Lebanon Claiming Only It Owns Hummus, Falafel, Tabouleh And Baba Gannouj
from the make-it-stop dept
Another day, another ridiculous intellectual property lawsuit. Along the same lines as various regions in France declaring that only they can sell "Champagne" or Greece being the only one allowed to offer "feta," a group in Lebanon is claiming that various popular middle eastern foods such as hummus, falafel, tabouleh and baba gannouj are property of Lebanon and Lebanon alone. In fact, the group is planning to sue Israel for "stealing" its food. They're actually claiming that this could be a violation of a "food copyright" (something that doesn't actually exist). Specifically, the group says that since Israel sells such foods, it's taking "tens of millions of dollars" away from Lebanon, where those foods should be bought. This, folks, is what happens when you build up a society around the idea of "owning" infinite goods.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: baba gannouj, falafel, food, food copyright, hummus, intellectual property, lebanon, tabouleh, trademark
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Amazing
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Politics
I think every single stand-up show in Israel already laughed on this one.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Politics
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Absolutely ridiculous
:-)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
WHAT ABOUT MY FISH
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: WHAT ABOUT MY FISH
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Food Copyrights
Food Copyrights, how assidine. Althought considering the redicoulous and firvalous patent / copyright infringment sutis that come out of our country, can you really blame other countries in the world from catching on?
That... is a U.S.A. thing.
Cheers!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Food Copyrights
Israel is not a religious state right? If they were we couldnt really keep giving them $6,000,000,000.00 a year could we?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Food Copyrights
Here are the top 16 recipients of U.S. foreign aid for 2005:
1. Israel 2.58 Billion
2. Egypt 1.84 Billion
3. Afganistan 0.98 Billion
4. Pakistan 0.70 Billion
5. Colombia 0.57 Billion
6. Sudan 0.50 Billion
7. Jordan 0.48 Billion
8. Uganda 0.25 Billion
9. Kenya 0.24 Billion
10. Ethiopia 0.19 Billion
11. South Africa 0.19 Billion
12. Peru 0.19 Billion
13. Indonesia 0.18 Billion
14. Bolivia 0.18 Billion
15. Nigeria 0.18 Billion
16. Zambia 0.18 Billion
source:
CRS Report for Congress: Foreign Aid: An Introductory Overview of U.S.
Programs and Policy Updated January 19, 2005, page 14
http://shelby.senate.gov/legislation/ForeignAid.pdf
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Food Copyrights
Here are the top 16 recipients of U.S. foreign aid for 2005:
. Israel 2.58 Billion"
Ok if its only 2.8 Billion I guess its alright thier a religous state . . . right? They are . . . a religious state, right, or not? I guess it depends on what crowd the lobbyists are talking too at any given moment.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Religious state (#43)
>> They are . . . a religious state, right, or not?
Yes, and they print "In God We Trust" on each dollar they get.
Ooops, it's the USA that prints it...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Food Copyrights
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Pay Up!
Please send the money to P. O. Box 419, Lagos, Nigeria
01-753-87-3853
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Helen: Hmm, Pita. Well, I don't know about food from the Middle East.
Isn't that whole area a little iffy?
Hostess: [laughs] Hey, I'm no geographer. You and I -- why don't we call it pocket bread, huh?
Maude: [reading the ingredients list] Umm, what's tahini?
Hostess: Flavor sauce.
Edna: And falafel?
Hostess: Crunch patties.
Helen: So, we'd be selling foreign...
Hostess: Specialty foods. Here, try a Ben Franklin.
Helen: [takes a bite] Mmm, that is good. What's in it?
Chef: [poking his head out of a window, looking of Indian origin]
Tabbouleh and rezmi-kabob.
Hostess: [trying to cover-up] Uh, th-that's our chef... Christopher.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Who Do I Make this Check Out to ?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Who Do I Make this Check Out to ?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
RE: Absolutely ridiculous
Still a good laugh though.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: RE: Absolutely ridiculous
Sorry, but I gotta say "Prove it".
Actually, you can't. The origins of all those foods have been disputed forever; there simply is no one place from which they origin.
All of the countries whose people claim to "own" these foods were populated by nomadic tribes. Later, the entire region became a hub for trade, brining in and moving out goods and culture over a wider and wider area.
For most of these foods, the closest anyone could come to nailing down their origins would be "the middle east/mediterranean/north africa". Not overly narrow...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
copyrights
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: copyrights
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
sue for burgers
How pathetic
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: sue for burgers
*ducks*
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: sue for burgers
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Well..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
mmm, champagne
You can keep the feta as that is a word that refers to a type of cheese, so it is a bit dumb to specify where you can make it ;)
Apart from that, you're right to pounce on yet another lump of IP stupidity.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: mmm, champagne
I feel a little dirty actually siding with France on something.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: mmm, champagne
Pretty much? Is that a new legal standard for trademarks, pretty much?
And actually, it's not even close to being a brand name. It's a location.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: mmm, champagne
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
mmm, champagne
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
dumb law's
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: dumb law's
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
mmm Baba Ganouch
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
burgers and fries
Also, the French chief legal officer for using French Fries.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Just guessing here
I think the point is "wine" does not tell one where a product was produced, only what it is (fermented fruit juice - with antifreeze if its French - hehe). Champange is really no different, it is simply wine with a second fermentation (for bubbles). So any producer should be able to call any product made in that fashion, "champaign" and leave it to the customer to determine where it comes from, just like we do with "pinot" or "merlot".
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Just guessing here
In this case the name is specific to the characteristics of the grapes grown in the particular soil conditions and weather conditions and produced by vintners with particular skills and techniques that are passed down from generation....well, you get the idea.
I agree with Simon Lynch - selling "Champagne" from another geographical area is tantamount to fraud.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Just guessing here
But Merlot and Pinot are not becuase . . . ?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Just guessing here
Because Merlot and Pinot Noir are grapes which can be grown anywhere.
If you made a wine from Pinot Noir in Oregon and labelled it Burgundy (or Bourgogne) then THAT would be fraudulent, along the same lines as Champagne.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Just guessing here
because Merlot and Pinot are grape varieties, with no indication of a country of origin, a geographical area with strong local specificities, or a fabrication method.
Even in France you can only produce Champagne within a very restricted area, leading to an end product that's linked very specificly to that area.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
how
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: how
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
If you have your 'Freadom Fries' with Mayonnaise that is Belgin.
With vinagar that is from Quebec.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: french fries
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not Infinite Goods
Ah...no. This, folks, is what happens when you cross Middle Eastern political conflict with idiot lawyers.
Or what happens when you try to stretch weak arguments against copyright to "infinite" extremes.
It has nothing to do with "infinite goods." Hummus, falafel, tabbouleh and baba ghanoush are not, in fact, infinite goods.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not Infinite Goods
The name of the food is what's infinite. Israelis naming their chickpea paste "hummus" doesn't take away any of the hummus from Lebanon. Lebanon's argument would almost come a little closer to holding some water if they claimed some kind of trademark violation, but copyright is just way off base.
And I don't see why Middle Eastern politics, idiot lawyers, and the concept of owning ideas can't all be contributing to this stupid situation.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Not Infinite Goods
The name of the food can't be an infinite good because it's a word, not a good. I agree that this can't be a copyright issue and only by the wildest stretch of a febrile imagination could it be considered a trademark issue.
And I don't see why Middle Eastern politics, idiot lawyers, and the concept of owning ideas can't all be contributing to this stupid situation.
You can't own an idea. You can't copyright or patent an idea. You can own and copyright the specific expression of an idea and you can patent the process or procedural expression of an idea. But that's not the situation here.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
not so funny
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: not so funny
Unlike "Champagne" which is a name of a region in France, Humus, Falafel, Taboulleh etc. are not names of regions in Lebanon and were not originated specifically from the country of Lebanon.
A closer equivalent would be "Hamburger", which is named after the German city of Hamburg, but I haven't heard of any Germans trying to sue McDonnalds, Burger King etc.
Most significantly, this group in Lebanon plans to sue only Israel, and not Syria, Jordan, Egypt or any other country in Europe or America were Humus is commonly produced.
This clearly proves that the motivation for this action is not defending Humus but attacking Israel (as is the comment by the aptly named "anonymous coward" #8).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: not so funny
Unlike "Champagne" which is a name of a region in France, Humus, Falafel, Taboulleh etc. are not names of regions in Lebanon and were not originated specifically from the country of Lebanon.
A closer equivalent would be "Hamburger", which is named after the German city of Hamburg, but I haven't heard of any Germans trying to sue McDonnalds, Burger King etc.
Most significantly, this group in Lebanon plans to sue only Israel, and not Syria, Jordan, Egypt or any other country in Europe or America were Humus is commonly produced.
This clearly proves that the motivation for this action is not defending Humus but attacking Israel (as is the comment by the aptly named "anonymous coward" #8).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: not so funny
Unlike "Champagne" which is a name of a region in France, Humus, Falafel, Taboulleh etc. are not names of regions in Lebanon and were not originated specifically from the country of Lebanon.
A closer equivalent would be "Hamburger", which is named after the German city of Hamburg, but I haven't heard of any Germans trying to sue McDonnalds, Burger King etc.
Most significantly, this group in Lebanon plans to sue only Israel, and not Syria, Jordan, Egypt or any other country in Europe or America were Humus is commonly produced.
This clearly proves that the motivation for this action is not defending Humus but attacking Israel (as is the comment by the aptly named "anonymous coward" #8).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Top that!
I may go after NYC and throat doctors, too. This is fun!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
falafel wars
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
My Comment
Yes, its me. I took the recipe....and I won't give it back :-) :-)
Hey Lebanon, Syria and Hezbollah (who have the copyright on the TERROR) stole your whole country!
Try to stop us if you've got the (felafel) balls
Visit me: www.MeirCookBook.net
Have a nice FALAFEL
Me
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: My Comment
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Until then they can STFU.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Lebanese vs Jewish Food
Let me start by saying I'm lebanese, and please let me say you're displaying the idea in a a silly way, and that's not the truth. I think there's a difference between someone stamping on your food and claiming it's his, and between someone "just selling". It's like saying creme brulee is Namibian. Can you? I don't think so. So please diffrentiate between "ownership" and just mere "sale".
Thx
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Lebanese vs Jewish Food
Israel came to Middle East few decates ago, and now everything its for Israel.lollll you're suckers and loosers!!You couldn't steal more land from the Lebanese territory, now you wanna steal our food?!?!When you're gonna stop stealing the others?!
and by the way, we kicked you ba.... sorry falafel, two years ago, suckerssssssssssssssss!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Falafel
Israel is a death cult.
Peace
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
food wars
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Food issue
Now I'd like to give my 2 cents on this issue. I, like many others, like diverse cuisines. I like the Chinese Sweet n Sour, Mexican Buffalo Wings, Morrocan Coucos, French Camembert, American Pancakes, etc... Now over the years people get used to their food diet that it becomes part of their culture. For example, in Lebanon almost always in every Lebanese fast food sandwich restaurant we have the beef & chicken Shawarma. For some Lebanese they think its a Lebanese food although in fact it came from the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). Israel & Lebanon have almost the same cuisine. I know Israelis who eat the same food we eat everyday. What seems to be the problem? From Falafel to mixed grill and stew (Yakhne a Turkish word which we imported to the Arabic language) its almost the same with few exceptions on the sauce and spices.
In my opinion it is not a copyright or trademark issue. It is a cuisine listing that needs a simple clarifications. NO ONE is forcing the Israelis to stop eating tabbouleh, falafel or hommos. If Israelis like hommos then I guess we do have something in common :)
Cheers & enjoy food from all cuisines!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Israeli = Levant!!!
Saying that Israel cannot make tahina and hummus is like saying that Macedonia cannot make feta; you cannot easily distinguish between Greece and Macedonia!
In fact, the Mishnah, the primary source of all Jewish law, was written in what the Romans called "Palestine", and in what we call "Lebanon", by Rabbi Judah haNasi. Shall we say that all Jewish law is the property of the Palestinians and/or Lebanese? And the Talmud was written in Sasanid Persia - I guess the Lebanese will have to share Jewish law with Iran. Oh, but the Code of Jewish Law was written in Ottoman-ruled Israel/Palestine - sigh, I guess Turkey also owns Jewish law.
By the way, Israel calls their tahini "tahinA", in keeping with Hebrew pronunciation. English translations on Israeli-tahina use this spelling (with an "a"), so one cannot claim that Israel is using the same word. If I call my cheese "FetE", Greece cannot sue me, because only "fetA" is trademarked.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
ahhh
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
do you realize that about 1/2 of israel's population is made up of jews from arabic or muslim countries? obviously they are going to be eating the same type of cuisine that you make in your precious lebanon.
get over it. and if you really think that you "kicked israel's ba (?)" in 2006, then i guess hezbolla's brainwashing abilities are on par with the soviets.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
hahah
Food dont belong to anyone.. its one thing to be from a special region, and another to own it.. how can someone own food?
its just stupid to even think that
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The idea of food originating from a place is not as ridiculous as our dear "article" writer is trying to sell. A cuisine is part of the country's identity, otherwise we would not say French cuisine or Italian or Greek...
Moreover to make it simpler to simple minds: Snails do not belong to France but Escargots (snails) à la Bourguignonne is French. If you make it in USA it will still be a French dish.
BTW I am Lebanese.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
israel didn't exist when we start making hummus since the phoenicians!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Lebanon didn't exist at the time of the Phonicians!!!
However that doesn't really matter, as you've missed the point of the article.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]