'Israeli'-only cafes, venues in India spark local outrage

• Indian activist Shrishti Khanna highlighted widespread 'Israeli'-only establishments in India that deny entry to local Indians and non-'Israeli' travelers.
• Post-military travel has established long-standing 'Israeli' enclave neighborhoods across tourist hubs.
• Khanna framed these spaces as "colonization" and "apartheid," linking their tolerance to shared ethno-nationalist ideologies.

Activist and educator Shrishti Khanna addressed the growing phenomenon of 'Israeli'-only businesses operating within India during a report published by digital news outlet AJ+, criticizing the systematic exclusion of local Indian citizens and international travelers from these establishments.

Speaking to AJ+, Khanna explained that these venues -located primarily along tourist routes known as the "Hummus Trail"- have cultivated exclusive spaces that enforce discriminatory entry practices against locals.

"These Israeli-only cafes, they of course only allow white people... and as I said, it's becoming more and more exclusionary. They've created almost a hierarchy of power where Indians are not allowed, other white people are not allowed," Khanna stated during the interview.

'Israeli' post-military tourism 

According to the AJ+ report, 'Israeli' post-military travel to India began around the 1980s following compulsory military service and has steadily increased over the decades.

An estimated 80,000 'Israelis' travel to India each year, with many settling temporarily in designated tourist enclaves across Himachal Pradesh, Dharamkot, and Goa.

Khanna observed that while these venues initially targeted Indian locals, the restrictions have expanded to enforce a strict hierarchy of access, creating segregated environments for private parties, raves, and commercial cafes.

"It is a form of colonization... and of course, a hierarchy of power. It has been described as an 'Israeli' apartheid that they're creating here because they follow different rules and Indians cannot intervene," Khanna added.

Ideological affinity

The AJ+ report emphasized that many 'Israeli' tourists visiting India are former military personnel who operate without risk of local prosecution regarding their actions in Gaza.

Khanna attributed the ongoing tolerance of these segregated spaces to the political alignment between India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the 'Israeli' administration.

She argued that both the ruling BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) draw ethno-nationalist inspiration from Zionism, pointing to shared political objectives as the foundation for the deepening relationship between the two governments.