Lebanon and Israel Fight Over Falafel

by Jon Azpiri | October 7, 2008 at 01:06 pm

602 views | 0 Recommendations | 13 comments

A group of Lebanese businessmen is preparing a lawsuit against Israel over who has rights over traditional Arab food. Dishes like hummus, falafel, tabbouleh are believed to have originated in Lebanon, but are increasingly popular in Israel.

According to Fadi Abboud, president of the Lebanese Industrialist Association, Israel is violating copyright laws by "taking the identity of some Lebanese foods."

"The Israelis are marketing our main food dishes as if they were Israeli dishes," he charged.

"We are working on registering all the foods and ingredients which will be submitted to the Lebanese government so it can appeal to the international courts against Israel," Abboud said.

"The Israelis are marketing such Lebanese delicacies under the same names and ingredients around the world," he added. "This is harming and causing great losses to Lebanon."

Abboud believes that such a lawsuit is not without precedent.

Abboud says the lawsuit will be based on the precedent of Greek feta cheese. In 2002, Greece won exclusive rights to use the name feta in the European Union after a long court case with Denmark.

But that ruling — which specifies that any cheese called feta must be made with Greek sheep and goats milk — is only valid for products sold in the EU. There is no similar regional body with jurisdiction over Lebanon and Israel.

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rpshen

at 13:15 on October 7th, 2008

this is so strange. I can't believe there is an international precedent. I guess some people are just really passionate about their food.

heydude (not verified)

at 07:01 on October 20th, 2008

no its not about tht.... the problem is that some arabs who STILL have a bit of dignity and pride are just sick and tired of israel stealing land...killing children and now stealing arab culture (food and such) and claiming it is theres!!! (btw notice the SOME arabs)... it is so pathetic how they love to steal...GOOOOOOD!!

sarhana (not verified)

at 15:27 on October 7th, 2008

Its bad enough Isreal stole land, now they are trying to steal another country's food. They are so pathetic.

vonlipisfavorites

at 15:51 on October 7th, 2008

Delicious homemade falafel !

vonlipisfavorites has contributed a photo to this story.

Décollage

at 00:26 on October 8th, 2008

-this is a falafel from frankfurt and its was great . i never try something like that in my life .
i think that the falafels in spain and in Germany are the best

Décollage has contributed a photo to this story.

heydude (not verified)

at 07:02 on October 20th, 2008

u should try original lebanese falafel yummmmmyyy... the thing u taste is not as half as gd as the original thing!!

Décollage

at 00:28 on October 8th, 2008

Is an international food and is great for vegetarians

Falafel is from Vega (not verified)

at 01:48 on October 8th, 2008

Yes the next step would be to declare the Middle East as an international free trade zone and not Arab that way we can all be apologists for anything and anyone that worships sacred cows. Let hope these cows are not Greek. A friend told me that spice is not from India but is international simply because the Germans and Spaniards love hot spicy foods.

Take from me Falafel is from Vega but Israel is from Venus and not Uramus ;-)

Cheilita

at 12:32 on October 8th, 2008

I think people should never fight over food. let us all eat falafel happily.

Assaf from Israel (not verified)

at 08:44 on October 9th, 2008

If they can sue for usage of Flafel (although it's not just lebaneese, it's orifinated from all over the area), then maybe Jews from all over the world should "mega sue" everyone who has ever copied and printed THE BIBLE!!!

Suzan Reyes (not verified)

at 19:38 on January 21st, 2009

"mega sue" for the bible... the book and the son of god the jews tried to kill!!! ok... The jews unfortunately have no culture, at least not an appealing one, and no land! So I'm proud to say that the arabs have for once tried to take something back... and I can only hope for retrieving the rest of our possessions (palestine)!

MeirCookBook (not verified)

at 22:22 on October 9th, 2008

I feel so GUILTY....
Yes, its me. I took the recipe....and I won't give it back :-) :-)
Hey Lebanon, Syria and Hezbollah (who have the copyright on the TERROR) stole your whole country!

Try to stop us if you've got the (felafel) balls

Visit me: www.MeirCookBook.net

Have a nice FALAFEL
Me