An Israeli who attempted to book accommodation at a Norwegian hotel received a troubling message from the management stating, "The Norwegian Labor Organization LO will soon enforce a boycott that will affect Israeli tourists and Israeli goods due to the catastrophic situation in Gaza."
The Israeli traveler expressed his concern after learning that the hotel, situated in the village of Geiranger – one of Scandinavia's premier tourist destinations – might reject his request specifically because of his Israeli nationality. The hotel indicated it would need to examine whether hosting him would even be possible.
The labor organization's boycott apparently shields the hotel from potential future legal claims by creating a "force majeure" circumstance that provides business justification for refusing Israeli guests. "We need to inform you that our staff is organized in LO unions and they will not break the boycott. I will need to consult with the employers' organization as I see this as a force majeure situation," the hotel management wrote in their response.
On Elpeleg, a Norwegian-Israeli who has lived in Norway for years and belongs to the Facebook group "Norway - Travelers Community" where the post was shared, expressed his shock on Monday morning.
BREAKING:
Norwegian hotels to boycott Israeli tourists.Source: @StoppNRK
See: https://t.co/0tr55jwvFl pic.twitter.com/Mhy2pICn1n— On Elpeleg 🎗️ (@onelpeleg) May 12, 2025
"As a Jew who has been fighting antisemitism for 40 years, I have never experienced something so shocking. It's like traveling back in time 85 years to 1940, to the period when Norway sent its Jews to Auschwitz. I am simply in shock – Norway was the last country in Europe to allow Jews to enter, and now it's closing its doors again," Elpeleg said.
