Google Block on Reviews Draws Business Ire in Israel, Palestine

Ashraf Creish, the owner of the West Bank restaurant Zest, knew the Israel-Hamas war was going to be hard on business. The steady flow of diners from international organizations and consulates in Jerusalem stopped after Oct. 7 and never came back.

But he ran into an unexpected hurdle in seeking new customers for his Ramallah cafe, which enjoys a 4.7-star rating on Google: Alphabet Inc. blocked new reviews for businesses in Israel and the Palestinian territories since Hamas invaded southern Israel nearly eight months ago.