Israeli lawyers have filed a class action against Airbnb after its decision to remove Jewish settler homes in the occupied West Bank from its rental listings.
A spokesman for the attorneys, who spoke to AFP Friday on condition of anonymity, said the lead plaintiff was Maanit Rabinovich of Kida settlement in the West Bank.
Rabinovich says Airbnb never contacted her to warn her of its intention.
The suit, the spokesman said, seeks 15,000 shekels (3,500 euros) in damages for Rabinovich and each other settler host should Airbnb delete them from its listings.
San Francisco-based Airbnb said Monday it would remove West Bank homes from its site, prompting Israel's tourism ministry to threaten legal action.
The decision would affect around 200 homes in Israeli settlements that had been listed on the platform.
Around 400,000 Israelis live in settlements that dot the West Bank and range in size from tiny hamlets to large towns, in addition to 200,000 living in settlements in occupied east Jerusalem.
The international community considers the settlements to be illegal and a key barrier to peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Airbnb has said it "concluded that we should remove listings in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank that are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians".
"We know that people will disagree with this decision and appreciate their perspective. This is a controversial issue," it said in a statement.
