An organized flash dance in Philadelphia seems to have sparked a serious movement against Sabra Dipping, hummus manufacturers co-owned by the Israeli food and beverage company Strauss Group.
The company has close ties to the Israeli military through its support of the brutal and repressive Golani Brigade, which has gained a reputation as an aggressive combat unit that routinely violates human rights and international law standards. Golani soldiers have been convicted of beating Palestinian detainees and forcing them to sing humiliating songs while blindfolded. The Israeli daily newsaper Haaretz reports that the Golani Brigade, “struggles with no small number of disciplinary problems and scandals, caused by bad behavior ranging from revolts against commanders to abuse of Palestinians.”
Before the Philly BDS flash dance video [above] circulated around the internet, the Strauss Group’s English-language website stated that its “connection with soldiers goes as far back as the country, and even further. We see a mission and need to continue to provide our soldiers with support, to enhance their quality of life and service conditions, and sweeten their special moments. We have adopted the Golani reconnaissance platoon for over 30 years and provide them with an ongoing variety of food products for their training or missions, and provide personal care packages for each soldier that completes the path.”
Soon thereafter, Strauss Group removed the reference to the Israeli military and the Golani Brigade from its English-language “Community Involvement” page. The Hebrew-language version of the site retains the word-for-word reference to the Golani Brigade.
The campaign against Sabra hummus, the largest producer of hummus in the world, has quickly spread to numerous US universities. DePaul’s Students for Justice in Palestine was prompted to ask for Sabra to be removed from the campus when they learned that Chartwells, a large dining services company, had introduced the hummus to various campus locations. One week after writing a letter to university administrators, the organizers were informed that the product would be removed from the shelves for the remainder of the quarter and likely for the foreseeable future.
The campaign to de-shelve Sabra has also spread to Georgetown and Princeton, where the latter’s Committee on Palestine has sponsored a referendum asking dining services to remove Sabra hummus. Unfortunately, the Daily Princeton editorial board has written against the hummus referendum, citing what they see as a weak connection between Sabra hummus and human rights abuses.
But I’ve heard first hand the apprehension and fears of Palestinians who experienced aggressive and brutal treatment at the hands of Golani soldiers. Back in November 2009, when I was with a Christian Peacemaker Team in the West Bank, the Golani brigade was stationed in Hebron. Throughout their stay I witnessed and documented the extreme and unwarranted use of violence on Palestinian residents as Golani soldiers inflicted head wounds, broke civilians’ hands, and sexually harassed women at checkpoints. The Israeli military’s occupation of Hebron is consistently inhumane, but the maltreatment of Palestinian residents by the Golani Brigade is unparalleled.
The connection between Sabra hummus and human rights abuses is not weak; it is as plain as day. Support the boycott of Sabra hummus and sign the petition letter to Strauss Group, asking them to drop their connection to Israeli army units.
Oh rats. I suspected this was the case ever since my father was in town, and I told him how good Sabra hummus is, and he told me what its nationalist name really means:
Even then, though, till now, I’ve tried to avoid finding out whether the connections with Israeli policies go even deeper. Thanks for sharing this!
Looks like the Strauss Group is back ‘on the record’ in its support of the Golani Brigade.
http://www.jpost.com/home/article.aspx?id=199315
Tune: Darling Clementine
In a tavern with my companion
Excavating for some wine
Found my hummus implicated
In the suffering in Palestine
Humiliation of a nation
By brigades who have free rein
Soldiers supported by Sabra Hummus chant
“We are Golani, we are insane”
We say Sabra is macabre
On its war crimes we won’t dine
Won’t let it near our candelabra
Cause it’s killing Palestine
None among us wants a hummus
If we must cross a picket line
When we learned what we’d been buying
Dreadful sorry, Palestine
It’s ironic and demonic
And it’s really not benign
Eating Arab food while paying
for the murder of Palestine
O my darling, I’m not quarreling
Just don’t bring it to my house
Tastes like Human rights violations
Don’t buy anything from Strauss
And Tribe hummus just among us
Donates to the Jewish National Fund
Stealing land from indigenous people
And that’s why Tribe should be shunned
There is hummus
Right among us
We can eat, and sleep at night
Doesn’t kill indigenous people
Stealing land and water rights
So buy local, and be more vocal
Ethnic cleansing, don’t abide
Or make your own, get in the zone
Don’t despair until you’ve tried
Some Garbanzo or either Chick peas
Which are actually the same
Garlic, salt and olive oil
And you’re ready now to bring
Some tahini, it’s made from sesame
Dash of Lemon juice, you bet
Don’t like our recipe,
look one up yourself,
that’s why God made the internet
Sabra hummus, Sabra hummus
We won’t buy you anymore
You are lost and gone forever
Dreadful Golani we abhor
–Dave Lippman