Greenstar food Coop says no to BDS

After repeated failures in Brooklyn, Sacramento, Davis and elsewhere, JVP has spared no expense in attempting revive the moribund movement to pressure food coops to boycott Israeli products.

The Greenstar Food Coop of Ithaca, New York has been their focus for the last few months, under fire for daring to sell Sabra hummus, Tribe hummus, and Israeli peppers.

After being called out and exposed for their vitriolic rhetoric and shockingly insensitive imagery the boycott promoters (then using the name Central NY Committee for Justice in Palestine – CNYCJP) rebranded themselves as the Ithaca Committee for Justice in Palestine, and finally as Ithaca Food Justice for Palestine Campaign. 

Fortunately for the forces of truth and justice, the good folks at Legal Insurrection have been all over this.

• Sick: BDS groups spread photoshop of Concentration Camp inmates holding anti-Israel signs
• The next big anti-Israel food fight? GreenStar Coop (Ithaca)
• Ithaca (NY) anti-Israel group starts food co-op boycott drive with Sabra Hummus blood libel
• GreenStar boycott group trainer hurls “Israel-firster” slur at Schumer

From Legal Insurrection

The Ithaca Coalition for Unity and Cooperation in the Middle East, a bi-partisan, multi-denominational group formed to fight the boycott attempt submitted extensive papers to the GreenStar Council challenging the referendum as contrary to GreenStar’s Bylaws in that the referendum, among other things, (1) did not comply with GreenStar’s referendum Petition requirements because the wording was changed after the petitions were signed and was false and misleading; (2) violated the NY State Human Rights Law which prohibits boycotts based on national original; (3) was economically irresponsible in that it would damage GreenStar’s brand and cause economic loss in light of widespread community opposition; and (4) violated GreenStar’s own anti-discrimination policies.

The divestment initiative was rejected  unanimously by the GreenStar Council based on the NY State Human Rights law prohibition of boycotts based on national origin.

Just in time for International Hummus day.