A top-ranked pizzeria in Germany has ignited controversy after banning Israelis from its premises, citing the war in Gaza, Ynet reported on Thursday.
Pizza Zulu, located in Fürth, Bavaria - a city with deep Jewish roots - posted a sign declaring it would “no longer accept Israelis in the place,” while claiming the move was “neither political nor racist.” The establishment, ranked sixth-best globally by leadersnet, said it would welcome Israelis back “when they decide to open their eyes, ears and hearts.”
The sign, which also stated “we love all human beings” and opposed harm to children, was reportedly removed hours later following criticism from Fürth’s Jewish community.
The city, home to a renowned Jewish museum and a legacy of Jewish tolerance dating back centuries, once hosted Jews expelled from neighboring towns and proudly refrained from imposing population limits on its Jewish residents.
The incident has drawn sharp condemnation, with many pointing to the irony of such a move in a city that historically embraced Jewish life.
The Israeli Embassy in Berlin responded and said in a statement, “The 1930s are back, this time in Fürth. This is neither a protest nor a misunderstanding. This is crystal-clear antisemitism. That’s how it started back then: step by step, sign by sign.”
The Embassy called on police, prosecutors, and courts to take action and added, “Jewish life must be safe and visible in Germany - everywhere, at all times.”
Just last week, a small specialty shop in Flensburg, Germany, came under fire after its owner displayed a sign that read: “Jews are banned from here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can't stand you.”
Israel's Ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, drew a direct parallel to the Nazi era in a post on X, writing, "The 1930s are back! In Flensburg, 'No Jews allowed' signs are hanging in shop windows again—in 2025. Just like back then in the streets, cafés, and shops of the 1930s."
Prosor continued, "That's exactly how it started—step by step, sign by sign. It's the same old hatred, just in a different font." He cautioned that such rhetoric "never ends harmlessly," adding, "Politicians must not wait until it is too late - they must act now, before words turn into deeds again. Jewish life must be safe and visible in Germany!"
Prosor concluded with a plea for public solidarity, stating, "I hope that no Christian, no Muslim, no atheist, and no Jew ever enters this shopkeeper's store again."