after calling owner an antisemite
According to reports, the couple had been discussing Israel with other diners, prompting the intervention of the restaurant owner, Nives Monda. She allegedly called on them to support a protest against “Israeli apartheid and the Palestinian genocide.” When they refused, Monda demanded they leave the premises. She claimed the couple verbally assaulted her, accused her of antisemitism and made threats.
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In the footage circulating online, the couple can be heard accusing the owner of antisemitism and supporting terrorism. Moses later expressed her shock, saying: “We experienced antisemitism first-hand simply because we are Jewish and Israeli. We never imagined this could happen in Naples, a city that promotes freedom.” Speaking with Ynet, she said she is considering filing a formal complaint.
The incident drew a wave of reactions in Italy, with some voicing support for the couple and condemning the restaurant owner’s conduct, while others expressed solidarity with her political stance. The restaurant released a statement denying any antisemitic motive and reaffirmed its support for the Spazi Liberi dall’Apartheid Israeliana campaign, which translates loosely as “Spaces Free from Israeli Apartheid.”
This latest episode comes amid a surge of pro-Palestinian protests and a rise in antisemitic incidents across Europe following the outbreak of war. It highlights the intensifying tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its impact on Jewish communities across the continent, as well as on Israeli tourists.
According to Tel Aviv University’s annual report on global antisemitism, published on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, antisemitic incidents soared worldwide following the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023. While 2024 saw a slight decline, antisemitism remains significantly higher than pre-war levels. Notably, sharp increases were recorded last year in both Australia and Italy, where Milan’s Contemporary Jewish Documentation Center reported 877 incidents in 2024 compared to 454 the year before.