Dubai Restaurateur Apologizes for Controversial Pro-Israel Post
In a surprising turn of events, a Dubai restaurateur issued a heartfelt apology on Wednesday after facing severe backlash for sharing a controversial pro-Israel video. The video in question, produced by the American nonprofit PragerU, has been labeled as a “political propaganda machine” due to its conservative viewpoints.
The Apology
Emma Sawko, co-founder of the popular vegan restaurant chain Wild & The Moon and organic cafe Comptoir 102, took to her Instagram account to express her regrets. She shared a statement apologizing for the post she re-shared and emphasized her commitment to finding a path towards peace.
Sawko acknowledged the loss of innocent Palestinian lives and highlighted the challenges of communicating and seeking peace in the midst of an ongoing conflict.
Controversial Video
The video that sparked the controversy, titled “My Life in Israel as an Arab Muslim,” features Sophia Salma Khalifa, the first Muslim Arab to enroll in the Israeli army’s Atuda program in electrical engineering. Khalifa, now residing in the US, made controversial claims in the video, including allegations of Palestinians being brainwashed to hate.
The video is part of a series called “Stories of Us,” aimed at promoting American values and offering an alternative perspective to what PragerU perceives as left-wing ideology.
Backlash and Apologies
Sawko is not the only restaurateur to face backlash for social media posts related to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Bahrain-based Italian-Canadian chef Susy Massetti and New York City restaurant owner Keith McNally have also issued apologies for their controversial statements.
It seems that in the age of social media, even prominent figures in the culinary world are not immune to the consequences of sharing divisive content.