Over-Cooked? Israel’s Gastro-Propaganda Round Tables Festival Ends After BDS Campaign
After a four-year, cross-continental BDS campaign, Israel’s culinary propaganda festival Round Tables did not take place in 2019.
After a four-year, cross-continental BDS campaign, Israel’s culinary propaganda festival Round Tables did not take place in 2019.
While there has been no official announcement of the demise of the apartheid festival -- which was sponsored by the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs and Israeli companies complicit in violations of Palestinian human rights -- campaigners had been told by previous participants that the 2018 edition would be its last.
"the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs began flying in renowned chefs from around the world to attend the annual Round Tables by American Express culinary festival... a campaign that [Palestinian-American chef Amanny] Ahmad calls 'culinary whitewashing'" https://t.co/e4uOiUjfVQ
— PACBI (@PACBI) February 25, 2020
Since 2015, Palestinian civil society organisations -- unions of farmers and farm workers, womens' unions, environmental groups and grassroots campaign groups -- had called on international chefs to boycott the festival.
This call was echoed by scores of civil society organisations and human rights activist groups around the world, including in Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, the UK, and the US.
“Food is at the intersection of all systems of power–economically, politically, environmentally." https://t.co/xX1NoTpZLq
— MUNCHIES (@munchies) November 9, 2018
At least six top international chefs heeded the call across the multi-year campaign, and cancelled their participation in the festival Israel dubbed an exercise in “gastro-diplomacy”. Here, we celebrate the impact of the four-year BDS campaign and its many milestones.
Citing #ApartheidRoundTables campaign in leaked report, government-linked Israel lobby organization CCFP is concerned about expansion of the cultural boycott of Israel to food, admits it's "set to continue" #CCFPfraud https://t.co/diBrAtRbHC pic.twitter.com/E02AGXlah9
— PACBI (@PACBI) December 8, 2018
Israel's culinary propaganda fest "Round Tables" uses a feminist facade to hide its decades-old occupation and apartheid as Palestinian women bear the brunt of its crimes.
The largest Palestinian women's coalition urges international chefs to withdraw. https://t.co/tLFlUk1zTH pic.twitter.com/iqTRtD17TT
— BDS movement (@BDSmovement) October 4, 2018
Israel's culinary propaganda festival claims to promote “dialogue through gastronomy,” but 72% of Palestinians in Gaza are food insecure because of Israeli siege. Cancel your participation in #ApartheidRoundTables https://t.co/KkAcPAu7Xt
— Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) October 10, 2018
.@Rosettamexico @e_reygadas Don’t lend your good name to Israel’s #ApartheidRoundTables. It’s an Israeli government-led propaganda effort to mask its crimes against Palestinians. https://t.co/FDbOrhpa7H
— IPSC (@ipsc48) October 28, 2018
The largest Palestinian women's coalition urges international chefs to withdraw from Israel's culinary propaganda fest "Round Tables".
Its feminist facade hides Israel's decades-old occupation and apartheid; Palestinian women bear the brunt of its crimes https://t.co/eCCwbLcztV pic.twitter.com/dmGUqgKOPg
— PACBI (@PACBI) October 6, 2018
Tell chefs: Don't participate in Israel’s #ApartheidRoundTables!
The Israeli government’s “gastro-diplomacy” propaganda festival is using a feminist facade this year to whitewash its occupation and apartheid.
Join our social media action, it's easy to do https://t.co/QsYS6bFtjb pic.twitter.com/LamX4cHYb7
— BDS movement (@BDSmovement) October 23, 2018
.@JudyJooChef: Please listen to Palestinian farmers and women's associations. Stand up for land rights, water rights and basic human rights for Palestinians. Say 'No' to Israel govt. sponsored Round Tables Festival. #BDS https://t.co/BvUyGPZHFb
— Artists for Palestine UK (@Art4PalestineUK) November 6, 2018
US chefs and writers pen a letter urging chefs to cancel their appearance in Israel’s Round Tables food festival, which they describe as "a larger “Brand Israel” campaign to help the Israeli government normalize its ongoing denial of Palestinian rights. " https://t.co/qQwtwxqmEV pic.twitter.com/7oMeI6BzFM
— IMEU (@theIMEU) November 1, 2018
Top Chef Withdraws From Israel's Round Tables Culinary Propaganda Festival
It seems Israel has over-cooked its gastro-propaganda festival. We appeal to @JudyJooChef @Castro_maca @e_reygadas @Leoescocina to do the right thing.#ApartheidRoundTableshttps://t.co/RLmixhbqnC pic.twitter.com/jyLu5tTVIB
— PACBI (@PACBI) November 7, 2018
NYC chef Ora Wise appealed to #PokPok Ny chef Andy Ricker to withdraw from a Tel Aviv “Culinary Propaganda” Festival https://t.co/Y1xyJER8sr pic.twitter.com/CxPxkMB9fx
— Adalah-NY (@AdalahNY) October 12, 2017
Second chef withdraws from Israeli government-sponsored culinary festival https://t.co/FPcbAH3y3Q #ApartheidRoundTables pic.twitter.com/gmIkjwLIqo
— PACBI (@PACBI) November 1, 2017
.@mistereatgalway #Israeli Occupation forces harass #Palestinians trying to farm their land. Don't take part in #ApartheidRoundTables pic.twitter.com/VdDCjWBy91
— Derry IPSC (@ipsc_derry) September 29, 2017
#ApartheidRoundTables trending at N.1 on Thunderclap! Join us in telling chefs not to cater to Israeli apartheid. https://t.co/fYXp9O11YN pic.twitter.com/4OYs6b2HCK
— PACBI (@PACBI) September 28, 2017
Nous demandons au restaurant @labottegach, à Genève (Corraterie) de ne pas participer à laver l'image de l'apartheid https://t.co/gFMq2g5YW5
— BDS Genève (@bdsgeneve) October 26, 2016
Campaigners to restaurant chefs: cancel your participation in Tel Aviv Round Tables tour @BDSmovement https://t.co/hUljGnid7l pic.twitter.com/zSsmtyLXak
— PSC (@PSCupdates) October 24, 2016
Victory! Top chef withdraws support for Tel Aviv event #ApartheidRoundTables https://t.co/urGRSze0YF
— BDS movement (@BDSmovement) November 22, 2016
Still, sparkling or … Apartheid? @FerrarelleIT, cancel sponsorship of #ApartheidRoundTables in Tel Aviv. https://t.co/FxHugLzSR3 pic.twitter.com/yCePqis0EW
— BDS Bologna (@bdsbologna) October 26, 2016
Int'l civil society groups call on chefs to take apartheid off the menu https://t.co/rxodJ2T4VF #ApartheidRoundTables
— Adalah-NY (@AdalahNY) October 27, 2015
Hi @CraftLDN @StevieParle, you won't get rid of #apartheid aftertaste cooking in Israel. Cancl #ApartheidRoundTables https://t.co/EbW021bgxR
— BDS Madrid (@BDSMadrid) October 27, 2015
Hi @ronblaauw Kich Israeli #apartheid off the menue #ApartheidRoundTables https://t.co/G498qNUw2G …
— BDS Berlin (@BDSBerlin) October 27, 2015