Refund Refused to Soldier Serving in Lebanon: "We Are No Longer in a State of War"

The partner of a reservist currently serving inside Lebanon claims she encountered "callous and outrageous" treatment from the company "Kupat Tel Aviv" after she requested to cancel tickets for a show following her partner's call-up to reserve duty.

According to her, the two had purchased tickets in advance for a show costing about 600 shekels, but after her partner received a reserve duty order and entered operational activity in Lebanon, he immediately notified the company that he would not be able to attend and requested to cancel the order.

She claims that despite the exceptional circumstances, the company refused to refund their money and offered them only a credit voucher. "We don't know if we will even be able to use it," she said, adding that she requested a full refund due to the fact that it was an unexpected call-up to reserve duty.

However, according to her, the main sense of injury stemmed precisely from the conduct of customer service. In correspondence with the company, she claims, one of the service representatives wrote: "We are no longer in a state of war" — a statement that she said was particularly outrageous at a time when her partner is actually inside Lebanon as part of operational activity.

"He is risking his life to protect the country, and instead of showing a little understanding and consideration, they chose to hide behind dry procedures," she said. "We didn't ask for a favor, just for them to show consideration for those called to protect the country in an instant."

"Kupat Tel Aviv" stated: "This concerns an order for two tickets totaling 598 NIS for a Liran Danino show to be held on 6.8.26. The show was postponed from its original date, and in accordance with the regulations, it could have been canceled with a full refund until 22.6.26. The client's first inquiry was received by us via email only on 22.7.26, and the reserve duty order presented to us bears the date 15.7.26 — after the cancellation window closed — and it is understood that no one could have foreseen this in advance.

"In response to the inquiry, the client was offered a full credit voucher, even though at this stage we were not under an obligation to cancel according to the Consumer Protection Law. The client did not respond to this reply, and therefore the matter remained open until his partner's inquiries today.

"Upon the partner's inquiry this morning, one day before the show, the details provided for verification did not match the order details, and therefore the representative was not authorized to perform an action on an order that was not in her name — a procedure intended to protect our clients' funds and privacy. In this conversation as well, a credit voucher was offered, and later in the day, after an identified inquiry from the number under which the order is registered, a full credit voucher for 598 NIS valid for two years was issued to the client.

"Regarding the quote from the conversation — the things were said in one context only: a clarification that there are currently no Home Front Command guidelines restricting the holding of the show, and therefore it is taking place as scheduled and is not being canceled. There was no intention to express a position on the service of reservists. We remind you that "Kupat Tel Aviv" donates thousands of tickets annually, as a matter of routine, to soldiers and their family members — out of deep appreciation for those serving, and any attempt to attribute to us a lack of sensitivity toward them does not reflect our actions.

"On the merits of the matter: after further examination of the circumstances of the case, and out of that same appreciation for reservists, we have decided — as a gesture of goodwill — to return the client's full money. The credit voucher will be converted into a full monetary refund, and the client will be updated on this directly. We wish him safe service and a safe return home."