47 Israelis Stranded As Bosnia Hotel Dumps Israeli Tourists' Passports
Forty-seven Israeli tourists are stranded in Sarajevo after their passports were discarded in a hotel trash bin, officially deemed an accident, but some suspect it was an intentional act driven by antisemitism. The Israeli embassy and Bosnian authorities are working to issue replacement documents, while the incident raises concerns about anti-Israel sentiment in the region.
On August 16, 2025, 47 Israeli tourists found themselves stranded in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, after their passports were discarded at the Hills Hotel, in what local authorities claim was an accidental mishap. Security footage from the hotel lobby, timestamped 1 a.m. on Saturday, shows a large envelope supposedly containing the passports (though it is unclear) slipping from a filing cabinet into a trash bin while a staff member sorted papers nearby, unaware of the incident. The documents were subsequently taken to a landfill, and despite efforts to recover them, they remain lost. The tourists, scheduled to return to Israel on Saturday, face an extended stay of at least several days, with some fearing delays exceeding a week.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident, stating, “The matter is known and is being handled by the Department for Israelis in Distress Abroad and Israel’s embassy in Belgrade.” Žarko Laketa, director of Bosnia’s Service for Foreigners’ Affairs, emphasized that the passports were “thrown away as a result of an accident” and that replacement documents are being expedited, potentially allowing the group to depart as early as Monday. The Hills Hotel has extended complimentary accommodation and meals to the affected tourists.
However, suspicions linger among the travelers, who question the accidental nature of the incident. One tourist told Ynet, “This is very strange. How can someone throw away passports? Everyone is silent. We suspect the passports were thrown out because they had the Israeli emblem. We demand a clear answer, because this is a serious act that harms people.” The group added, “After checking the security cameras, we discovered the passports were thrown into the garbage. From the trash at reception, they were taken to garbage trucks and then to a landfill. We’ve been forced to stay at the hotel for another 48 hours, maybe longer. We fear we could be stuck here for more than a week.”
The incident occurs amid heightened concerns about antisemitism in Bosnia, where half the population is Muslim, and follows recent anti-Israel actions, including the cancellation of a Conference of European Rabbis event in Sarajevo and the National Museum’s donation of Sarajevo Haggadah proceeds to Gaza. These events fuel speculation that the passport incident may reflect deliberate anti-Israel sentiment rather than a mere accident, prompting calls for a thorough investigation. The Bosnian police are probing the case but have not disclosed the hotel’s identity or further details, while the Israeli embassy in Belgrade works to issue new passports swiftly.