Palestinian restaurateur in San Francisco harassed by "Zionist" vandalism
SAN FRANCISCO -- The war in Gaza continues to heighten tensions locally, prompting acts of vandalism and calls for boycotting certain restaurants.
Politicians are voicing their concerns as small business owners are caught up in a war of words they don't want to be a part of.
Old Jerusalem Restaurant in San Francisco's Mission District is where Hajem Almukdad found work as a Palestinian immigrant more than 20 years ago.
He toiled away in the kitchen saving enough to become a co-owner.
"Thank God we made it here. It's a great country. We are grateful and love it here," Almukdad said.
But the war in Gaza spurred someone to spray-paint a harassing message of Zionism just outside his restaurant.
"It was in Hebrew. It was racist," Almukdad said.
Micah Bazant of Jewish Voice for Peace says other Palestinian businesses in San Francisco have been targeted with similar Zionist attacks.
"From the river to the sea, you will see we are going to erase Palestinians," Bazant said quoting one such message.
"We didn't give it much attention because there is more important stuff to deal with," Almukdad said.
Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area has been critical of state senator Scott Wiener, who spoke out against the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' cease-fire resolution.
"This is what these business owners have been facing week after week and we're not seeing Sen. Wiener speak out against that," Bazant said.
Wiener says he was never informed of the acts of vandalism against Palestinian businesses and wholeheartedly condemns them.
"The vandalism that we're seeing is wrong and it needs to be investigated and the perpetrators should be held accountable," Wiener said.
Wiener also believes recent calls to boycott certain Israeli-owned businesses are wrong.
"We need to really call out any kind of hatred, anti-semitism, Islamophobic attacks on the Palestinian community and attacks on these businesses," Wiener said.
For Almukdad, his focus is bringing people with differing backgrounds who may have opposing views together.
"I've seen new customers Jewish, who come in here to just want to show support," Almukdad said.
The horrific images and seemingly endless onslaught of videos of innocent children dying in Gaza is heartbreaking for Almukdad.
"We hope there will be a cease-fire soon and hope people come together and realize killing is not acceptable," he said.
Almukdad prays for peace abroad and here at home in his new country as an American.
Wiener says he will personally reach out to the Old Jerusalem restaurant to express support in light of the recent acts of Zionist vandalism.
