When being Israeli becomes a problem: Self-censorship during foreign travel
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Fleeing from identity: Israelis avoid speaking Hebrew abroad
Pars Today – In the wake of the escalating Gaza crisis and growing global protests, an increasing number of Israelis say they are forced to hide their true identity while traveling abroad and avoid speaking Hebrew.
The Israeli daily Haaretz has examined how the Gaza war and recent political developments have prompted many residents of the Occupied Territories to alter their behavior abroad—resorting to concealing both their identity and language.
According to Haaretz, this shift is most visible in the growing number of people who deliberately refrain from speaking Hebrew in public places outside occupied Palestine, choosing instead to speak English or another language to avoid being identified.
The paper cites Dvora Lerch, an Israeli student who, after returning from a trip to London, said it was the first time she had avoided speaking Hebrew outside the Occupied Territories. She and her partner, concerned about the large anti-Gaza demonstrations in the UK, agreed beforehand to switch to English if they felt unsafe.
Similarly, Stephanie Jonah, who also holds Canadian citizenship and traveled to Italy and France, said she often chose not to disclose her Israeli identity during the trip—sometimes presenting herself as Canadian. She even avoided saying the words “Israel” or “Israeli” in public conversations with her partner, replacing them with phrases like “our government” or “our people.”
The report notes that this tendency to hide one’s identity has intensified amid recent events, including the war with Iran earlier this year, the complete closure of Israeli airspace, and the extensive media coverage of the famine crisis in Gaza.
Citing ISNA, Pars Today reported that images of starving children and long food queues in Gaza have spread widely around the world, with the international community holding Israel responsible for the humanitarian crisis—making global travel increasingly difficult for Israelis and settlers in the Occupied Territories.
According to an Israel Democracy Institute survey referenced by Haaretz, reports of rising criticism against Israelis have led 38% of respondents to change their travel plans, while 18% said they would cancel foreign trips in the near future.
