Mija, an Airbnb host who asked to be identified only by his first name, was cooking in the shared kitchen of his Buenos Aires apartment when a guest asked where he was from. Born in Haifa, he told the guest he was Israeli.
On May 2, the guest, a Brazilian man named Julio who had booked a room for one night with his girlfriend, began asking Mija about the war in Gaza. Mija expressed his view that anti-Zionism constituted antisemitism. He said the exchange did not become confrontational and Julio raised no objection to his remarks during the stay.
Then, in feedback submitted to Airbnb, Julio accused Mija of supporting genocide of the Palestinians. Mija said genocide had never come up in their conversation and believed Julio equated his Israeli identity with support for mass killings. He reported the remarks as discriminatory and asked Airbnb to remove the review. The company ultimately declined.
Instead, Airbnb permanently removed Mija’s account, citing a violation of its harassment policy and ending his 12 years on the platform.
Mija, who reported the incident to the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) through the “Report It” app, began hosting guests through Airbnb in 2014 while attending university in Buenos Aires. What began as a hobby eventually became his primary source of income. Over the years, he hosted more than 1,000 stays, accumulated roughly 300 reviews, and maintained a 4.6-star rating.
Following the October 7th massacre three years ago, Mija changed his Airbnb profile picture to an Israeli flag inside a heart. He said he wanted Jewish and Israeli travelers to feel welcome while discouraging bookings from guests who harbored hostility toward the Jewish people or state.
Guest Accuses Israeli Host of Supporting Genocide
Julio’s public review described the apartment as dirty and messy. Mija disputed that assessment and said no previous guest had complained about its cleanliness. According to Mija, Julio and his girlfriend remained at the apartment approximately two hours past their scheduled checkout. They photographed the living room, he said, while he was cleaning and rearranging items for the next guests. Mija requested an additional fee for their late departure.
Julio also submitted private feedback that was not displayed in the public review. Translated from Portuguese, it read: “Talking about genocide with a smile on your face, treating entire peoples as if they were living in the Middle Ages and were disposable, is not only not a good way to welcome your guests, it is criminal.” In a separate one-star check-in rating, he accused Mija of supporting genocide.
Mija rejected the accusation, saying he did not believe Israel was committing genocide and did not support killing innocent civilians. He maintained that Israel was fighting a war of self-defense in response to the October 7th attacks.
In a June 5 email to Airbnb, Mija called Julio’s words “direct attacks based on my nationality and identity as an Israeli Jew.” The guest, he wrote, used the review system to “falsely equate my identity as an Israeli with supporting mass killings.”
Airbnb’s Conflicting Responses to Discrimination Complaint
Mija asked Airbnb to remove the review, arguing that it was retaliation for his request for a late-checkout fee and that Julio’s private feedback amounted to harassment.
On May 11, a support representative named Noa told Mija that a manager had reviewed Julio’s private feedback and considered it evidence of discrimination.
However, on May 17, Airbnb’s specialized team informed him that it could not establish that Julio had violated its Nondiscrimination Policy. Mija says the team also investigated allegations that he had made discriminatory remarks and found no violation on his part.
Airbnb subsequently rejected his request to remove the review, saying it complied with the company’s Reviews Policy.
Airbnb Bans Israeli Host Over WhatsApp Message
Julio requested a full refund for his stay. Mija says Airbnb issued it without his approval but later acknowledged an error and restored his payout.
After Julio received the refund, Mija sent him a WhatsApp message requesting removal of the review. He used a phone number supplied through Airbnb.
According to Mija, Julio replied angrily, objecting to the contact. Mija reported the exchange to Airbnb and said he made no further contact after the company instructed him to stop.
After Mija publicly described his discrimination complaint on X, an Airbnb case manager told him on June 5 that the company would consult its anti-discrimination team about removing the review.
Two days later, Airbnb removed his account. Its safety team explained on June 8 that the WhatsApp contact violated its policy against harassment and threats because Julio had already requested no further communication.
Mija acknowledged that sending the message was a mistake but argued that a single WhatsApp message did not justify permanently removing his account.
Airbnb Ban Upends Israeli Host’s Livelihood After 12 Years
Airbnb canceled Mija’s upcoming reservations and refunded his guests. The company rejected his appeal and told him he could not create another account.
In a subsequent email, Mija emphasized what the decision meant for his livelihood. “My job is Airbnb hosting,” he wrote. “I have a family to support.”
Mija said the ban left him unable to work for months. He is seeking reinstatement of his account and, if possible, compensation for lost income and psychological harm. He is also seeking legal advice.
The experience has left Mija questioning how openly Jews should express their identities in the face of antisemitism. He believes Jews should not have to hide who they are, but recognizes the practical challenges of running a business outside Israel.
Someone close to Mija advised him to remove the Israeli flag from his profile picture and avoid discussing Israel with guests. His response was a question: “Do you suggest that I should lie when I’m asked, where are you from?”
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It, a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent. Download it today on the Apple App Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it.
