Posted on 10/07/2008 11:08:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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."
I hate that newspaper... stuff like a whale spotted in the Sound is news to them. The local news here is even worst.
but I want to try that Baba ganoush stuff.....
as to the turf war, aren't Jews and Lebanese and other Arabs all SEMITES?...they share a lot of commonality even though their religion is different.
I bet Obama is for Lebanon.
Food fight!
‘getting cold’ heck wev’e had heavy frost 3 weeks ago.
Arab and Levantene cuisine came to Israel not at least because of (surprise!) Jews emigrating from Arab and Levantene countries to Israel. Just as Russian Jews brought Borsht and Piroshkis to Israel or German and Austrian Jews brought Pretzels.
Make no doubt this is about antisemitism.
Remember when the Left ridiculed the notion of "freedom fries"? Let's see them mock the Lebanese over this.
baba is phenomenal!
I was in Israel Last week and Beirut Yesterday.. and The Hummus Competition is REAL!
You just Described my Breakfast and Lunch this week!!
This sounds like “The Onion”
Scrappleface or reality? Who can tell anymore?
speaking of which... I love the “falafel with hummus” served at the Jerusalem Garden in Ann Arbor.
Lebanon: Israel stole our falafel
YNet | Oct. 6, 2008 | Roee Nahmias
Posted on 10/06/2008 12:02:46 PM PDT by Alouette
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2098866/posts
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