‘Are You A Baby Killer?’ Israeli Couple Harassed At California Hotel

An Israeli couple was harassed at a California hotel after an employee confronted them with anti-Israel statements and asked whether they were “baby killers” and had served in the IDF, according to a video that circulated over the weekend.

The case spread quickly after the employee posted the video himself, prompting an apology from the hotel and calls from a senior Justice Department antisemitism official for further investigation. 

I’ve watched Jewish friends ask “is it safe to check in here as a Jew” before booking hotels this year. Some called them paranoid.

Then you see this. A Jewish couple greeted with “baby killer” by an employee at a hotel reception in California.

Turns out it wasn’t paranoia. pic.twitter.com/KxId5tUhxn

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) May 23, 2026

The confrontation took place at Oceanpoint Ranch in Cambria, California, according to the New York Post, which said a hotel spokesperson confirmed the location. The video begins in the middle of the exchange, with the employee saying, “All I said was free Palestine.”

The Israeli woman responded that he needed to be “objective” toward hotel guests and told him he “should be ashamed.” The employee then asked, “Are you a Zionist?” before continuing, “Are you a baby killer?” and “Did you serve in the IDF?”

As the couple spoke to each other in Hebrew, the employee again pressed them about whether they had served in the Israeli military. The woman could be heard telling her husband that she did not want to stay at the hotel because she feared for their safety.

The employee was identified in reports as Ryan Smith. In a caption posted with the video, he described the Israeli guest as an “IDF soldier child killer,” escalating the incident after the encounter at the front desk.

Oceanpoint Ranch later apologized and said it had opened an internal review. Angel Gonzalez, the hotel’s general manager, told the New York Post, “The conduct depicted in the video does not reflect the standards of professionalism, respect, and hospitality we strive to uphold.”

Gonzalez said the hotel had been in direct contact with the guest, apologized, and remained committed to making sure guests feel welcomed, respected and safe. The hotel said Smith resigned following the internal review.

Smith later gave a different version online, claiming that he had been fired for speaking out about the war in the Middle East. Supporters then promoted a fundraiser connected to him, which reportedly drew thousands of dollars in donations, while pro-Palestinian accounts praised his actions.

The case also drew a response from Leo Terrell, chair of the Justice Department’s task force to combat antisemitism.

“If true, this is outrageous. Termination is not good enough! This hotel needs to be investigated. I’m not satisfied with a single termination,” Terrell wrote.