The Coop Continues Bickering While Alan Dershowitz Threatens To Turn This Car Right Around And Go Home Without Ice Cream

Photo by Park Slope Lens

The "will they won't they" ban on Israeli products at the Coop continues on years after its first murmurs back in February 2009. Last week's discussion on whether or not to endorse B.D.S (a global movement that calls for the boycott, divestment and sanctioning of Israeli companies and/or products) has created a rift amongst Coop members.

Via The NY Observer:

One co-op member, who said he grew up shopping there with his parents and was thus unwilling to give his name, called it anti-Semitic and unfounded. “We don’t have any shoppers here from South Africa or Nestlé. But this is different—this is Chaim town,” he said, referring to the Jewish name that has not been much in vogue since his grandparents were living on the Lower East Side. “This is the heart of Chaim town. So to come in here and try and push this boycott against Israel goes against everything the co-op is about, everything it was founded on.”

While it's still not totally clear how many Israeli products the Coop carries, one pro-B.D.S. member says it doesn't really matter, because the issue isn't just about waving a big "FUCK YOU" sign at Israel's economy: “I welcome sending a strong message to Washington this way,” she says. 

One man isn't going to stand by and let the Coop start throwing good hummus into the garbage. Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz is threatening to shut the Coop's ass DOWN if they follow through with the ban.

 “You have to fight fire with fire,” he said. When it was pointed out that this might be difficult because the co-op is a members-only operation, he remained undeterred. “We will stop at nothing to make them pay an extraordinarily heavy price for their bigotry.”

Coop Members: Has the tension carried into day-to-day shopping life? ("I challenge you to a duel!" - slaps face with kale leaf)