A group of about 20 Israeli women traveling in Indonesia was accused of shoplifting on the island of Gili Meno, prompting local authorities to search their belongings and threaten them with arrest after security camera footage allegedly showed one member of the group stealing merchandise.
The women, who were on an organized two-week trip, ultimately paid $3,000 to local shopkeepers to resolve the dispute and avoid further escalation, according to members of the group.
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Security camera footage shows members of an Israeli tourist group accused of shoplifting on Indonesia's Gili Meno island
The incident occurred Friday as the tourists, accompanied by a local guide, visited shops on Gili Meno, one of three small islands off the coast of Lombok, northeast of Bali.
Several hours later, a German national who owns one of the stores accused the Israeli visitors of stealing rings, perfume and swimsuits. Other shopkeepers subsequently made similar allegations.
According to the women, the shopkeepers did not initially identify a specific suspect, instead accusing the entire "Israeli group" of theft.
The allegations quickly spread on social media, where shopkeepers posted security camera images of the tourists in a local Facebook group, publicly identifying them as suspected thieves.
"Thieves. If anyone sees this guest, please detain her," one post read. "The group is from Israel and the guide is a woman with a Balinese accent. They bought and took several items from our boutique. Please provide information."
'They treated us as a group, not as individuals'
The confrontation escalated when local law enforcement personnel and shopkeepers arrived at the hotel where the Israeli tourists were staying and began searching their bags.
The women demanded that authorities search only the belongings of the person allegedly shown stealing in the security footage, rather than treating the entire group as suspects.
Local officials refused, arguing that they could not rule out the possibility that the suspected thief had acted with others or passed stolen merchandise to fellow travelers.
"It was extremely unpleasant, and the worst part was that they treated us as a group rather than as individuals," one tourist said.
Another described the experience as humiliating.
"People stood on the sidelines filming us like a bunch of monkeys," she said. "It was humiliating beyond description."
According to the women, the searches uncovered only empty lipstick boxes.
Before the searches were completed, one shopkeeper offered to settle the matter in exchange for a payment ranging from $2,000 to $6,000.
The parties eventually agreed on $3,000, an amount the shopkeepers said would cover the losses from the alleged thefts.
"We had no choice. We were forced to pay," one woman said. "We understood that we had to get out of there and avoid getting the local guide into trouble."
Suspected tourist denies stealing
The woman accused of theft refused to contribute to the payment, insisting she had stolen nothing and was being subjected to what she described as a "lynching."
Other members of the group said the security camera footage clearly showed the alleged theft.
Security camera footage shows members of an Israeli tourist group accused of shoplifting on Indonesia's Gili Meno island
They warned the woman that her actions could trigger a diplomatic incident, but said she continued denying the allegations and refused to accept responsibility.
In a response to ynet, the accused tourist rejected the claims.
"It's all nonsense. I didn't take anything. It's just a conspiracy," she said. "The shop owner wanted to make money, and the proof is that they turned our bags upside down and found nothing."
Israeli Embassy intervenes as tourists fear arrest
As the confrontation unfolded, a representative of the Israeli Embassy in Singapore, which handles Israeli diplomatic matters involving Indonesia, maintained contact with the group and advised the women on how to proceed.
The embassy representative also recommended that the woman suspected of theft remain inside the hotel.
The tourists said they feared that all of them could be arrested, regardless of whether they had been involved in the alleged shoplifting.
"It was a traumatic incident," members of the group said. "All we wanted was to get off that island and take the ferry to Bali."
The confrontation began Friday, and the women left Gili Meno by ferry for Bali on Saturday evening. They returned to Israel the following day.
The tourists said they were relieved that the incident occurred near the end of their two-week trip.
Despite the confrontation, they emphasized that they had not experienced hostility because of their Israeli nationality during the rest of their visit.
Gili Meno is the smallest and quietest of Indonesia's three Gili Islands, known for its secluded beaches and popularity among couples seeking a peaceful tropical getaway.
The island lies off Lombok's northwestern coast, northeast of Bali, and attracts visitors looking for a quieter alternative to the region's busier tourist destinations.