Morocco in an uproar over Israeli dates

Headline News

Sunday, September 23, 2007 by Staff Writer

Moroccan Muslims have responded with astonishment and fury after learning that Israeli dates are being sold at markets throughout their country.

Dates from Israel's Bat Sheva produce company have been found on shelves in nearly every large city in Morocco over the Ramadan holy month. The packages clearly and boldly carrying the words “Produce of Israel.”

A number of consumers interviewed in the capital city of Rabat by IslamOnline.net expressed outrage that “Israeli dates” are being mixed with and sold among their own “Arab dates,” and accused local shop owners of being unscrupulous by allowing the Israeli produce onto their shelves.

Morocco broke official trade relations with Israel at the start of the latest Palestinian terrorist uprising in 2000, but non-governmental organization say ties between the two countries on an unofficial level remain strong, particularly in the field of agriculture.

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[36] COMMENTS:

1 .

to:MrK

Some just do not develop the maturity others do.
One may make funny about something without being offensive.
Also, some take offense where none is intended.
It is a delicate balance, indeed..
God bless..

Dave

9/29/2007 4:40 PM

2 .

Shokran/ Merci, Abdelilah

And Aziz probably did not meen what his readers read out from his comment, I suppose, so I want to oversee this stupid statement from him, and I think we men do not like to think in that way about "girls" if we are grown up, I hope, like some men believe many other men like to think everyone has become to be -...grown up...?!?...?( or was it awake, I ment- in this difficult shared language mixture?)

MrK

9/29/2007 10:07 AM

3 .

Shame on Aziz

Jewish girls shouldn''t be seen in such an obscene way. Jews are honourable people. I have respect for them, especially great thinkers like Harold Pinter the Nobel Prize Literature Laureate.

I think Israeli dates is one of the finest in the world. I don''t mind eating of it as much as I can.

Abdelilah Boukili

9/28/2007 10:42 PM

4 .

to:Aziz

I agree with MrK and w.o.r.d. on this, you could at least have the decency to state it in a more discrete manner.
A joke is one thing, as was my post on 9/23/2007 10:07 PM and Yochanan on 9/23/2007 6:25 PM
but your post is untasteful(no pun intended).

Dave

9/28/2007 12:50 PM

5 .

Aziz

I think your posting is utterly distasteful and disrespectful towards Jewish ladies. If you can''t even differentiate between people and what is comestible....it''s time to go back to school to refresh your memory and learn respect.

w.o.r.d.

9/28/2007 5:16 AM

6 .

Food is for eating, not people Aziz...

even not beautiful girls, their parents don''t like men to do that to their daughters, may be you do not have children yourself yet? so may be you can look to your own parents, what would they like men to do to their daughters and their sons to do to their sisters, do you think? But I hope you will find one woman to love one day so much she would like to be your wife, but if you focus on more than one of them I am afraid you have to face a rather hard and difficult task to overcome, I suppose, as it looks like you think people includes Jews are to be eaten in some way or other. Could it be you need a little service operation at some "thought maschine center" somewhere? I wonder can it be of some help for your thought mashine to start with reading Hebrew 4,12 and 2.Cor.10,5, do you think?

MrK

9/27/2007 9:10 PM

7 .

Jewish girls

I like beautiful Jewish girls. they''re more tasty than Israeli dates. Tongue touching tongue is far more delicious than Israeli sweet dates.

Aziz

9/25/2007 11:54 PM

8 .

to:Mehdi

Hey,,If the stones can cry out, why not the dates??Stones crying out is Scriptural, although I don''t recall dates being mentioned there..
Look at it this way if you are hungry and see a bowl of dates, do not they speak to you. Doesn''t your mouth water, and your stomach growl wanting those dates?? Could you easily forget that bowl of dates(unless you are fasting, of course)..LOL..I know they would talk to me..:-)

Dave

9/25/2007 5:09 PM

9 .

again...

I am not trying to debate why muslims boycot israeli products. I just tried to put the article into context for people who don''t know. anybody is entitled to his/her opinion including muslims...
i didn''t know as well that dates can talk???

Mehdi

9/25/2007 5:04 PM

10 .

again...

Mehdi

9/25/2007 5:04 PM

11 .

Mehdi not only dates but also honey can talk.

Sarah

9/25/2007 3:46 PM

12 .

again...

Mehdi

9/25/2007 12:56 PM

13 .

Moroccan and Israeli Dates complement each other.

I am originally from Morocco, and my relatives are from both faiths. I spent most of last August in Morocco, and I had a chance to taste Moroccan, Tunisian, and Israeli dates, they all tasted delicious to me. I don’t understand why food has to be subject to discrimination. Arab and Jewish dates complement each other just keep them out of politics. Moroccans are simply Moroccans first before anything else! I love Morocco my beautiful tolerant native country.
Happy Ramadan, and Happy Jewish New Year. May Allah bless the Children of Ibrahim.

Kadmirovsky

9/25/2007 5:39 AM

14 .

Moroccan and Israeli Dates complement each other.

Kadmirovsky

9/25/2007 5:39 AM

15 .

dates and tongues

I for one wouldn''t mind having a Hebrew meal made of dates. If you have any recipe for it, please send it to me.

Kamal

9/24/2007 11:48 PM

16 .

to:Mehdi and Talking Dates

I had no idea that dates could talk let alone give thier national identity. Most Jews I have met are Human I know of no Jewish dates. I know of the fruit the date which grows in the ground.

Going Up!

9/24/2007 11:37 PM

17 .

What a Laugh!

Had to laugh over this one, but can understand the muslim''s point, since I boycott anything that comes from a muslim country, including gas.

Israel, send us your dates and your olive oil! I can''t find it in any of my local stores and want to buy it!

I too could use a nice date with a Believing Jewish man! Ha Ha!

Elizabeth USA

9/24/2007 6:19 PM

18 .

Mehdi

"the first meal they take is dates with milk.... now, imagine.... ....after a Jew observes Yom kippur he breaks his fasting ....with honey FROM IRAN..... for someone who''''s not religious, it may seem OK,

but it may be a whole issue for a believer... "

This is your quote.

What is Islam other than a copy of Judaism?
For the Muslim the Jews are nothing but pigs and worse. To eat dates that come from them would be the end of the world. sic.

Sarah

9/24/2007 6:10 PM

19 .

re: sarah & sue

Sarah: FYI i am not a religious moroccan neither i am a muslim. and i didn''t get ur point about "but to copy the Jewislh religion seems to be OK. "???

Sue: I was just putting the article into context. i am glad to know that a jew wouldn''t feel offended if he/she broke a fast on a Yom kipur with a produce from a muslim country.

Mehdi

9/24/2007 5:07 PM

20 .

to Mehdi

It would not be any insult to Judaism if a Jew broke a fast and ate produce from a Muslim country!

Your prejudice sticks out all over you.

sue

9/24/2007 4:30 PM

21 .

Mehdi re: dates

Funny how Israeli dates are an objection to a religious Moroccan, but to copy the Jewislh religion seems to be OK.

Sarah

9/24/2007 2:18 PM

22 .

dates

Sorry, I disagree. Moroccan dates are small and gammy and good for cakes only. Israeli dates are fat and taste of caramel. And they grow in their own blue plastic bags which can be used. Must be the new genetic modifications they play around with in Israel... :)

shel

9/24/2007 1:57 PM

23 .

Yom Kippur...

taking a subject out of context always leads to misunderstanding. as you may probably know, Moroccans (Muslims) are observing Ramadan (fasting). usually for this specific month, the first meal they take is dates with milk. now, imagine after a Jew observes Yom kippur he breaks his fasting with honey from Iran. for someone who''s not religious, it may seem OK, but it may be a whole issue for a believer...

mehdi

9/24/2007 8:57 AM

24 .

anti Israel

Shalom:
Pofit and greed corrupts even the most faithful muslim.

Milton J. Evans, Sr.

9/24/2007 4:26 AM

25 .

And

Also boycott ALL Israeli inventions, including drip irrigation, medical, cell phone technology.... and, and, and..

Sarah

9/24/2007 4:21 AM

26 .

Funny story

Many vegetable seeds like those of tomatoes are used in Moroccan fields. They are publicly sold in markets. So what''s the fuss about dates. To be consistent, those who ask for the boycott of Israeli dates, should also boycott tomatoes grown from Israeli seeds. Simple as that!

Abdelilah Boukili

9/24/2007 3:43 AM

27 .

IF MOROCCO DOESN''T WANT THEM

Then send them to me in the US. Israeli homegrown dates are the best in the world. Can''t get such great tasting dates, or olive oil for that matter, in the US.

Rosanne - USA

9/24/2007 2:25 AM

28 .

No, no…

Most probably, what the Morrocans are angry about are not the Israeli dates, but an outsourced agricultural competition. I would be angry (and am) when the fruit I buy in the supermarket suddenly reads "Produce of Mexico."

Christian Socialist

9/24/2007 1:13 AM

29 .

Oh no!

We can not alow those Isrealie dates to mix with Arabic dates. I mean, the out come could be drastic.

Wow. What a crazy bunch of people.

Rome

9/23/2007 10:18 PM

30 .

dates

I could use a good date, myself as it has been a long long time. LOL.

Dave

9/23/2007 10:07 PM