A row that erupted after an Invercargill cafe owner ejected two Israeli customers during the fighting in Gaza in January has been settled with an apology.The Turkish owner of the cafe refused to serve two Israeli women in January when he discovered where they were from. The cafe owner, a Muslim, man said it was his protest against Israel because of the death and destruction that was happening in the Gaza Strip. Local residents later protested outside his cafe saying he was wrong to ban the Israelis.
The Human Rights Commission had about 20 complaints about the ban. The commission says all issues between the two parties have been settled. It says the parties have met and reached a mutually satisfactory agreement.
An apology has been offered and accepted in the spirit in which it was intended, the Commission says in a statement. It says in arriving at the agreement the parties have come to a greater understanding of the discrimination provisions of the Human Rights Act. "The parties recognise that this has been a matter of public interest and they want it known that they both value and support harmonious race relations," the commission says.
As part of the terms of the agreement, both parties have agreed that the details of the agreement will remain confidential, the commission says.