Published: February 5, 2026 · Tedros Editorial
Racism at a gas station: a discharged combat veteran of Ethiopian descent turns to Tebeka
A 21-year-old man of Ethiopian descent, a discharged combat veteran, turned to the Tebeka association after a racist incident at his workplace — a gas station.
According to his complaint to Tebeka, a customer waiting in line grew angry when asked to wait until he finished serving another customer who had arrived before her, and responded by directing severe racist slurs at him. The young man described how hurt he felt by the incident, particularly after having served the country as a combat soldier.
The gas station manager backed the employee during the incident and documented the customer's details and the circumstances of the case, which allowed Tebeka — an organization working to advance the rights of, and fight racism against, Ethiopian-Israelis — to open a legal process on the matter.
The case joins a series of similar complaints documented by Tebeka, and illustrates how an employer's real-time documentation can support an employee who was harmed and assist in the subsequent legal process.