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Mayor Bloomberg To Park Slope Food Co-Op: Don't Ban Products Made In Israel In Tuesday Vote
By Celeste Katz/Reeuven Blau
Posted on 03/26/12 | News Source NY Daily News | Comments (0)
Mayor Bloomberg Monday joined the opposition to the Park Slope Food Co-Op’s proposed ban on products imported from Israel.
“We should be encouraging Israel to have more business with us, and us with them — not discouraging it,” the mayor said at an unrelated event in Brooklyn.
The fight over the popular food co-op’s proposal has spanned three years but come to a head in recent days, with a preliminary vote among the group’s 16,000 members scheduled for Tuesday.
A faction within the membership of the organic-food haven wants to enact the prohibition, prompted in part by a larger lobbying movement against Israel.
The group behind the concept wishes to make a statement that Israel should leave the occupied territories and give equal rights to Palestinians.
“I think it has nothing to do with the food,” Hizzoner said. “There are people who want Israel to be torn apart and everybody to be massacred, and America is not going to let that happen.”
The co-op has instituted less controversial restrictions before — once banning products from a Brooklyn company that had been accused of mistreating its workers.
But the proposed ban on Israeli products has proven to be far more divisive among the membership.
The vote had to be moved to a more spacious location because a large turnout is expected. It was initially set to be held at a 400-seat synagogue, but will now take place at Brooklyn Tech’s auditorium, which has 3,000 seats.
New York Sen. Charles Schumer and city Public Advocate Bill de Blasio have both advocated against such a boycott. Neither is a member of the organization.
Photo Caption: A faction within the membership of the organic-food haven wants to enact the prohibition, prompted in part by a larger lobbying movement against Israel.Read More: NY Daily News
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