BBC Article

“Hummus is a dip made of chickpeas, olive oil, sesame paste, lemon juice and garlic.” And yet despite this simple description, hummus is also a point of contention amongst Middle Eastern nations, in this case: Israel and Lebanon. Both nations claim that hummus is their national dish, and with this in mind, they have been involved in a “hummus war” of sorts, testing to see who can produce the largest portion of hummus. Until recently, Israel held the record, however, by filling a 10-ton vat with the dip, 300 Lebanese chefs have stolen the claim to fame.

This commonality between Israel and Lebanon, like soccer, is a humanitarian connection that proves that the two nations are not so different after all. This, among other realized similarities, will ultimately prove to be vital to creating peace in the Arab-Israel conflict, giving the involved counties a jumping-off point originating from pre-existing discourse. How do you think events like this can be incorporated into the politics of the region?

The famous Middle Eastern chick pea dip has found its way into the region’s inflamed politics.   The Economist (“Rivalry Over Hummus: An Emotive Issue,” Nov. 14, 2009, p. 56)  notes:

“But for nationalists there is more at stake than fashion. Foods such as hummus originated in Lebanon, they say, and this should be recognised, as much as Greece’s exclusive claim to feta cheese or Parma’s to parmesan. Alarmed by Israeli firms’ success in marketing Middle Eastern foods in the West, where they are sometimes labelled as traditional Israeli fare, they see the food fight as an extension of Arab ‘resistance’ against the usurping of their patrimony.”

But, hummus has also proven itself to be a unifier of fractious Middle Eastern parties when they come up against a common “foe” – the West:

“In fact, it is a matter of record that hummus can promote peace. A decade ago, Israeli and Syrian officials faced off in tense (and ultimately unsuccessful) negotiations at Shepherdstown, West Virginia. But there came one moment of heartfelt agreement. All exclaimed that the hummus, served by their American hosts in an attempt to make everyone feel at home, was horrid.”