• Switzerland’s main Jewish organization has condemned an anti-Semitic sign at a ski store near Davos.
• The sign, written in Hebrew, allegedly barred Jews from renting the equipment due to “disturbing incidents,” including theft, apparently targeting Israeli visitors.
• The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities has called the sign discriminatory and has vowed to take legal action for violating anti-racism laws.

Switzerland’s main Jewish organization condemned an anti-Semitic sign placed at a local ski shop near Davos on Monday, barring Jews from renting equipment from the store.

The sign on Pischa Mountain above Davos, a town known for hosting the annual World Economic Forum meeting of the world’s elite each January, said the shop was closed after a series of “our Jewish brothers” sleds, skis and Will not rent gear such as snowshoes. “Very disturbing incidents” – including the theft of a sled.

The message, written in Hebrew, was directed at Israeli Jews who have been traveling to Davos in recent years – both summer and winter. Vacation routes.

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Store owners could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Davos Tourism Agency declined immediate comment when contacted by The Associated Press but said it would respond by email.

“After a series of disturbing incidents, including the theft of a sled, we are no longer renting sports equipment to our Jewish brothers,” Nishan said, sitting on a back shelf with a helmet on a window sill.

The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities condemned the incident, which was reported back-to-back in the Swiss media. Social media post From Zurich City Councilor Yehuda Spielmann on Sunday.

The federation’s secretary general, Jonathan Kreutner, said in an email that the poster was “undoubtedly discriminatory”. “It shocked me. It’s really a new level of audacity.”

“It’s anti-Semitism,” he said later by phone. “An entire group of guests is being labeled collectively because of their appearance and origin.”

Kreutner initially said the federation planned legal action over the alleged violation of Swiss anti-racism laws, but said it would likely go to a regional prosecutor looking into the matter.

The incident comes against a backdrop of rising anti-Semitism across Europe and beyond, mostly in connection with the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 28,300 Palestinians in the territory, controlled by Hamas. According to the Ministry of Health in Enclave.

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The war started with the attack of Hamas. In Israel on October 7, in which militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped about 250.

Kreutner also noted the increasing number of Jewish visitors to Davos over the years, indicating that they “obviously feel very comfortable” and welcome in Davos.

“However, there are obviously other people who have a completely different attitude towards Jewish guests,” he said, admitting that “it’s obvious that a lot is going wrong here.”

Rito Branschi, head of the Davos tourism agency, was quoted in the local Davos Zeitung newspaper last year as saying that some of the resort’s Jewish patrons “obviously have difficulty accepting and respecting the rules of living together here.” Is.”

He cited littering issues, and said such rules are “unfortunately not observed, especially by Orthodox Jews.”