Italian authorities shut down an anonymous online form that requested reports of Israeli tourists, Italian Jews, and businesses linked to Zionism. The form had circulated on social media and messaging platforms. Its removal followed intervention by the national coordinator for the fight against antisemitism.
The questionnaire claimed to map Zionist tourism, property purchases, and what it described as “Zionist neo‑colonization” in Italy. It asked respondents to identify Jews, Israelis, and people believed to be connected to Zionism at hotels, vacation rentals, businesses, and other public places. The form also requested sources for verification.
The initiative drew condemnation from senior government officials and Jewish leaders. The president of the Jewish Community of Milan compared the effort to persecution in the 1930s. He warned that such actions could encourage extremist targeting.
The Senate President stated that cataloguing individuals based on religious belief or connection to Israel violates fundamental human rights and constitutional principles. He described the anti‑Semitism underlying the form as unacceptable and demanded it be rejected. He also expressed solidarity with the Jewish community.
After the form was taken offline, the national coordinator for the fight against antisemitism confirmed the intervention that led to its removal. The removal was prompted by concerns over potential misuse of the collected data.
The questionnaire claimed that the information would be received by an activist network associated with flotilla efforts to reach the Gaza Strip. The network denied commissioning the form and stated it was unaware of the questionnaire before it became public.
The form also suggested that collected data could be used to coordinate unspecified initiatives. The activist network emphasized that it does not engage in hunting Jews and had not seen the form prior to its removal.
Later sections of the form asked respondents to name locations where Jewish or Israeli visitors had been seen and to indicate whether local organizations were managing the phenomenon. The request raised concerns about privacy and potential targeting.
The Jewish community president warned that mapping where Jews are could facilitate extremist attacks. He stressed that widespread dissemination of such information would be dangerous.
An Italian deputy secretary of state described the form as abhorrent and called for those responsible to be held accountable. He urged that such initiatives must not go unpunished.
