‘Of course, I’m angry . . . The city doesn’t do anything to help us feel more protected.’
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
The Hummus Kitchen, a kosher Israeli food-themed establishment on the Upper East Side has been attacked for the second time in four days, and the owner is demanding action and protection for her establishment, according to the New York Post.
In the most recent attack, a woman named Jeanette Suleiman ripped down the Israeli and American flags and shoved an employee.
Just a few days previous, another woman dubbed “The Soup Nazi,” but whose real name was Mayra Teke, pulled down the flag and yelled “You are all murderers,” threw a container of soup at an employee, and flashed the middle finger as she was walking away from the restaurant.
Hummus Kitchen owner Sharon Hoota told The New York Post, “I’m worried about my employees. I want them to feel comfortable.”
Hoota continued, “Of course I’m angry . . . and I’m very sorry that we need to feel scared to show our flags. The city doesn’t do anything to help us feel more protected.”
Although the first woman was identified as Mayra Teke (19) of Paterson, NJ, the police made no arrests.
The second woman, Janet Suleiman, went up to the Israeli flag and yelled, “That’s disgusting,” flipped off the employee, tried to tear the flag down and shoved an employee.
Hoota continued expressing her outrage at her restaurant being subjected to repeated attacks.
“I am amazed that those entitled individuals just walk into a restaurant and brazenly attack personnel and deface property. They made it very clear that we are a target because of our national origin, and chose destruction as a form of protest.”
She added, “We are not making any political claims. Israeli is what I am. It’s my identity, and food is a source of unity and peace for me.”
“I guess peace [is] not everyone’s plate of hummus.”