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Lebanese chefs preparing hummus during an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of Records.
 (Reuters)
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Last update - 02:41 25/10/2009
Lebanese to Israel: Hands off our hummus!
By The Associated Press
Tags: Hummus, Israel News, Lebanon 

Lebanese chefs prepared a massive plate of hummus weighing over two tons Saturday that broke a world record organizers said was previously held by Israel - in a bid to claim proprietorship over the popular Middle Eastern dip.

"Come and fight for your bite, you know you're right!" was the slogan for the event - part of a simmering war over regional cuisine between Lebanon and Israel, which have had tense political relations for decades.

Lebanese businessmen accuse Israel of stealing a host of traditional Middle Eastern dishes, particularly hummus, and marketing them worldwide as Israeli.
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"Lebanon is trying to win a battle against Israel by registering this new Guinness World Record and telling the whole world that hummus is a Lebanese product, its part of our traditions," said Fady Jreissati, vice president of operations at International Fairs and Promotions group, the event's organizer.

Hummus - made from mashed chickpeas, sesame paste, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic - has been eaten in the Middle East for centuries. Its exact origin is unknown, though it's generally seen as an Arab dish.

But it is also immensely popular in Israel - served in everyday meals and at many restaurants - and its popularity is growing around the globe.

The issue of food copyright was raised last year by the head of Lebanon's
Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Fadi Abboud, when he announced plans to sue Israel to stop it from marketing hummus and other regional dishes as Israeli.

But to do that, Lebanon must formally register the product as Lebanese. The association is still in the process of collecting documents and proof supporting its claim for that purpose.

Lebanese industrialists cite, as an example, the lawsuit over feta cheese in which a European Union court ruled in 2002 the cheese must be made with Greek sheep and goats milk to bear the name feta. That ruling is only valid for products sold in the EU.

Abboud says that process took seven years and realizes Lebanon's fight with Israel is an uphill battle.

Meanwhile, he says, events like Saturday's serve to remind the world that hummus is not Israeli.

"If we don't tell Israel that enough is enough, and we don't remind the world that it's not true that hummus is an Israeli traditional dish, they [Israelis] will keep on marketing it as their own," he said Saturday.

Some 300 chefs were involved in preparing Saturday's massive ceramic plate of hummus in a huge tent set up in downtown Beirut. The white-uniformed chefs used 1,350 kilograms of mashed chickpeas, 400 liters of lemon juice and 26 kilograms of salt to make the dish, weighing 2,056 kilograms.

It was not clear what the former Israeli record was, and organizers gave conflicting reports on when it was made.

But chefs and visitors broke into cheers and applause when a representative from the Guinness Book of World Records presented Abboud with a ertificate verifying Lebanon had broken the previous record. The plate was then decorated with the red, green and white Lebanese flag.

A similar attempt to set a new world record will be held Sunday for the largest serving of tabbouleh, a salad made of chopped parsley and tomatoes, that Lebanon also claims as its own.


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      1.   HUMMUS IS LEBANESE 18:57  |  Alan 24/10/09
      2.   hummus 19:15  |  al 24/10/09
      3.   lebanese cuisine is the best 19:20  |  northern neighbor 24/10/09
      4.   Much Better Activity Than Starting Wars 19:32  |  Brad 24/10/09
      5.   hummus 20:03  |  rita michalevicz 24/10/09
      6.   hey... 20:18  |  alan 24/10/09
      7.   Authentic Israeli hummus 20:20  |  David 24/10/09
      8.   This is Ridiculous 20:22  |  Gil 24/10/09
      9.   Funny- Chickpeas were found on Masada Before Lebanon even existed 20:24  |  Dan 24/10/09
      10.   Hummus or Satellites? 20:28  |  ed 24/10/09
      11.   Remember--You kicked us out 20:31  |  Ex-Lebanese 24/10/09
      12.   Hummus made in Israel is israeli hummus. Hummus made in china is 20:35  |  Joey 24/10/09
      13.   Israeli vs. Lebanese humous 20:37  |  DB 24/10/09
      14.   more hummus, less hamas 20:37  |  bob 24/10/09
      15.   if it is not lebanese 20:39  |  Petros 24/10/09
      16.   #1 you eat humus, we eat humus... 20:44  |  tel aviv eyes 24/10/09
      17.   yes yes yes. MORE HUMUS LESS HAMAS 20:47  |  tel aviv eyes 24/10/09
      18.   Varieties 20:52  |  Thom 24/10/09
      19.   In Italy they call them ceci beans . . . 21:04  |  Zev Davis 24/10/09
      20.   Who really cares? 21:09  |  Malone 24/10/09
      21.   What`s next? China sues world over rice? 21:10  |  Get over yourself 24/10/09
      22.   ExLebanese, how ironic! 21:10  |  northen neighbor 24/10/09
      23.   Love hummus 21:18  |  stella westwell 24/10/09
      24.   Chick pea dish 21:20  |  The Green Baron 24/10/09
      25.   HUMMUS IS MIDEASTERN 21:22  |  yona 24/10/09
      26.   Mideast culinary battle 21:23  |  The Green Baron 24/10/09
      27.   Lebanon should focus on Syrian and Iranian control 21:34  |  Ilan 24/10/09
      28.   You can have the humus... 21:43  |  Tom 24/10/09
      29.   Food Politics 21:46  |  Iraqi Jew 24/10/09
      30.   stella westwell 21:53  |  northern neighbor 24/10/09
      31.   The Green Baron 21:55  |  northen neighbor 24/10/09
      32.   tel aviv eyes, stick to hebrew 21:58  |  northern neighbor 24/10/09
      33.   hummus existed before the israeli or lebanese state 21:59  |  lebnaniye 24/10/09
      34.   Hummus made in Jordan 22:03  |  Anonymous 24/10/09
      35.   Cheer the things in common! 22:07  |  Frank 24/10/09
      36.   zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 22:07  |  SDHD 24/10/09
      37.   Israeli hummus, imitation of lebanese, is much better 22:11  |  Israeli citizen 24/10/09
      38.   Food, music and culture are intermixed 22:12  |  Anonymous 24/10/09
      39.   No.12 - Yorkshire pudding eaten in Tel Aviv.. 22:35  |  Palestinian Brit 24/10/09
      40.   Iraqi jew 22:36  |  ClearCut 24/10/09
      41.   No Yona it`s the principal of the matter 22:37  |  Palestinian Prince 24/10/09
      42.   Abu Shukri`s humus. 22:48  |  Australian traveller 24/10/09
      43.   Humus in the Bible 22:48  |  Pepe 24/10/09
      44.   You can`t live on Hummus 22:49  |  H 24/10/09
      45.   just told my kids yesterday that it`s probably Lebanese invention 22:53  |  Smadar 24/10/09
      46.   If the only reason for fighting against each other is hummus 22:57  |  Daniel Leopold 24/10/09
      47.   Iraqi Jew #28 so let me get this straight 23:14  |  Palestinian Prince 24/10/09
      48.   "Wild Garden" is the best hummus ever 23:22  |  anonymous 24/10/09
      49.   "Arab food" in Australia. Getting over ignorance and bigotry. 23:24  |  Maureen Ann 24/10/09
      50.   Hummus is Middle Eastern Cuisine. It Belongs to us all 23:31  |  John Q. Public 24/10/09
      51.   More power to the Lebanese! 23:48  |  hf 24/10/09
      52.   that explains why they are so fat 23:58  |  potash katiftof 24/10/09
      53.   Can China sue Singapore over fried noodle and fried rice? 00:07  |  Aston Kwok 25/10/09
      54.   Hezbanon give me a call when you GDP is 1/10 of that of Israel 00:09  |  You can have 25/10/09
      55.   #38 00:35  |  Iraqi Jew 25/10/09
      56.   What about sushi? 00:39  |  Boaz 25/10/09
      57.   Please don`t call Hezbollah to solve the "problem" 00:52  |  The both are good 25/10/09
      58.   Nirthern Neighbor # 21 01:15  |  ChanahS 25/10/09
      59.   This just in ... 01:33  |  Morris Valentine 25/10/09
      60.   Competition 01:47  |  Bill 25/10/09
      61.   Ex-Lebanese 01:53  |  Lebanese_Jew 25/10/09
      62.   a little humus here and a little humus there... 02:02  |  Connie 25/10/09
      63.   Hummus 02:06  |  Spiderman 25/10/09
      64.   It starts with hummus.... 02:08  |  JUDGE 25/10/09
      65.   yes yes yes. MORE HUMUS LESS HAMAS 02:10  |  Spain man 25/10/09
      66.   ClearCut 02:21  |  yona 25/10/09
      67.   Sorry, but Lebanese & Arabic Hummus is Inferior... 02:24  |  Cub Fan 25/10/09
      68.   hummus origin?? 02:35  |  Sam 25/10/09
      69.   iraqi jews come back home we miss you 02:37  |  teflon moslem 25/10/09
      70.   02:42  |  Joel 25/10/09
      71.   We need to learn to compromise 02:45  |  Harry Kettler 25/10/09
      72.   LEBANESE FOOD 02:46  |  Rozz 25/10/09
      73.   Humus 02:55  |  Jilly 25/10/09
      74.   Hummus in the Torah 04:18  |  Yonatan 25/10/09
      75.   Hummus makers of the world unite! 04:18  |  Hummus Simpson 25/10/09
      76.   We dont have a life REWARD: a pile of hummus if you find it 04:34  |  Hezbanese 25/10/09
      77.   Israel claims nothing; it just calls hummus `hummus` 04:37  |  Duhh 25/10/09
      78.   Bad Recipe Alert 04:50  |  Benjamin 25/10/09
      79.   Lebanon`s contributon to world culture: a pile of beans 05:13  |  Ilan 25/10/09
      80.   Zionism at work. 06:12  |  Ryan 25/10/09
      81.   #9 funny-chickpeas were in jericho before israel existed, dan 07:08  |  eric 25/10/09
      82.   Lebanon is not Lebanon 07:28  |  Peter 25/10/09
      83.   HUMMUS IS SYRIAN..... 07:42  |  LALA 25/10/09
      84.   champagne and hummus 07:47  |  Capt Black 25/10/09
      85.   #62 Cub fan. "Pastrami (stolen land) sandwich." 07:52  |  Maureen Ann 25/10/09
      86.   No Palestinian Prince, the matter is hummus, 08:01  |  yona 25/10/09
      87.   Make Hummus Not War 08:01  |  Michael J 25/10/09
      88.   Gil in Haifa 08:12  |  Humus / Nasrallah 25/10/09
      89.   Dan in London and Masada Hummus 08:17  |  Jack 25/10/09
      90.   Ex lebanese 08:21  |  Observer 25/10/09
      91.   #9 funny-chickpeas were in jericho before israel existed, dan 08:28  |  eric 25/10/09
      92.   Iraqi Jew 08:30  |  Arab and Jew 25/10/09
      93.   hummus in hebrew 08:33  |  sam 25/10/09
      94.   its all the same 08:57  |  j 25/10/09
      95.   More beans than brains 09:27  |  Ilan 25/10/09
      96.   humus is middle eastern, not national 09:50  |  roberto 25/10/09
      97.   Hummus is arabic for chickpeas/Gorbanzo beans 09:55  |  libnani 25/10/09
      98.   Hummus is Middle eastern that`s all. Greek too. 10:13  |  JO 25/10/09
      99.   Sam #85, BRILLIANT! 10:21  |  Palestinian Prince 25/10/09
      100.   Lebanese and Israeli hummus not as good as 10:25  |  ELIAS KHOURY 25/10/09
      101.   Whatever, Labanon should looking positively on our efforts... 10:40  |  Esther 25/10/09
      102.   Where are the Chicken Soup Stands in TAV? 10:45  |  European Jew 25/10/09
      103.   Israeli Hummus 10:52  |  Serge 25/10/09
      104.   Call it what you want... 12:00  |  ClearCut 25/10/09
      105.   European Jew 12:09  |  yona 25/10/09
      106.   I prefer Greek Hummus 12:25  |  wilson 25/10/09
      107.   European #102... being of Lituanian/Anglo-Saxon heritage 12:28  |  Esther 25/10/09
      108.   only israeli food is matsa lol 13:25  |  1 who knows 25/10/09
      109.   Replay to Boaz "What about sushi?" 13:28  |  Jalal 25/10/09
      110.   #13 DB I fully agree 14:06  |  Chris Linthwaite 25/10/09
      111.   Hummus 14:07  |  David 25/10/09
      112.   Israeli hummus vs. Lebanese hummus 15:02  |  Maurice 25/10/09
      113.   HALELUYA I`m happy 15:07  |  suad 25/10/09
      114.   Lebanese hummus is the best-my vote 15:22  |  julie 25/10/09
      115.   It`s the lebanese tahini, stupid! 15:29  |  Ned 25/10/09
      116.   #99 Palestinian Prince....Jews were always FOODIES..... 15:39  |  Smadar 25/10/09
      117.   Worse theft of a product is calling coffee "turkish" 16:03  |  Yom Tov 25/10/09
      118.   Hummus is regional 16:13  |  Stephen Connor 25/10/09
      119.   To #22 16:16  |  Uzi 25/10/09
      120.   will Goldstone will investigate this crime commited by Israel 16:50  |  zionist forever 25/10/09
      121.   I have to agree with #43, Hummus is in the bible 16:52  |  Hebrew Arabic Speake 25/10/09
      122.   Hands off our hummus 16:59  |  Ralph 25/10/09
      123.   Humus is best eaten as part of Felafel sandwich 17:04  |  Malach HaMavet 25/10/09
      124.   Israeli Hummus is sold all over the world! 17:21  |  Nathan Mizrahi 25/10/09
      125.   Quality Tahini Paste and fresh lemon juice 18:07  |  julie 25/10/09
      126.   Hommos bithini 18:26  |  northern neighbor 25/10/09
      127.   and my last comment on hummus (I think) 18:43  |  julie 25/10/09
      128.   Lebanese women, get back in your burqas! ...the flacid Arab ego ) 18:52  |  TT 25/10/09
      129.   Humus ? 19:40  |  The Teacher/Instruct 25/10/09
      130.   Jewish refugees from Arab lands brought mid east cuisineuisine 19:43  |  Semsem 25/10/09
      131.   Lebanese Jew 19:54  |  Tania Sued 25/10/09
      132.   Tania Sued 20:10  |  northern neighbor 25/10/09
      133.   One huumus for you,and you, and you...... 20:14  |  ZOHAN 25/10/09
      134.   #129 -they use cumin and maybe tumeric and paprika 20:29  |  julie 25/10/09
      135.   Lenanese Food: It`s a Gas 20:44  |  Gaseous Clay 25/10/09
      136.   TO NORTHERN NEIGHBOUR 20:47  |  Tania Sued 25/10/09
      137.   LEB_JEW Some comments about Jews not Zionists from Hezballla 20:48  |  PETER SM 25/10/09
      138.   Want proof that hummus is Israeli? 20:52  |  Nahoz 25/10/09
      139.   Coffee is Ethiopian 20:52  |  VR 25/10/09
      140.   Humus libanisraeli 20:52  |  Jacques 25/10/09
      141.   TO NORTHERN NEIGHBOUR 20:57  |  tania Sued 25/10/09
      142.   We are insane 06:38  |  Rima 26/10/09
      143.   49 Maureen Ann - It`s not ARAB bread 06:48  |  Malach HaMavet 26/10/09
      144.   Peter - and is Israel Palestine? 06:55  |  Palestinian Brit 26/10/09
      145.   Lebanese Hummus 07:01  |  Man Of Few Words 101 26/10/09
      146.   @113, suad 07:26  |  v 26/10/09
      147.   Maureen Anne 07:33  |  Israeli mom 26/10/09
      148.   What does "Israeli" mean? Polish? Russian? 08:08  |  Lebanese 26/10/09
      149.   #39 Palestinian Brit, it is probably Welsh rabbit 08:45  |  Solovey Razboynik 26/10/09
      150.   Tania Sued 08:51  |  northern neighbor 26/10/09
      151.   Tania Sued again :) 08:57  |  northern neighbor 26/10/09
      152.   What is Israeli? 10:39  |  S 26/10/09
      153.   Great Acheivement....ha ha ha 15:42  |  Sharonas 26/10/09
      154.   They do make great Hummus in Geneve. 00:17  |  Stephen. 27/10/09
      155.   #148 Lebanese - Go to your local Supermarket 17:08  |  *BEN JABO 27/10/09
      156.   #150 Northern Neighbor 16:01  |  *BEN JABO 28/10/09
      157.   VR so Ethiopian Israelis have more claim to Coffee 23:31  |  Israeliguy 14/11/09
      158.   what proof that it isnt??? 23:33  |  Israeliguy 14/11/09
      159.   oh get a life everybody 23:35  |  Israeliguy 14/11/09
      160.   148# Lebanese 23:46  |  Israeliguy 14/11/09
      161.   Palestinian Prince 00:03  |  Israeliguy 15/11/09
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