An employee at a banquet hall in central Israel was fired this week after writing in a staff WhatsApp group: “Don’t bring any more Black waiters. Word for word: No Ethiopians.”
The racist message, which quickly leaked to social media, triggered outrage. The hall’s management said the waiter was summoned to a hearing and immediately dismissed. “These statements were written on his own accord. Ethiopian staff members have worked here and will continue to work here. They are excellent employees,” management said.
1 View gallery
Banquet hall where a racist ban on Ethiopian waiters was made
(Photo: Courtesy of Alegra Hall)
In protest, Ethiopian waiters refused to report for their evening shift. The owners said they plan to meet with them to apologize for the remarks and ask them to return.
The leaked screenshot sparked condemnation online. One Instagram post called the venue “a disgusting stain in the heart of Israeli society, a hall of racism and hate… a knife to the heart and a spit in the face of every Black person in this country, and every couple who chooses to celebrate there.”
The hall issued a second statement stressing that it condemns all forms of racism and is committed to employing workers “of every race, religion and gender.”
