Topline
The White House called a protest outside a Jewish-owned falafel restaurant in Philadelphia over the weekend “cruel and senseless” in a statement Monday, joining a litany of politicians who have condemned the protest as antisemitic, the latest display of tensions across the U.S. surrounding the Israel-Hamas war.
Pro-Palestine protesters in Philadelphia after a blast at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza in … [+]
Key Facts
The White House said it is “completely unjustifiable to target restaurants that serve Israeli food over disagreements with Israeli policy” in a statement that highlighted Biden’s efforts to combat antisemitism.
On Saturday, dozens of protesters were filmed gathering outside Goldie, a downtown Philadelphia restaurant owned by Israeli-born chef Michael Solomonov.
In the videotaped protest, demonstrators called for a cease-fire, waved Palestinian flags and chanted “Goldie, Goldie, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide.”
The protest was organized by the Philadelphia Free Palestine Coalition, which previously called for a boycott after Solomonov promised to donate revenue from Goldie and his other New York and Philadelphia restaurants to Israel’s Friends of United Hatzalah, an emergency medical service nonprofit, in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
Chief Critic
Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro also rebuked the protest, calling it a “blatant act of antisemitism” in a post Sunday on X, formerly known as Twitter, while adding that Goldie was “targeted and mobbed because its owner is Jewish and Israeli.”
Key Background
Saturday’s protest in Philadelphia adds to a growing list of tense demonstrations since Hamas attacked southern Israel in October and the Israeli military responded with a ground invasion. The Anti-Defamation League says some of the protesters have repeated antisemitic rhetoric, and Muslim advocacy groups have also reported a surge in threats and violence. Tensions have erupted on college campuses, where pro-Palestinian student groups have staged mass protests and in some cases, been accused of harrassing Jewish students. The Biden Administration, which has staunchly vowed its support for Israel, in line with historical precedent, has faced increasing calls, including from some outspoken liberal members of Congress, to back a cease-fire. The White House has called for temporary pauses in the violence in exchange for the release of Hamas hostages, but it has not endorsed a cease-fire. Biden is also seeking an additional $14.3 billion in funding for Israel as part of an aid package that includes humanitarian assistance for Gaza.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/12/04/white-house-condemns-antisemitic-pro-palestinian-protest-outside-philadelphia-jewish-owned-restaurant/