It’s time for Booking.com to get familiar with The Book, insisted former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday after the online hotel booking platform announced plans to warn its users against making reservations at Jewish properties in the so-called “West Bank.”
Citing its risk awareness policy, Booking.com stated that it will mark hotels, guesthouses and other rental properties in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria as “increased risk.” The internet giant said this was necessary because “certain areas of the world affected by conflict may pose a greater risk to travelers.”
The problem is that Booking.com is not placing such warnings on Palestinian Arab properties in the same area, leaving many, like Netanyahu, to conclude that this is a boycott of Israeli “settlements.”
The former prime minister quickly posted a short video clip slamming Booking.com’s “ignorance and hypocrisy”:
“Booking, you should really read the Book, the Bible. You know why Judea is called Judea? Because that’s where Jews come from. It’s been our homeland for close to 4,000 years. You should really get a history lesson.”
In a brief Hebrew portion of his message, Netanyahu reminded Israelis that Judea and Samaria are “our heart.”
Booking, you should read the Book!
חברת בוקינג צריכה להתבייש בבורות ובצביעות שלה! pic.twitter.com/frptnoBPEV
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) September 19, 2022