Rantz: Ellensburg Dollar Tree cashier refuses to sell towels ‘made in Israel,’ quits after manager steps in
Sep 2, 2025, 5:01 AM
A customer had an unpleasant experience at a Dollar Tree because, she says, she dared to buy a product made in Israel. (Photo: Customer provided to Seattle Red 770 AM)
(Photo: Customer provided to Seattle Red 770 AM)
A bizarre scene unfolded Monday afternoon at a Dollar Tree in Ellensburg, where a customer said a cashier refused to sell towels to her after discovering they were made in Israel.
According to the customer, the cashier became visibly upset when he realized the towels were manufactured in Israel. The employee reportedly said he was experiencing a “moral dilemma” because of what he recently learned in a 20-hour course on Israel. The customer encouraged him to do more research, but the cashier apparently refused to ring up the item.
When the shopper realized later that the towels were not included in the purchase, she returned to the store. The cashier again hesitated and called for a manager, according to the customer. The manager completed the transaction and admitted they were “working with the employee.”
According to a store manager, after the employee was approached about the incident, he quit.
‘Shocking’ interaction
The customer described the interaction as “shocking,” noting that she was pleased to find a product made in Israel and frustrated that an employee could use political bias as an excuse to deny a sale.
“I don’t know where he took the course on Israel, but obviously it was a one-sided conversation,” the customer explained to The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle Red 770 AM.
The incident highlights how activist rhetoric surrounding Israel is seeping into everyday life—even at a Dollar Tree in Ellensburg, apparently. What was once a simple shopping errand turned into a lecture at the checkout stand, all because an employee decided his personal, ignorant politics outweighed his job.
Dollar Tree corporate did not respond to a request for comment.
Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Seattle Red on 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
Follow @https://twitter.com/jasonrantz
-
Tune in to Seattle Red 770 AM weekdays at 3-7pm to The Jason Rantz Show.
