It is not enough they (Israelis) are stealing our land. They are also stealing our civilization and our cuisine
Hummus. We love it, we eat it and according to Fadi Abboud, president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, it ain’t ours. Along with baba ghannouj and tabbouleh. And Fadi is going to court over it. From My Wire
The latest conflict simmering between Lebanon and Israel is all about food: Lebanese businessmen accusing Israel of stealing traditional Middle Eastern dishes like hummus.
Fadi Abboud, president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, said Tuesday his group plans to sue Israel to stop it from marketing hummus and other regional dishes as Israeli.
“It is not enough they (Israelis) are stealing our land. They are also stealing our civilization and our cuisine,” said Abboud.
He said his group also seeks to claim the eggplant spread baba ghannouj and tabbouleh, a salad made of chopped parsley and tomatoes, as Lebanon’s own.
Hummus — made from mashed chickpeas, sesame paste, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic — has been eaten in the Middle East for centuries. Its exact origin is unknown, though it’s generally seen as an Arab dish.
But it is also immensely popular in Israel — served in everyday meals and at many restaurants — and its popularity is growing around the globe.
While Abboud cites a history of complaints by Lebanese businessmen about Israel exporting and marketing Lebanese dishes as Israeli, it’s not clear where the Lebanese might file suit since the two countries are officially at war.
Israel’s Food Industries Association and the Foreign Ministry both declined comment.
Abboud compares his suit to the one over feta cheese in which a European Union court ruled in 2002 the cheese must be made with Greek sheep and goats milk to bear the name feta. That ruling is only valid for products sold in the EU.
Abboud acknowledged an uphill battle, particularly over hummus — which Palestinians also claim as their own.
“Hummus might be debatable, in any case we will be happy if the Palestinians win… But nobody can even discuss whether tabbouleh or baba ghannouj are Lebanese,” Abboud added. “We don’t have to win. The important thing is to try.”
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You take a piece of rye bread, add “a shmear”, and sprinkle gribenes.
Who cares if the shmear is shmaltz or hummus?
Why on earth would you ruin gribenes by sprinkling them on humus?
A desecration.
For both the gribenes and the humus, BTW. Some things need to stay in their own universes.
What if the falafel is fried in schmalz?
We can sprinkle gribenes over the hummus – OK?
I don’t even like hummus. Or falafel.
A man can HOPE can’t he?
Why would FAdi eat a turd shape piece of falafel?
I hope Fadi chokes to death on a turd shaped piece of Falafel. Really.
Really? Or is this just a marketing tie-in with the just-released on DVD “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan?”
Yeah.
I totally think the Chinese should sue the Japanese for stealing rice from them and then pretending it’s their national dish.
Those devious bastards. I mean, who do they think they are?