Haifa City Hall has issued a closure order for Azad Restaurant in the city for refusing to serve patrons in uniform. There have been a number of cases in which soldiers were escorted out of the restaurant, told people in uniform do not comply with the restaurant�s dress code and atmosphere, and as such, they are not permitted.

City officials stated such a policy violates basic laws and a closure order was issued, only to learn another order to shut down was issued to the same restaurant about a month ago, for an illegal addition to the building.

A restaurant owner stated he does not discriminate, explaining a uniform is �disruptive to the atmosphere� they try to maintain, and it does not matter if a uniform is from the IDF, Israel Police of the boy scouts, adding it does not matter if the person wearing the uniform is a male, female, Jew or Arab.

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)