Breaking bread in troubled times: 'Hummus for Peace' launched in Israel

[webfact]

Breaking bread in troubled times: 'Hummus for Peace' launched in Israel
By Sarah Joanne Taylor | With REUTERS



NETANYU: -- A hummus restaurant in Israel is encouraging customers to break bread amid troubled times.

With just over a month of escalating conflict in the Middle East showing little sign of easing, the Hummus Bar in the coastal city of Netanyu is doing its bit to promote peace.

It has launched a “Hummus for Peace” campaign offering a 50 percent discount to Muslims and Jews who sit and share a meal together.

Kobi Tzafrir manages the eatery.

“The idea came to mind because of all we’re hearing on the news,” he explained. “You see different racist and extremist posts on Facebook and the Internet, so I decided to write my own post, to try the other direction, to write a post that talks more about mutual respect.”

In the spirit of togetherness, the Hummus Bar also advertises “a free refill for every serving of hummus, whether you’re Arabs, Jews, Christians or Indians.”

Following the success of the deal, the eatery has tasked other Hummus restaurants around the world with providing the same offer to Jews and Muslims who sit and share a meal.

Food for thought in times of conflict, perhaps?

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-10-23

[Soutpeel]

For once a postive story coming out this conflict....

[Seastallion]

Nice. I hope the offer is taken up roundly.

There's sure to be resentment though.

Of the sides in the conflict, it is more likely to be Jewish terrorists than Palestinian, that will take offense and do something nasty to the restaurant because they are the ones that hate to see reconciliation. We'll see.

[DeaconJohn]

Yeah, I think that's great. But just in case, I would lock up the sharp knives. No, I'm not kidding. Read the news.

Trust you to write something dumb, paranoid and inflamatory when someone is doing something to promote racial harmony.

Agreed.

Israelis who see Palestinians as human beings and are willing to coexist with them should be encouraged.

The root cause of the violence is the expansion of illegal settlements and the theft of Palestinian land.

Moderate Israelis like these people are the only hope for the future.

Israel has become a pariah state with a shrunken national status.

Forget about the Zionist dream of Eretz Israel. Live within your 1967 borders and you will be able to walk the streets in safety.

[Soutpeel]

Yeah, I think that's great. But just in case, I would lock up the sharp knives. No, I'm not kidding. Read the news.

Trust you to write something dumb, paranoid and inflamatory when someone is doing something to promote racial harmony.

Agreed.

Israelis who see Palestinians as human beings and are willing to coexist with them should be encouraged.

The root cause of the violence is the expansion of illegal settlements and the theft of Palestinian land.

Moderate Israelis like these people are the only hope for the future.

Israel has become a pariah state with a shrunken national status.

Forget about the Zionist dream of Eretz Israel. Live within your 1967 borders and you will be able to walk the streets in safety.

All it takes is the people on both sides to say enough is enough and stuff " the leaders" on both sides with their agendas and it can happen, everyone grows tired of war eventually...

As i mentioned in another post have some good friends who are Israeli's and they would be horrified at the rhetoric and inflammatory statements made by the Zionist Glee club on here, but I suspect the glee club are not Israelis, have never lived in Israel never served in IDF so have never seen what is going on, on the ground there

[Jingthing]

It's a nice gesture. I support it. I eat in Arab and Muslim restaurants all the time. Hummus even. No discount has been offered! But it's pretty naive to think this PR gesture is any kind of major peace breakthrough.

[Jingthing]

If you're sitting down with an Israeli Jew to eat hummus and that Israeli Jew supports the existence of the state of Israel and the right of Israel to defend itself, you're sitting down with a Zionist Jew. That Zionist Jew may well have good Arab friends, may have Arab lovers, may be very left wing and very anti-settler movement, but still a Zionist Jew. So demonizing Zionists is basically demonizing the entirety of the existence of Israel.

[metisdead]

A troll post and replies have been removed. A political grandstanding post has been removed as well as the replies.

[Seastallion]

If you're sitting down with an Israeli Jew to eat hummus and that Israeli Jew supports the existence of the state of Israel and the right of Israel to defend itself, you're sitting down with a Zionist Jew. That Zionist Jew may well have good Arab friends, may have Arab lovers, may be very left wing and very anti-settler movement, but still a Zionist Jew. So demonizing Zionists is basically demonizing the entirety of the existence of Israel.

No. You're playing semantics and trying to lessen the guilt of the actual Zionists that most people refer to.

In these discussions, I think it is safe to say that most people refer to Zionists as those that follow the ideals of the founders of Israel, and similarly those that follow the ideals of the original Likud manifesto...you know the one that states "all the land from the river to the sea".

Those Zionists are the racist thieves.

[Steely Dan]

If you're sitting down with an Israeli Jew to eat hummus and that Israeli Jew supports the existence of the state of Israel and the right of Israel to defend itself, you're sitting down with a Zionist Jew. That Zionist Jew may well have good Arab friends, may have Arab lovers, may be very left wing and very anti-settler movement, but still a Zionist Jew. So demonizing Zionists is basically demonizing the entirety of the existence of Israel.

No. You're playing semantics and trying to lessen the guilt of the actual Zionists that most people refer to.

In these discussions, I think it is safe to say that most people refer to Zionists as those that follow the ideals of the founders of Israel, and similarly those that follow the ideals of the original Likud manifesto...you know the one that states "all the land from the river to the sea".

Those Zionists are the racist thieves.

I wonder when was the last day you failed to use the word Zionist? You can't give it a rest can you not even for one solitary news item trying to highlight something positive, albeit small.

But silly me, of course peace is really the biggest nightmare some of our esteemed members could face. Where would all that obsessive spite and vitriol go? Should there ever be peace I predict boom times for hummus sellers in Eretz Yisrael and psychiatrists working several time zones away from the levant.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Steely Dan

[Soutpeel]

If you're sitting down with an Israeli Jew to eat hummus and that Israeli Jew supports the existence of the state of Israel and the right of Israel to defend itself, you're sitting down with a Zionist Jew. That Zionist Jew may well have good Arab friends, may have Arab lovers, may be very left wing and very anti-settler movement, but still a Zionist Jew. So demonizing Zionists is basically demonizing the entirety of the existence of Israel.

No. You're playing semantics and trying to lessen the guilt of the actual Zionists that most people refer to.

In these discussions, I think it is safe to say that most people refer to Zionists as those that follow the ideals of the founders of Israel, and similarly those that follow the ideals of the original Likud manifesto...you know the one that states "all the land from the river to the sea".

Those Zionists are the racist thieves.

I wonder when was the last day you failed to use the word Zionist? You can't give it a rest can you not even for one solitary news item trying to highlight something positive, albeit small.

But silly me, of course peace is really the biggest nightmare some of our esteemed members could face. Where would all that obsessive spite and vitriol go? Should there ever be peace I predict boom times for hummus sellers in Eretz Yisrael and psychiatrists working several time zones away from the levant.

Fairs fair....in the last 24 hours i have seen the Zionist throwing around inflammatory and hysterial terms such as neo-nazi, anti-semite, anti-zionist, jew-hater all over the place like little children eating hummus a lot more than "zionist" has been thrown around....maybe go out and buy some hummus and eat it with your nearest arab neighbour and help the peace process

[Jingthing]

On topic to the news story

Following the success of the deal, the eatery has tasked other Hummus restaurants around the world with providing the same offer to Jews and Muslims who sit and share a meal.

considering many of us live in THAILAND, what can we do here, in THAILAND to follow the spirit of this eating hummus for peace concept?

In some cities in Thailand there are both Arabic and Israeli places serving ... wait for it ... hummus.

I am trying to imagine how this would practically work here. Speaking as someone who eats OFTEN in Muslim/Arabic restaurants but honestly I would be AFRAID for my safety to eat in such places if I was openly identified as a Jew (such as wearing a Jewish kippah) and even more so as an Israeli Jew (which I'm not, but just saying). I also imagine there would be discomfort if people dressed with a typical Palestinian headwear or wearing a Palestinian flag t-shirt entered an Israeli restaurant, yes, in Thailand.

At Iranian restaurants, for example, I am often hounded to reveal my nationality. I wish they didn't ask. Just there to eat as I happen to really love Iranian food. But sometimes I say, I'm American and they're super friendly but other times they instantly clam up and get weird and frowny. Sorry, after that happens, I will never go back (except for a buffet) ... they are serving food to me, who knows what goes on back in the kitchen?

Recently I did see a group of Israelis eating at an Iranian buffet restaurant. First time I ever saw that in Thailand. Yes there are Iranian restaurants in Israel as there are many Iranian Jews in Israel. They seemed to be making an effort to be super polite and that was great, but I really wonder if that same group would be brave enough to go there openly as Israeli and order from the kitchen, rather than a buffet.

I don't think this is paranoid. More like realistic.

The reason this sharing hummus for peace idea is making news internationally is rooted in what I am talking about ... the tension, fear, and conflict are REAL. If eating hummus together can help, great, every little bit helps.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Jingthing

[Steely Dan]

On topic to the news story

Following the success of the deal, the eatery has tasked other Hummus restaurants around the world with providing the same offer to Jews and Muslims who sit and share a meal.

considering many of us live in THAILAND, what can we do here, in THAILAND to follow the spirit of this eating hummus for peace concept?

In some cities in Thailand there are both Arabic and Israeli places serving ... wait for it ... hummus.

I am trying to imagine how this would practically work here. Speaking as someone who eats OFTEN in Muslim/Arabic restaurants but honestly I would be AFRAID for my safety to eat in such places if I was openly identified as a Jew (such as wearing a Jewish kippah) and even more so as an Israeli Jew (which I'm not, but just saying). I also imagine there would be discomfort if people dressed with a typical Palestinian headwear or wearing a Palestinian flag t-shirt entered an Israeli restaurant, yes, in Thailand.

At Iranian restaurants, for example, I am often hounded to reveal my nationality. I wish they didn't ask. Just there to eat as I happen to really love Iranian food. But sometimes I say, I'm American and they're super friendly but other times they instantly clam up and get weird. Sorry, after that happens, I will never go back ... they are serving food to me, who knows what goes on back in the kitchen?

I don't think this is paranoid. More like realistic.

The reason this sharing hummus for peace idea is making news internationally is rooted in what I am talking about ... the tension, fear, and conflict are REAL. If eating hummus together can help, great, every little bit helps.

The branch of the Lahore kebab house in North London must know 20% of its customers are probably Jews, business is business, as I recently concluded when I bought some fig tree cuttings online from the 'Holly land' from a bloke with an Arab sounding name, whether he was Christian or Muslim mattered not to me and my Jewish surname obviously didn't bother him either.

But hang on, based on rhetoric and apparent fanaticism would you not feel safer dining with your common and garden Arab than some of our esteemed members?

[Jingthing]

I think it's different in the west than in Thailand, which isn't the west and gets so many "UNFILTERED" people from all over the planet. Especially in the USA where American Muslims are so relatively well integrated.

[Jingthing]

WARNING.

HUMOR BREAK.

Scenes from the very famous "Palestinian chicken" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry David is the creator of Seinfeld.

You've got to admit this is totally on topic here, even though it aired in 2011. The scene takes place in Los Angeles. Enjoy!

If you like those, you may want to view the "Occupy This" scene which is too racy to post here ...

Edited October 23, 2015 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Question about the PHOTO in the news story OP?

Is that an authentic photo of a table of Jews and Arabs in Israel sharing Peace hummus at the discount for peace restaurant?

Because look at that photo ... those people don't look particularly like they are Jews or Arabs.

It looks like a group of white gentiles in Iowa or something ...

I'm not doubting that Jews and Arabs eat together sometimes. I've eaten pork chops with a gay Palestinian, true story, so I can confirm.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Jingthing

[up-country_sinclair]

Question about the PHOTO in the news story OP?

Is that an authentic photo of a table of Jews and Arabs in Israel sharing Peace hummus at the discount for peace restaurant?

Because look at that photo ... those people don't look particularly like they are Jews or Arabs.

It looks like a group of white gentiles in Iowa or something ...

That's because so many of the occupiers are the spawn of European colonists.

[Credo]

Question about the PHOTO in the news story OP?

Is that an authentic photo of a table of Jews and Arabs in Israel sharing Peace hummus at the discount for peace restaurant?

Because look at that photo ... those people don't look particularly like they are Jews or Arabs.

It looks like a group of white gentiles in Iowa or something ...

That's because so many of the occupiers are the spawn of European colonists.

The people who don't look Arab and the spawn of whom?

[Jingthing]

The people who don't look Arab and the spawn of whom?

I reckon that photo is the "spawn" of a lazy editor's finding a GENERIC stock photo of a group of people eating.

But you know, how people look is part of this. Many Jews look definitely to be Jews and many Arabs look definitely to be Arabs. It's not just the dress or religious garb. There are ethnic traits. I know this from personal experience as being kind of 3/4 definitely looking a Jew with enough ambiguity that Arabs aren't 100 percent certain (I might be Arab). Of course many Jews and Arabs can pass for each other as well.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Jingthing

[Thorgal]

To be correct and with no double meanings, but I think that the Eritreans can or should share the same table...

[connda]

It's little things like this that take the government's out of the picture and brings regular people together. Inspiring! I wish the venture the best of luck.

[Jingthing]

It's little things like this that take the government's out of the picture and brings regular people together. Inspiring! I wish the venture the best of luck.

Actually there are many small scale organized efforts like this in Israel and other parts of the world to foster human understanding between Arabs and Jews. Of course it's especially effective for children. But right now, this is really a tense time.

[Thorgal]

Question about the PHOTO in the news story OP?

Is that an authentic photo of a table of Jews and Arabs in Israel sharing Peace hummus at the discount for peace restaurant?

Because look at that photo ... those people don't look particularly like they are Jews or Arabs.

It looks like a group of white gentiles in Iowa or something ...

I'm not doubting that Jews and Arabs eat together sometimes. I've eaten pork chops with a gay Palestinian, true story, so I can confirm.

WARNING : NO TROLL, HUMOURLESS!!!

The answer is perhaps in Ramat Hovav...a little bit south of Beer Sheva...in the hydrogen peroxide factory of Makhteshim...

The same happened here in Thailand in Rayong, back in 2012, when Dow Chemicals builded a similar plant, more and more Thais coloured/bleached their hair and were associated to other countries.

And if you did laugh with my post, it was never my intention!

Edited October 23, 2015 by Thorgal

[connda]

It's a nice gesture. I support it. I eat in Arab and Muslim restaurants all the time. Hummus even. No discount has been offered! But it's pretty naive to think this PR gesture is any kind of major peace breakthrough.

Act locally; Think globally.

A 500 year old cedar doesn't just happen. It's starts from a seed and the right conditions.

If nurtured, and allowed to grow, it may prosper. One can only hope. It's a start.

[Jingthing]

It's a nice gesture. I support it. I eat in Arab and Muslim restaurants all the time. Hummus even. No discount has been offered! But it's pretty naive to think this PR gesture is any kind of major peace breakthrough.

Act locally; Think globally.

A 500 year old cedar doesn't just happen. It's starts from a seed and the right conditions.

If nurtured, and allowed to grow, it may prosper. One can only hope. It's a start.

Fine. Whatever. A bit long to wait for both sides.

Honestly, I think something much more radical than sharing some mashed chickpeas is going to be needed to bring about a real hope of real change.

In my opinion, the Palestinian side needs a transformative leader more like Gandhi than Yasser Arafat ... with that going, the Israelis could eventually come around to actually trusting the Palestinian side.

Having Palestinian leaders that incite terror attacks simply hardens and strengthens the Israeli right wing, pretty much exactly what is happening now, yet again.

I realize the anti-Israel side just says, if only the Israelis just withdraw from Judea/Samaria then peace will magically break out. That is obviously completely absurd and ridiculous. Just look what happened in Gaza.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Jingthing

[Soutpeel]

It's a nice gesture. I support it. I eat in Arab and Muslim restaurants all the time. Hummus even. No discount has been offered! But it's pretty naive to think this PR gesture is any kind of major peace breakthrough.

Act locally; Think globally.

A 500 year old cedar doesn't just happen. It's starts from a seed and the right conditions.

If nurtured, and allowed to grow, it may prosper. One can only hope. It's a start.

Fine. Whatever. A bit long to wait for both sides.

Honestly, I think something much more radical than sharing some mashed chickpeas is going to be needed to bring about a real hope of real change.

In my opinion, the Palestinian side needs a transformative leader more like Gandhi than Yasser Arafat ... with that going, the Israelis could eventually come around to actually trusting the Palestinian side.

Having Palestinian leaders that incite terror attacks simply hardens and strengthens the Israeli right wing, pretty much exactly what is happening now, yet again.

I realize the anti-Israel side just says, if only the Israelis just withdraw from Judea/Samaria then peace will magically break out. That is obviously completely absurd and ridiculous. Just look what happened in Gaza.

It only takes two people in a postion of power or influence to agreed to make the change and find the middle ground, everyone thinks what happened in South Africa was down to De Klerk and Mandela, it wasnt....

at the time the negotations had broken down and SA was tettering on the brink of a possible civil war and two individuals namely Rolf Meyer and Cyril Ramaphosa decided they wouldnt let this happen to the country, and if the story is true they found they shared a common interest, fishing....so they went on a fishing trip together without the cohorts and hangers on, this was the pivotal moment....and the rest they say is history

Although De Klerk/Mandela got the nobel peace prize, the reality is it should have been Ramaphosa/Meyer with their names on that nobel prize

Fishing trips, eating humus in restaurant...so yes very simple and small things can change everything, all it takes is the will and finding a middle ground...in the middle east both parties are going to have make concessions, it will be a give and take

Edited October 24, 2015 by Soutpeel

[Steely Dan]

It's little things like this that take the government's out of the picture and brings regular people together. Inspiring! I wish the venture the best of luck.

Actually there are many small scale organized efforts like this in Israel and other parts of the world to foster human understanding between Arabs and Jews. Of course it's especially effective for children. But right now, this is really a tense time.

Talking of organized efforts BDS would not approve as they campaign to stop any contact between Jews and Palestinians. They claim to be n favour of a two state or one state bi-national one yet campaign against contacts between the two groups which would serve to humanize in favour of separation which dehumanizes. To a casual observer there seems to be a contradiction between BDS stated aims and strategies. The answer is simply that BDS are lying and have always wanted to eliminate Israel, but hide the fact in order to fool more useful idiots.

[BeefSlapper]

In the meantime faking stabbings stories.

1. http://m.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Initial-report-Stabbing-attack-in-Pisgat-Zev-third-of-day-in-Jerusalem-423719#article=6024QjVCN0FCQTc5RThEMjcxMTlFNDZFOThGRTRCQTM0NzM=

What really happened

2. http://www.middleeastrising.com/video-israel-brutally-kills-13-year-old-child-in-jerusalem/

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[Steely Dan]

In the meantime faking stabbings stories.

1. http://m.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Initial-report-Stabbing-attack-in-Pisgat-Zev-third-of-day-in-Jerusalem-423719#article=6024QjVCN0FCQTc5RThEMjcxMTlFNDZFOThGRTRCQTM0NzM=

What really happened

2. http://www.middleeastrising.com/video-israel-brutally-kills-13-year-old-child-in-jerusalem/

Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk

Ah, another Pallywood production featuring the 13 year old terrorist who stabbed two Israelis and who must be the Palestinian Lazarus seeing as Abbas claimed the Israelis executed him only for him to miraculously resurrect in hospital. Had it been a Jewish boy who stabbed Palestinians a Palestinian crowd would have killed him no question whatsoever.

[BeefSlapper]

In the meantime faking stabbings stories.

1. http://m.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Initial-report-Stabbing-attack-in-Pisgat-Zev-third-of-day-in-Jerusalem-423719#article=6024QjVCN0FCQTc5RThEMjcxMTlFNDZFOThGRTRCQTM0NzM=

What really happened

2. http://www.middleeastrising.com/video-israel-brutally-kills-13-year-old-child-in-jerusalem/

Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk

Ah, another Pallywood production featuring the 13 year old terrorist who stabbed two Israelis and who must be the Palestinian Lazarus seeing as Abbas claimed the Israelis executed him only for him to miraculously resurrect in hospital. Had it been a Jewish boy who stabbed Palestinians a Palestinian crowd would have killed him no question whatsoever.

Nowhere they said he died.

It was appempted murder.

No help to wounded.

Theres many more faked stories.

And I dont know u noticed but the first link which is israeli media claims it was israeli boy who got stabbed by palestinian. Jews lies propaganda.

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