Couscous-based Israeli-Palestinian proxy war breaks out on Virgin Atlantic

"Inspired by the flavours of Palestine," read a description of a salad on the airline's menu.

FEBRUARY 14, 2018 11:33

Updated: FEBRUARY 15, 2018 03:17

A Virgin Atlantic passenger aircraft prepares for take off from Gatwick Airport in southern England, Britain, October 9, 2016. REUTERS/Toby Melville (photo credit: REUTERS/TOBY MELVILLE) — A Virgin Atlantic passenger aircraft prepares for take off from Gatwick Airport in southern England, Britain, October 9, 2016. REUTERS/Toby Melville

(photo credit: REUTERS/TOBY MELVILLE)

After the airline Virgin Atlantic described a couscous-style salad on its menu as "inspired by the flavours of Palestine," pro-Israel activists took to social media and called for a boycott of the airline, according to a report by the BBC.

The airline agreed to remove the terms, but when the news broke on February 11 it outraged pro-Palestinian activists and sparked a wave of online reactions.

Palestinians have been so dehumanized over the years in the West, that even using the term to describe food is somehow deemed “offensive”. SHAME ON YOU @VirginAtlantic #BoycottVirginAtlantic https://t.co/R0jW2C2Pax
— Ahmed Shihab-Eldin (@ASE) February 11, 2018

The website Electronic Intifada reported about the removal of the word "Palestinian", and twitter users moved forward and called for a boycott of the airline.

An airline spokesperson told the BBC that "We'd like to reassure all customers that our sole intention was to bring new flavors onboard, and never to cause offence through the naming or renaming of the dish."

Apparently, they originally labeled the dish "Palestinian" because they assumed most Westerners would not recognize the name of the dish's main ingredient, maftoul.

In December, celebrity chef Rachael Ray sparked another Israeli-Palestinian twitter war after she posted a picture of hummus and stuffed grape leaves with the caption "Israeli nite."