An Arab Israeli tahini company has found itself in the eye of the storm over the past few days after a donation it made to a local LGBTQ charity sparked a heated debate about gay rights in the Arab sector.
Founded in the 1980s, the Nazareth-based Al-Arz Tahini company is one of the country's largest producers of the classic sesame seed paste, making about 20% of commercially sold tahini in Israel. It also exports its products to Europe and the United States.
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Last week, the company announced it plans to partner with the Aguda – the Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel, to fund a crisis hotline for LGBTQ Arab Israeli youth.
The move essentially broke a taboo as the Arab world still views homosexuality as a sin, an illness, and a perversion. Social media was atwitter with news of the donation, and while LGBTQ activists in Israel hailed the move – as did Arab rights groups, which lauded Al-Arz's CEO Julia Zaher for her courageous decision – calls for a consumer boycott by those in the Arab sector who oppose it soon followed.
Many stores in Arab localities even went as far as to remove the company's tahini from their shelves.
One store owner in the northern Arab town of Tamra posted a video on social media calling on the company to collects its products.
"No one wants to buy Tahini that supports gay people," he said.
In a countermove, the Aguda took to social media with a campaign urging the public to show their support by buying Al-Arz's products.
"The Al-Arz Tahini company has made a brave decision - to form with us a hotline to help the LGBTQ Arab population," it said in a tweet. "This initiative has caused a negative backlash and calls for a boycott against it. Don't let hate and incitement win!"
Speaking with Walla News, Zaher said she was stunned by the backlash.
"The wave of hatred – the number of calls that we received [condemning the move] was astounding. It was extremely upsetting," she said.
"But then came an outpouring of support and love from so many people. It allowed me to catch my breath."
An official statement from the company said, "The Al-Arz Tahini family loves people regardless of religion, sex, gender, or color. Food connects people and so do we. We will continue to be an open house and empower disadvantaged sectors whatever they may be."
Zaher also received backing from Joint Arab List MK Aida Touma-Suleiman, who lauded Zaher for her generosity and urged Arab Israelis to "focus on the real issues."
"We know very well what it means to be persecuted and to suffer discrimination," she said on her official Facebook page. "We know very well what it means to fight for the most basic rights.
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"It is better that we direct the conversation against organized crime and the spread of violence in our society. It is better for us to respect the rights of vulnerable minorities within us."
Joint Arab List leader MK Ayman Odeh slammed the calls for a boycott against the tahini maker as "hypocritical" and said it was the work of "Al Arz's Jewish and Arab competitors."
