An Israeli man was displeased with the display of a Palestinian flag in a restaurant in Phuket and demanded its removal on the spot, but was sternly refused by the Muslim restaurant owner who instead ordered him to leave. The owner later uploaded a video of the incident to social media, emphasizing the defense of his faith and rights, which sparked heated discussions online.
According to Thai media reports, the incident took place on Monday (the 9th). In the video uploaded by the restaurant owner on Facebook, the owner is shown inside the restaurant asking the Israeli man to leave, following him out onto the street while continuously recording and questioning him, repeatedly shouting the slogan “Free Palestine.” Before leaving, the Israeli man also filmed the restaurant exterior and the owner.
The related video quickly went viral on Thai social media, prompting polarized debates. In an interview with local media, the restaurant owner stated that the Israeli man, after entering, began discussing religion at length and tried to persuade him to change his faith, before escalating his demands to the removal of the Palestinian flag inside the restaurant.
“As a restaurant owner and a Muslim, I admit that I was very angry at the time because I felt the person was insulting my rights and faith in my own place. That’s why I asked him to leave.”
The owner also revealed that this was not the first time foreign tourists had asked for the Palestinian flag to be removed; he had encountered at least five similar requests before, all of which he refused.
He said that it is currently the holy month of Ramadan, a very important period for him, and that he chose to make a public statement to calm the dispute and continue fulfilling his religious virtues.
On social media, many users left comments in support of the owner’s right to stand his ground, also mentioning the arrogance of some Israeli tourists in Thailand; others, however, held opposing views, arguing that as a person in the tourism business, he should show hospitality and avoid escalating conflicts.
The owner thanked the public for understanding his situation and called on everyone not to escalate the matter, so as to avoid causing social division.