Channel 10 News reported last night that Azad restaurant in Haifa has repeatedly refused to serve soldiers in uniform. There have been some calls to have City Hall intervene and force the restaurant to accept all paying diners.
I find the premise of refusing service to those who do us the greatest national service dispicable. This case, along with the case of a student being kicked out of class in Sapir College for wearing his reserve army uniform in class. These incidences show that the deligitimization of Israel, of which we are quick to accuse other countries, exists, as well, within our midst.
However, I disagree that the Hiafa municipality or any government body should interfere with a private restaurant (as opposed to Sapir College, which receives govenment subsidies).
A private business owner should be free to discriminate to his own detriment. If the restaurant took a more overtly racist policy, such as refusing to serve Ethiopian immigrants, there may be a case, since a soldier can changes his clothes but an Ethiopian cannot change his skin. However, even in overtly racist cases, one could easily say that the owner's discrimination hurts only his income, by turning away potential customers. In a city setting like Haifa, diners can find a good number of available restaurants in the area, some of which even give DISCOUNTS to soldiers in active service.
So what should be done to punish such actions? Simple, vote with your feet. Azad restaurant is on Hillel Street, near the Bahai Gardens. If you are planning to eat in Haifa, avoid this place and make sure that the owner's refusal to receive income from uniformed soldiers is applied to all soldiers and their supporters, as well.
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