The White House has condemned an “antisemitic” protest that took place outside an Israeli falafel shop In Philadelphia over the weekend.
According to the Guardian, Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates contended that the demonstration was “antisemitic and completely unjustifiable to target restaurants that serve Israeli food over disagreements with Israeli policy.”
He added that the behavior “reveals the kind of cruel and senseless double standard that is a calling card of antisemitism.”
On Sunday, a group of protestors, led by the Philly Palestine Coalition, made their way to the city center and gathered outside local businesses.
“While you’re watching, bombs are dropping,” they shouted to people who were watching football in bars.
Particularly, the protestors were chanting outside Goldie, a kosher restaurant owned by the American-Israeli chef Michael Solomonov. Josh Shapiro, the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, denounced the demonstration as a “blatant act of antisemitism – not a peaceful protest.”
I can’t believe I even have to say this but targeting businesses simply because they’re Jewish owned is despicable. Philadelphia stands against this sort of harassment and hate. https://t.co/BfJ2Xxuysi
— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) December 4, 2023
“A restaurant was targeted and mobbed because its owner is Jewish and Israeli,” Shapiro added. “This hate and bigotry is reminiscent of a dark time in history.”
“I can’t believe I even have to say this, but targeting businesses simply because they’re Jewish-owned is despicable. Philadelphia stands against this sort of harassment and hate,” Democratic congressman Brendan Boyle wrote on X.
I can’t believe I even have to say this but targeting businesses simply because they’re Jewish owned is despicable. Philadelphia stands against this sort of harassment and hate. https://t.co/BfJ2Xxuysi
— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) December 4, 2023
In recent weeks, Philadelphia has seen a number of pro-Palestinian rallies. In November, protestors met outside Laser Wolf, a Middle Eastern restaurant owned by the same restaurant group as Goldie.
As reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, an October Instagram post by the Philly Palestine Coalition called for a boycott of multiple restaurants in the city, including CookNSolo’s.
The protest on Sunday follows a weeklong protest cease-fire between Israel and Hamas so that the Israelis taken hostage by Hamas during the terror group’s attack on the Jewish state on Oct. 7 would take place. In exchange for the hostages, Israel would swap Palestinian prisoners in return.
Per Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least Palestinians have been killed since Friday (Dec. 1), adding that the total death toll since the beginning of the war has exceeded 15,200. Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Health Ministry says that Hamas killed 1,200 people during the group’s Oct. 7.
Photo Courtesy: ©Getty Images/Justin Sullivan / Staff
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for Christian Headlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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