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== Etymology ==
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The dictionary says falafel means "little peppers" and that it's actually derived from latin "piper" meaning pepper.
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* In Arabic, that would be filfil (فلفل) rather than falafel (فلافل); there is one more letter in the word falafel. --] 22:24, Sep 20, 2004 (UTC)
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: I've seen this etymology, however, in several dictionaries, such as the ]: "Arabic falāfil, pl. of filfil, pepper, probably from Sanskrit pippalī." I'm going to go ahead and add it. Unfortunately, I know neither Arabic nor Tamil. ] 15:34, Mar 26, 2005 (UTC)
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::What I've seen is falafel <(Eng) felafel < fulaful*, the plural of ]. This always made sense to me, since falafel was traditionally made from fava beans. --] 17:33, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
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:::No, falafel is the plural of filfil, I don't know if ful has a plural but if it did it couldn't be falafel. Falafel is almost always in my experience made with chickpeas, which are called "hummus" in Arabic. By the way, falafel as street food is surely almost always a sandwich (in pita bread or otherwise?) I think there is a little redundancy in the current way this is phrased. ] | ] 21:42, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
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::::Thanks for the explanation! Redundancy fixed, good point. --] 09:05, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
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== Image ==
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The image here is probably woo non-free, so it should be recreated. If someone can cook up a batch and take a picture that would be great (I can't find any in my local shops) ] &mdash; ] | ] 03:31, 2005 Feb 13 (UTC)
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:In this case I'll remove the link. When we will have a new picture we can add it again ] 14:01, 2005 Mar 9 (UTC)
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{{Press
== Israeli and Arab falafel ==
|author = Nishant Shah

|title = Why the case against Misplaced Pages in India is a challenge to freedom of speech and information
This was bound to happen. I deleted ]'s controversy section because it was poorly composed and (I may be POV here) inaccurate. I'm currently living in Israel and have never seen "Israeli falafel". There is, in fact a distinction between Israeli and Arab falafel -- I find the latter to be bigger and more richly spiced, often to the point of a piquant sourness. This might be something nice to mention.
|date = September 17, 2024

|org = ]
No one in Israel is trying to say that Israelis/Jews invented falafel. In fact, my experience has shown that falafel (and pita, by the by) is seen as a uniting force, which brings many Israelis into the Arab communities and vice versa. I've yet to encounter 'dismay' on either side that the other eats falafel. I would be interested to see a source on the "dismay" and "theft" mentioned. --] 11:48, 4 November 2005 (UTC)
|url = https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/why-case-wikipedia-india-challenge-freedom-speech-information-9572234/

|lang =
This is the person whose edits you have deleted. You claim that I appear biased in my edits. It seems amusing to me that you don't feel the same way about yourself, being a Jew. I'm not predjudiced agaisnt you or your people, but I am also not afraid to tell the truth. Many stores claim many Arabic foods as "Israeli". Imagine if someone marketed Haunukah as a Christian holiday. Don't tell me it wouldn't bother you. Calling Hummus and Falafel Israeli cusine is biased to begin with.
|quote = The idea of what is neutral can be strongly contested because the lived experience, the language sources being cited, and the local understanding of events, situations, or even recipes – do have a look at the ferocious edit wars around the origins of Falafel – do not always match documented sources.

|archiveurl =
:Well, perhaps you should give a source for this. Misplaced Pages policy is that you should ] for your edits. While this is often ignored, it really is necessary if your edit is controversial. I've certainly heard Arabs complaining the odd time about falafel being described as Israeli food, but is this really a major controversy? After all, many Israelis are of Arab origin, being immigrants from Iraq, Egypt etc as well as native Palestinian Jews, and it's hardly surprising that they should keep their native cuisine. ] | ] 22:59, 4 November 2005 (UTC)
|archivedate = <!-- do not wikilink -->

|accessdate = September 17, 2024
Then why call it by a different name? Why give credit where it isnt due? and why, WHY is there an Israeli cusine section on wikipedia with a bunch of Palestinian foods, and why is there not a Palestinian cuisine section?
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:I would like to see a source that Israelis call falafel by a different name. The modern Hebrew word comes from Arabic!
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:Who's "giving credit"? The Israeli cuisine category includes all food popular enough in Israel to be considered a national food. It does ''not'' mean that Israel invented the food. According to the article, falafel may have originated in India -- should it not be listed as Middle Eastern cuisine?
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:There isn't a Palestinian cuisine category on Misplaced Pages because no one has written it. Why don't you? I wouldn't be able to write too much about it, as my experience with Palestinian food is just with falafel (delicious) and the beer Taybeh (better than Goldstar!). Since many Palestinian foods with existing articles have entries in Misplaced Pages -- say, falafel :) -- the category could be quickly populated. If you create the category, I'll do research for a write-up on Taybeh. In fact, if I have free time later, I'll create the category and populate it as best I can. --] 11:31, 5 November 2005 (UTC)
|algo = old(60d)

|archive = Talk:Falafel/Archive %(counter)d
::Actually, there is a ], though it's not adequately populated! Please look harder before launching these accusations. Other Palestinian foods with articles: ], ], ], ], ]. ] | ] 18:19, 5 November 2005 (UTC)
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:::I didn't even think to check! Added what wasn't already in there. I'd never heard of knafeh; gotta go to Nablus! --] 23:47, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

Nablus is largeley a destroyed battered city with dilapidated houses and broken spirits. One time they pioneered the delicious kinafa, now their lives are ruined after their land was stolen and their sons were killed. The joyful spirit of Palestinians is dead absorbed into the mist. Their hope is dead they don't want to make kinafa
----
Common guys, Falafel is no more "Israeli" food than ] is, both with obvious origins, in now Israel been such a community of immigrants it would be plain silly to claim 'inventing' such food. I think a more interesting fact, is the 'fussion' kitchen in Israel, notably about Falafel, the fact that one can buy Falafel with ] is probably such an example. <small>&mdash;''The preceding ] comment was added by'' ] (]&nbsp;•&nbsp;]) 15:50, 5 February 2006 (UTC{{{3|}}})</small><!--Inserted with Template:Unsigned2-->

:No one claimed Israel invented falafel. It is "regarded there as a national food". It's true, it ''is'' regarded here as a national food; I had it for lunch and felt very patriotic. There are even postcards, "Falafel, the Israeli national food". I think the beetroot may be a Persian-Jewish innovation; I think they're also responsible for the beet-pickled eggplants, which are, might I add, incredibly delicious. Care to find out and post cited prose? --] 14:09, 5 February 2006 (UTC)

::Another Israeli innovation with their falafel that you don't traditionally find with Arab falafel is sauerkraut...maybe Yekkes, German Jewish immigrants to Israel started adding it? It's just food people, don't politicize it. And Israelis proclaiming it as a national dish doesn't mean that they are stealing it from Arabs. It just means it's the most popular street food in Israel. Turks and Greeks also eat falafel by the way, nobody accuses them of stealing it from the Arabs/Palestinians. Texan gringos are also into tacos and burritos, but made their own version of it...they haven't stolen Latino culture. And don't forget that more than half of the Israeli Jewish population are Jews from Arab countries, they also grew up with falafel...so stop with the BS about Israelis "stealing falafel from the Palestinians". It's a regional food of the Middel East and Meditteranean basin, and guess what...Israel is in that region (and there to stay) and most of its people have roots in that region!


In Italy ] is a national food, it came from China. In Ireland ] are a national food, that came from South America (in some Jewish households potatoes are almost a national food. ] are a typical Jewish food, but they came from Russia. --] 21:59, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

== Indian falafel ==

I was surprised by that the first time I saw it. That was one long-lived piece of vandalism, if so - a bit scary! ] | ] 02:31, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

== Lebanese? ==

thats good that someone mentioned that the falafel brigns together the arabs and the jews.

but no one where does it mention anyhting about Lebanon. Lebanon is the ultimate falafel hub. falafel is typically known as lebanese food. we need some lebanese stuff on it.

yes israel has falafel but we need some arab country information on falafil <small>&mdash;''The preceding ] comment was added by'' ] (]&nbsp;•&nbsp;]) 10:13, 21 January 2006 UTC.</small><!--Inserted with Template:Unsigned-->

:] &mdash; while maintaining ], of course. --] 11:13, 21 January 2006 (UTC)

Best falafel in NYC, Bread from Beiruit on 45th St. If I also mentioned that Ess-a-Bagel has the best bagels, would that make it more POV?--] 21:23, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

:Yep; but I'll check it out next time I'm in the City. There's also Azori (sp.) on the Upper West Side; the Jewish "falafel nazi". Supposed to be good, but don't take my word for it. --] 00:50, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

::In NSW Australia the best falafel in Sydney is at Fatima's Lebanese Restaurant, Cleveland St, Surry Hills. While up the coast the best in NSW is Yami Falafel, Park St, Brunswick Heads which is an Israeli vegitarian resturant. Good food is one of the scarce foundations upon which to build peace. Don't let food become another battle ground—] 03:31, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

== French fried potatoes, known as chips? ==

They're certainly not known by that name in Lebanon. Anywhere else? ] | ] 14:50, 25 January 2006 (UTC)

:Israel. Or, retrograde "chipsim". (Almost as hilarious as schnitzelim.) I think the sentence originally mentioned only Israel; when Lebanon and UAE were added, the user must not have noticed the clause. But regardless, in ''most of the world'' french fries are known as chips. I'll take it out. Out of curiousity, what are they called in Lebanon? --] 15:13, 25 January 2006 (UTC)
::Batata! or batata maqliyye, if necessary. I think most Lebanese would just call them potatoes in English, though I don't really know. It's very unusual to find potatoes cooked any other way in Syrian or Lebanese restaurants unless they are part of a stew or made dish.
::Are you sure people put za3tar on falafel? OK, it's not at the peanut butter-in-hummus level, but I've never heard of it, whereas sumac is always added here in Syria at least. And it's the wrong colour! ] | ] 15:34, 25 January 2006 (UTC)
:::Batata? That's Hebrew for sweet potato. Makes some sense: the German/French "apple of the ground" (tapuach adama) took hold for potato, but Ben Yehuda would have stuck with the Arabic.
:::I've seen it on shawarma, but never falafel; I was only correcting the extant link to ]. --] 15:39, 25 January 2006 (UTC)
:::: It looks to me like you changed the reference to sumac into one to za3tar. Did you mean to? As for schnitzelim, I seem to recall you remarking once that you didn't think it would be found in ]. And probably not as such, but we do have ''iskalúb bané'' in most restaurants - can you work it out? ] | ] 15:49, 25 January 2006 (UTC)
:::Yeah. I've never seen sumac used on its own in the Middle East and assumed the usage was a mistranslation (a very common one here in Israel). If you've seen sumac on falafel but not za`atar, we should just change it back. As for ''iskalup bané'', the best I can get out of it is some sort of "scalloped" piece of meat. (I mention schnitzelim because it's a Hebrew plural on a ]; my German friends find it beyond ridiculous.) --] 16:07, 25 January 2006 (UTC)

Anon user is right, in Lebanese use "batata" or "batata maqlyeh", even in menus they may use "french fries" but rarely "chips", because it refers to potato chips. ] 16:03, 25 January 2006 (UTC)
:I think that's the first paragraph of ]'s post. --] 16:07, 25 January 2006 (UTC)


QUESTION ABOUT ETYMOLOGY:
Is it common to have a quadrilitiral root in Arabic made up of a doubling of a two letter root? Of course, there is FLFL and ZLZL, but are there many others? It seems to me that in Arabic this is rare whereas in Hebrew it is more frequent.
(David ; yishalom@sbcglobal.net)

==Bedouin origin==

My uncle works for the US Department of Agriculture and is quite familiar with the history of most foods including falafel. He says it's originally Egyptian. Some guy was wondering how they deep fried back then. To this day and age, some people in the middle east deep fry in large pots without electricity the same way that they wash their clothes. (unsigned post)

:Yes, falafel is usually considered Egyptian (though that is hard to prove). And of course there is deep-frying without electricity -- that's not the issue. The issue is that ''bedouins'' are nomads. Deep-frying is not a typical cooking technique for nomads. It is more likely that it is a city vendor's snack in origin. Anyway, if it's not <nowiki>{{dubious}}</nowiki>, it is at least <nowiki>{{fact}}</nowiki> because no source is given for this theory. --] 02:14, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

::Actually, up until the late eighties, we still did deep frying in Lebanon the way I described it. Up to this day, there are still plenty of people in the villages who still do so. And considering bedouins to this day still cook this way, and most historians agree that the falafel is quite old, then the fact that it is deep-fried today using an electric stove has no bearing on how it was cooked a long time ago. It could have been deep-fried then the old way, or it could have been baked and evolved over time for efficiency. <small>—The preceding ] comment was added by ] (]) 03:26, 10 January 2007 (UTC).</small><!-- HagermanBot Auto-Unsigned -->


:::Could you please re-read what I said? Electricity has nothing to do with it, and of course there are people in ''villages'' who deep-fry. Villagers are not nomads. But what evidence is there that falafel is of Egyptian bedouin origin? A source is needed. --] 13:42, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

== Falafel Link ==

To whom it may concern,
I have read the article about falafel before and was interested in trying to make it. I never got it to taste right and wasted time and money on igredients trying. I wanted to help others who after reading your article also want to try falafel. So I decided to make a website offering a Falafel Kit. The kit contains a dry mix that has a traditional mid-east recipe and allows others to make falafel very easily without trying to mix all kinds of ingredients. It also allows others to get a true taste of the mid-eastern food. I would like to link my site WWW.FalafelKits.COM to the falafel page. I will also add a Misplaced Pages-Falafel link to my site.
Thank you for you time,
] 00:59, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

:We don't present commercial links on Misplaced Pages. Sorry.--] 01:57, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

== Removed "History" section ==

In the interest of ] I have removed the "History" section. First, it seems duplicated with the "Cultural" section and second, it looked entirely based on the actions of a POV pusher who was causing trouble on many food-related articles. ] (]) 22:23, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

Hi there. I srongly object to you removal of . It does not duplicated information anywhere in the article. I added it myself and it's based directly on the source cited. Please articulate a reason in line with Misplaced Pages policies or guidelines as to why this information is not relevant to this article. Claiming that "anti-Israel" "sockpuppets" added it, does not constitute one. Particularly since it is not even true. ]<sup>]</sup> 09:10, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

:Gilabrand, please stop changing the text to read as you wish it did, rather than what the reliable sources cited actually state. ] does not mean replacing text that you find offensive with text than you think is "neutral". It means reporting what reliable sources say and attributing the varied viewpoints to them. As such, I have restored this paragraph:<blockquote>Orna Agmon has compared the history of falafel to that of the sabra, the local prickly fruit that Palestinians ate for centuries before Israelis started using the word as a nickname for native-born Israelis. Ammiel Alcalay, a Jewish professor of Middle Eastern culture, similarly believes that "it's total appropriation," and that Israelis have claimed falafel in the same way that they have Jaffa oranges and the spice mixture zaatar.</blockquote>
Your version which read: <blockquote>The history of falafel has been compared to that of the ], the local prickly fruit that local residents ate for centuries before the word became a nickname for native-born Israelis. Ammiel Alcalay, a Jewish professor of Middle Eastern culture, similarly believes that Israelis have claimed falafel in the same way that they have ] oranges and the spice mixture ].</blockquote> changed ther meaning of the text completely, so as to imply that there was no cultural appropriation involved, when Alcalay and Agmon are quite clear that in their opinion, there was. ]<sup>]</sup> 11:27, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
::Yes, I will "neutralize" the texts, so that they are encyclopedic - or they won't be used here. You are adding contentious material deliberately. Now that certain editors have been blocked indefinitely, perhaps now is the time to rethink whether efforts to politicize this article are worth your while.--] (]) 11:32, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
::(edit conflict) Gilabrand, you are doing it again, and without even discussing. The article explains a lot of varied viewpoints on the falafel debate. These need to be attributed to their owners. Instead of deleting or changing the viewpoints you think are unapaltable from those provided by the source says, why not add other viewpoints? For example: you can add something from this section:<blockquote> Jewish and Israeli attitudes toward the falafel debate range from defiance to ambivalence to outright shame — just as they do toward the conflict at large. Some Jews point out that no single group can own a method for frying a mush of legumes; they say that falafel is generically Middle Eastern, having originated in Egypt and found its way as far as Morocco and Saudi Arabia. "Have we stolen pasta from the Italians?" asked Geoffrey Weill, who does public relations for Israel's Ministry of Tourism. "What kind of nonsense is that?" Hagay Nagar, the Israeli co-owner of Hoomoos Asli in New York, says that falafel is now "an international food, like a hamburger." (Nevertheless, his restaurant has an Arabic name: "Asli," a word adopted by Israeli slang, means "original" in Arabic.)</blockquote>


== Inappropriate paragraph ==
::Your edits are downplaying the contestation over the issue of falafel's ownership, rather than fully explaining it to the reader. I'm surprised by your lack of understanding and respect for ]. Please self-revert and add what you feel needs to be added to achieve balance, instead of doing it by mangling the meaning of the text in place. ]<sup>]</sup> 11:34, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
::Nobody "owns" felafel. The article states it originated in Egypt and is eaten throughout the Middle East and now, the world. What is your interest in perpetuating this stupid, political argument? Felafel is enjoyed by many people and considered an element of Arab cuisine. That can be stated quite simply, without bringing in the opinion of every street cleaner, dishwasher and felafel seller in NY, not to mention attention seeking researchers who need to spice up their thesis to get someone to read it. Here on Misplaced Pages, we have an opportunity to make the world a better place by offering information. Your material is political, and is phrased in a style that will only keep the debate over this page raging. What a waste of creative energy.--] (]) 11:48, 4 March 2008 (UTC)


'''This paragraph in the introduction is inappropriate and should be removed''':
How sad. This said though, I think the article should report the controversy so I would propose starting a ''sourced'' section on the controversy itself, as a sub-section of a thoroughly sourced history section. By sourced, I would tend to agree with what ] implies: Sourced PoV and opinion can be helpful but it must come from a published expert. I don't think owning a restaurant qualifies anyone as a food historian (although a food historian may own a restaurant), so sundry published quotes from retail vendors may not be reliable. ] (]) 12:34, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
''The ] chickpea-only version of the falafel has also been adopted into ], where it now features prominently and is proclaimed as the country's ] – a situation which has been lamented by Palestinians, Lebanese, and other Arab groups alike as amounting to ].'' ] (]) 17:40, 7 September 2023 (UTC)
:Why do you object to it? It is well sourced and I believe factually correct. Do you deny that there is debate about the cultural appropriation of Arab foods by Israelis? The phrasing is I think ], not taking sides on the issue. --] (]) 17:55, 7 September 2023 (UTC)
::Citation needed that Israel appropriated food. Israel is a middle eastern culture just like the others. ] (]) 13:00, 10 November 2023 (UTC)
::Hi Macrakis, I think there is debate because there are Jews from several Arab lands who have settled in Israel therefore, not true cultural appropriation. Either more sources or different wording is needed. ] (]) 03:58, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
:::this is blatantly antisemitic ] (]) 14:28, 27 September 2024 (UTC)
::Here are some constructive suggestions and comment:
::The ] chickpea-only version of the falafel has also been adopted into ], where it now features prominently and is proclaimed as the country's ]. MISLEADING AND NOT NECESSARY FOR LEDE. DOESN'T READ AS NEUTRAL.
::'''History:'''
::The dish later migrated northwards to the ], where chickpeas replaced the fava beans, and from there spread to other parts of the Middle East. THERE WERE JEWS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST INCLUDING A SMALL POPULATION IN PALESTINE. THEREFORE STATING THE FOLLOWING:
::The identification of Falafel with Israeli cuisine has been lamented by Palestinians, Lebanese and other Arab populations as amounting to ].
::SEEMS CONTRADICTORY.
::ALSO, RAVIV IS THE ONLY SCHOLARLY SOURCE CITING CULTURAL APPROPRIATION ALONG WITH OTHER ARAB ORGANISATIONS.
::CONSIDERING...it was consumed by ] and ] AND was adopted in the diet of early ] to the ] of ]. WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO STATE JEWS AND ARABS CONSUMED/MADE FALAFEL AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY IN LEDE.
::Thoughts? ] (]) 09:20, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
:::The main note that I have on the above is: read ]. ] (]) 11:06, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
::::Of course Arab Jews (as well as Arab Christians etc.) in Egypt and the Levant ate falafel, but it was not regarded as a distinctively Jewish dish until recently. Treating falafel as a "national food" makes a claim about its distinctiveness.
::::Not sure what your point about the "lamenting" part is. This is an ] statement, not claiming in WP's voice that it ''is'' cultural appropriation, just reporting on what others say. Do you disagree that others say this?
::::Not sure what you mean by Raviv "and other Arab organizations". Raviv is an Israeli-American scholar who has researched this issue and published it as a book and as far as I know has nothing to do with Arab organizations. --] (]) 11:20, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
:::::Hi Macrakis, I'll try to be more specific.
:::::# If the lede is a summary, then it would make more sense, judging by the article and each section to say something like this:
:::::Falafel is a popular dish with a disputed origin, likely originating in Egypt and later spreading to the Middle East. The name is derived from the Arabic word for pepper. The dish involves fritters made from fava beans or chickpeas, often shaped into balls or patties and deep-fried or oven-baked. Preparation methods vary, with fava beans used in Egyptian cuisine and chickpeas in Palestinian cuisine. Falafel gained popularity across the Levant and the wider Middle East, often served during Ramadan. In Israel, the Palestinian chickpea falafel is considered a national dish, adopted by early Jewish immigrants. Falafel has gained global popularity as a vegetarian food in Europe, particularly Germany, and North America.
:::::This just seems to me to fit more with WP:NPOV and for summation purposes.
:::::2. In terms of Raviv, I understand he studied it significantly, but I think it would be more specific (according to him also) that it wasn't a Jewish Ashkenazi dish yet Syrian and Egyptian Jews did prepare and eat this dish. Specifically here: ''Falafel was never a specifically Jewish dish, but it was consumed by ] and ].'' Makes more sense. Also, one person is not enough experts on the topic, hence why I then brought this up:
:::::3. In terms of my Arab Organisations comment, I was referring to this sentence:.''..has been lamented by Palestinians, Lebanese and other Arab populations as amounting to ].'' I didn't mean to get this sentence confused with Raviv - they were too separate points.
:::::To someone reading the article who doesn't look at sources, I would want to see both sides of the spectrum.
:::::But I will get out of here now and leave it to some ECs to figure out :) ] (]) 11:27, 12 November 2023 (UTC)
:::::"Until recently" meaning almost all Middle East Countries were created by Europe recently? ] (]) 22:20, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
::::Sorry, will put in ''italics'' next time. Just wanted to create the distinction. ] (]) 10:58, 12 November 2023 (UTC)
:::::@] :) ] (]) 11:30, 12 November 2023 (UTC)


::: Raviv writes in citation “The Jewish population in Palestine, the early halutzim, or pioneers - adopted the local Arab version made with childpeas. By the 1920’s falafel had become a popular snack with the younger generation." That does not directly correspond to the citation, which implies it is a Palestinian dish, with Palestinian referencing the modern usage of the term. In the 1920's the "Palestinians" were the people who lived in Palestine, including Jews, and Raviv is directly referencing the Jews in her paper. The citation should be removed, or it should be clarified that by "Palestinian, Raviv was referring to the Halutzim. <!-- Template:Unsigned --><small class="autosigned">—&nbsp;Preceding ] comment added by ] (] • ]) 22:28, 19 January 2024 (UTC)</small><!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
== Since you people can't stop the warring... ==
::You are denying the whole history and culture of the Mizrahi Jewry.
I've created ]. Propose edits THERE. Let's not have more of this nightmare on food pages. ] (]) 13:26, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
::That paragraph is discriminatory, zero neutral and against the idea of wikipedia.
::I've restored the history section because I see no need to delete its sourced information during the discussion. Moreover, I think it's ok to add more sourced material of whatever PoV to the article without bringing it up first on the talk page, so long as the source meets ]. ] (]) 14:15, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
::https://en.m.wikipedia.org/Mizrahi_Jews ] (]) 22:17, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
:::In terms of WP, it seems like ], similar to autism/vaccine denial. The rest of the world's billions do not associate falafel with "appropriation".]] 14:58, 27 September 2024 (UTC)
:I agree, especially since there seem to be several different theories and viewpoints, and dearth of any sources mentioning it before the 19th century. The summary of it certainly is phrased in a way that's opinion as fact. I agree that it's not necessary in the lede altogether and move to strike the whole sentence and keep the controversy sequestered where it belongs.
:Stampfer has an interesting viewpoint, which is that the deep-fried ball version in a pita pocket with tomato, which is certainly what would be called the iconic Israeli version of the dish, really couldn't have been created before the 20th century.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210414213438/https://www.haaretz.com/food/.premium-food-wars-did-jews-invent-falafel-after-all-1.5429673</ref>
::"Traditional Middle Eastern breads are dipped in sauces or used as a wrap. European baking technology that came to the Middle East in the late 19th century made the pocket pita possible. At the same time, inexpensive frying oil became available and a fried croquette that was popular in India was naturalized in the Middle East and given the name ‘falafel’."
::"At this time, the tomato, which had recently been introduced to the Middle East, began to be used for salad. The combination of pocket pita, falafel balls and vegetable salad, with a bit of tahini added, came into being in the 20th century."<ref>https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/the-secret-lives-of-bagels-and-falafel/2015/11/16/</ref>
:Stampfer criticizes the culinary nationalism debate, saying most modern foods in general aren't such ancient recipes. I think that perspective is perfectly valid and certainly matches pre-controversy usage, i.e. the subject of the criticism. --] (]) 18:37, 23 October 2024 (UTC)
::Sorry, @], who are you agreeing with? It looks like you're agreeing with Macrakis 7 Sept 2023, is that what you intended? ] (]) 20:06, 23 October 2024 (UTC)
:::No, I meant to agree with the top post. Let me fix that. ] (]) 20:16, 23 October 2024 (UTC)
::::When it gets this far down, just include mention who you're agreeing with. "I agree with 82 IP's OP" or whatever. That way people don't have to try to figure it out after thirty intervening posts. ] (]) 20:21, 23 October 2024 (UTC)


== Neutrality Tag ==
To clarify, I only restored the sourced history section as a starting point for discussion, thinking more sources would show up shortly and balance the section's PoV. Had I known a request to protect the page had been made, I would not have restored the section. ] (]) 17:05, 4 March 2008 (UTC)


Can’t believe its come to this, but with serious battleground behaviors being exhibited on this page, I’m placing a neutrality tag on the page until actual balanced consensus can be achieved on the political implications of falafel.
{{tl|editprotected}}
Gwen and I are in agreement : the best way to resolve the dispute is to remove the section to the created workshop page where both sides will be equally forced to work out their differences rather than seeing a "default" version protected. We are requesting Gwen's last edit prior to page protection be reverted, as per Gwen's statement above and . ] (]) 17:41, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
:{{done}} - ] <sup>]</sup> 17:52, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
== History Section ==
{{RFCpol | section=History Section !! reason=Should the ] article include a "History" section and if so, what should the content be? See above. This RfC created to hopefully get a few more editors to help out on ]. !! time=18:00, 4 March 2008 (UTC)}}


There are clear biases that are being railroaded into the edit. The largest Jewish ethnic subgroup in Israel are Jews from Muslim and Arab countries, yet accusations of cultural appropriation from both Palestinians and “other arab populations” are being given emphasis in the lede without any grounds for counterpoint? Not remotely neutral. ] (]) 20:44, 20 December 2023 (UTC)
This RfC created to hopefully get a few more editors to help out on ]. I hope this is a good use of RfC, let's see if a few more eyes can't help the troubles. For users coming in new, see the talk page above and the for various different versions. ] (]) 18:02, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
:Please provide something other than personal opinion to justify the tag. Please explain why what several reliable sources discuss should not be included. Please explain why when ] says we should include noteworthy controversies about a topic in the lead you think we should remove them. And please do so with sources. ''']''' - 21:00, 20 December 2023 (UTC)
::Because the representation of the controversy is one-sided, and excludes counter information now only available in the body that then flatly mischaracterizes the nature of the controversy. I’m putting the tag back on. ] (]) 23:13, 27 December 2023 (UTC)
:I've been doing some work on the article, do you still feel it is POV, Mistamystery? Falafel most likely originated in Egypt but the time is unknown; some say ancient, some say modern. It predates the modern states Israel or Palestine, or many of the nations on the present Middle Eastern map. Egyptians, Yemenites and others from the Arab world brought it to Israel. Other civilizations have a falafel inherited via the Egyptians: the Persians and the Greeks, who aren't Arab, but also had contact and their own spin on falafel. ''']'''<span style="border:2px solid #073642;background:rgb(255,156,0);background:linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255,156,0,1) 0%, rgba(147,0,255,1) 45%, rgba(4,123,134,1) 87%);">]</span> 00:14, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
:This neutrality tag was not helpful and I have removed it. See ]—] 10:23, 24 December 2023 (UTC)
::I agree the tag is not helpful. I believe Mistamystery was saying that the lead doesn't need to include the accusation of cultural appropriation. I think I agree. Can we remove that from the lead? It would of course remain in the body. Is this really one of the most notable aspects of Falafel? Can't we all share this food that everyone inherited probably from ancient Egyptians, who were neither Arab Palestinians nor Jewish Israelis? ''']'''<span style="border:2px solid #073642;background:rgb(255,156,0);background:linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255,156,0,1) 0%, rgba(147,0,255,1) 45%, rgba(4,123,134,1) 87%);">]</span> 10:25, 24 December 2023 (UTC)
:::I want to be very clear: the lede is not neutral and does not present a balanced view of the "controversy" (which I also do not think is sufficient to be included in the lede at all). This is why the neutrality tag needs to be restored and the above comments do not counter why I put it there in the first place. I merely
:::left the convo for a few days and someone took the silence as grounds to remove it without actually addressing the clear issue.
:::The point-counterpoint is not "Israelis consider it to be a national dish but Palestinians/Arabs consider that to be cultural appropriation" is not remotely balanced. The "Israelis" being referenced includes Jews from Arab countries (including Egypt, where falafel originates from), so it is non-sensical to place a claim of Arabs making accusation of cultural appropriation without counter-mention of the Arab Jewish influence on Israeli cuisine and dietary attitudes.
:::Until this specifically is resolved (plus resurgent coatrack concerns all over the page that are an attempt to turn it into a PIA conflict battleground), then no, I do not consider this page to have resolved its neutrality issues. I will be (again) restoring the neutrality tag shortly until this is resolved, and will be happy to pull in an admin for feedback. ] (]) 21:02, 28 December 2023 (UTC)
:::The controversy isn't about shared cuisine: it is about appropriation and lack of attribution of the origins of certain dishes. If a dish is thought to have originated in Egypt, it can reasonably be construed as "Egyptian"; but if an Egyptian moves to country X, taking that dish with them, it is not necessarily reasonable to then construe that dish as "country X-ish" in turn. ] (]) 23:56, 28 December 2023 (UTC)
::::I recently had to remove a quote that someone had added into this article which referred to those who supposedly were “appropriating” the cuisine as “criminals and misfits from American jewish ghettoes”, which I think both illuminates the core issue here (insofar as a distinct and venomous pseudo-legitimized bias finding its way both into sources and discourse on the subject) as well as a clear (and questionable) agenda certain editors are attempting to push here that - in spite of people’s appreciable frustration with all things Israel and Israelis - just simply does not add up.
::::There is no dispute as to the genesis of falafel becoming an Israeli national dish. It was already widely consumed across the Arab world (including by Jews living both inside of pre-1900 Palestine, as well as across the middle east). When Jewish migration started to rise in the 19th century, cuisines were carried along from one location to another, new ones were adopted and adapted and modified and collided into the eclectic mix of influences that defines Israeli cuisine today. As a new community, and later national cuisine started to formulate itself, falafel (alongside many other popularly consumed dishes with influences from far and wide) came to be considered a staple dish.
::::The lede does not currently say “Palestinians”, it says “Palestinians and Arabs” criticize this cultural appropriation, which in effect creates set up a lose-lose nexus that is profoundly unacademic, and nefariously so in its insistence that it somehow is a legitimate argument worthwhile of an article lede. A Jewish Israeli who ate chickpea-based falafel in Yemen and continued to do so in Israel is now an “appropriator” in Israel, when he wasn’t one in Yemen?
::::This argument attempts to say “Israeli cuisine” is at fault, but clearly - given that it attempts to make no account for both the majority of Jewish Israelis who migrated from the Middle East and have often historically included falafel in their diet, or the 20% of Israelis who are Arabs - it is nothing but a byword for the toxic, highly politicized distortive bias that “Israeli” only means “European Ashkenazi Jew”…which we all know it very much doesn’t, and just mathematically is not the case.
::::None of the sources on the page imply there is any dispute as to the trajectory of falafel dishes. Nor do any of the sources indicate any Israelis are claiming they invented falafel. Nor are there any sources claiming that the concept of falafel as a “national dish” preceded its popularity. It was a popular, cheap street food that grew in popularity alongside many other dishes that were influenced by the collision of subcultures happening at the time in the region.
::::For it to be cultural appropriation the accusation would have to be applied evenly to all potential appropriators, and that just isn’t the case here. There is a bottlenecked and distorted fixation on one particular group, and we all well know what that is, and is sure as shootin’ isn’t academic or remotely NPOV.
::::This theory is frankly very much WP:FRINGE and is nothing but a convenient coatrack for people’s general grievances around the conflict. It doesn’t mean we indulge it here.
::::Someone just make a “food disputes” page or a “cultural appropriation in food” page and let us be done of this in this location. It’s super inappropriate. ] (]) 02:01, 29 December 2023 (UTC)
:::::Claims of cultural appropriation are subjective and have been attributed as such. It sounds like you disagree with the claims - that's fine as many cases of cultural appropriation and the concept itself ]. ''']''' <sub>]</sub> 18:07, 31 December 2023 (UTC)


I am pointing out an inaccuracy. The page states "The Association of Lebanese Industrialists in 2008 brought a lawsuit against Israel seeking damages for lost revenues, claiming copyright infringement regarding the branding of Israeli falafel, hummus, tabbouleh, and other foods." when in fact there is no evidence that such a law suit was ever brought forward. The citations simply refer to a quote about a plan to bring forward a lawsuit about copyright violations. I could find no reference to an actual lawsuit or a resolution or settlement to a lawsuit over copyright violation. This entire portion should be removed as inaccurate, or should be altered to say that such a lawsuit was considered but not brought forward. <!-- Template:Unsigned --><small class="autosigned">—&nbsp;Preceding ] comment added by ] (] • ]) 21:40, 19 January 2024 (UTC)</small> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
:I think the history section should be reinstated. It's removal seems POV. Falafel has a long Arab history, and a short Israeli (and rest of the world) one. That said, I'm not a fan of the wording. Isn't enough to have a short line or two explaining that the falafel is ''now'' popular in Israel and some feel that it has been appropriated as an 'authentically' Israeli food - rather than the extended attack which was there. We don't need to turn this article into cultural war, even if we make brief mention of it. Falafel is too good a food for that - I'm a white ] and I love it as much as anyone! ] (]) 05:05, 9 March 2008 (UTC)
::For your edification, the History section was removed to a workshop page so that neither side of the POV dispute had reason to feel that "their" version was protected. I had hoped this would encourage them to come together an work on a compromise version, with the entire goal of re-adding a proper version and not having more edit wars. Care to propose a version on the workshop page please? ] (]) 07:29, 9 March 2008 (UTC)


== DENIAL.OF THE HISTORY OF JEWS OF ORIENTAL AND SPANISH ORIGIN. ==
:::I agree with Mostlyharmless and have made some minor modifications to his edits at the workshop page. But where are we supposed to discuss those edits? Could those who need to discuss the changes open a section for that here? Thanks. ]<sup>]</sup> 11:09, 9 March 2008 (UTC)


The paragraph about cultural apropiation is clearly discrminating the descendents of the thousands of Jewish of non European origins that lived in Northen Africa,,Egypt, and the whole Middle East, their own history and the history of their families.
::::It's odd that an article about food has been fully protected because of edit warring. I can't pretend to be an expert on whether falafel is an authentic Arab or Israeli dish, but it is served widely in both cultures and the wording of the article should reflect this, and not be used as a battleground for political issues. --'''''] <sup>]</sup>''''' 11:54, 9 March 2008 (UTC)
The article is not neutral and heavily biased, ruining the whole idea of Misplaced Pages for political issues.
This is not the standard of a neutral and unbiased colective construction of knowledge. ] (]) 22:11, 5 June 2024 (UTC)


:@], would you like to make a suggestion? ] (]) 14:56, 7 June 2024 (UTC)
:::::Documenting the history of how a dish invented and consumed primarilyl by Arabs, came to be considered "Israeli"m and also eaten worldwide is relevant to the article. It is unfortunate that people are offended by historical facts, but that doesn't mean the information should not be included. It is also unfortunate that people have failed to discuss these issues calmly and that everything associated with the Middle East seems to morph into a political battle. But we cannot avoid reporting on things just because they are controversial. Misplaced Pages is not censored. ]<sup>]</sup> 12:15, 9 March 2008 (UTC)


==Protected== == Lede ==


{{ping|TrulyShruti}} Please note that the inclusion of this material to the lede is based on the ] guideline which states that the lede is a summary of the body including any prominent controversies of which this is clearly one. This has already been discussed. ] (]) 14:31, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
{{RFPP|p}} - due to the level of disruptive edit-warring over the last few weeks. As M1rth says, please use the talk page to resolve your issues instead. Let me know when things are sorted and I'll lift the article protect. Thanks - ] <sup>]</sup> 15:35, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
:Restored to lead. ''']''' - 15:50, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
:It is not prominent in the world mainstream discussion of falafel. This has long failed to gain consensus for the lead, and it should not appear there until consensus is explicit.]] 16:02, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
::There has been a consensus, you not liking that consensus but failing to achieve one to overturn it is a personal problem. ''']''' - 16:53, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
:::Please give a link that demonstrates explicit consensus for this lead text. It's repeatedly been challenged by various editors.]] 19:24, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
::::You were ] the last time this was discussed. The sources, and the majority of editors, are on one side. You are on the other. Being challenged by various editors who either ignore or misrepresent the sourcing does not change that consensus. If you would like to try to establish a new one feel free. ''']''' - 19:33, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
:::::Nableezy, the link you provided demonstrates a failed attempt to elevate the grievance. No consensus was achieved there. Also, please try not to personalize talk page content discussions.]] 16:24, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
::::::I haven’t. And nope, it shows a majority of users and all the sources supporting this and a few users demanding we not follow ] which requires the inclusion of noteworthy controversies. ''']''' - 16:34, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
:::::I removed the content too. Consensus can change, of course. This is an unnecessary politicization of a cuisine-related article that doesn't belong in the lead section, where readers expect a straightforward introduction to the dish, instead of political wars over food. Controversies should remain where they belong, in the controversy section. ] (]) 09:00, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
:::::::Its inappropriate and presents a false view to have the inventors and native eaters of a dish in the same position as someone who adopted it. The history and background must be presented when there is text about the country that adopted it. Including the lede. ---] (]) 16:36, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
::::::That’s absurd, this is stable content for a decade and the lead summarizes the article, including the controversy section. ''']''' - 10:56, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
:::::::Agreed, no arguments based in WP policy have been made against its inclusion as well. ] (]) 18:35, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
:::::::::All the "arguments" against are based on policy ]. Consensus can change, and in the case of this page it has changed due to the many new editors who previously did little editing relating to the mideast and now find themselves browsing this and other related pages. So "absurd" and other non-policy-based reasoning is not going to help.]] 20:58, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
::::::::::Funny, since NPOV requires the inclusion of all significant views and a bunch of highly reliable sources have been provided to show this to be one. And lead requires in the inclusion of noteworthy controversies and again a bunch of highly reliable sources have shown this to be one. The effort to ignore the sources and the policies should be ignored. ''']''' - 00:54, 11 August 2024 (UTC)


== Kahn Bar-Adon's lament ==
== ] and ] ==


We've got {{xt|Dafna Hirsch of the Open University of Israel, wrote: "Despite Kahn Bar-Adon's lament,}} but we make no mention of what that lament was (or why it matters what Bar-Adon thought, although I did hunt her down). Does anyone have access to Hirsch's piece? It's here.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hirsch |first1=Dafna |date=November 2011 |title="Hummus is best when it is fresh and made by Arabs": The gourmetization of hummus in Israel and the return of the repressed Arab |url=https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1548-1425.2011.01326.x |journal=American Ethnologist |volume=38 |issue=4 |pages=619–621 |doi=10.1111/j.1548-1425.2011.01326.x |doi-access=free}}</ref> ] (]) 13:43, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
Tiamut, since you asked, I have moved ] to ] so that ] can be used to discuss edits in an easier fashion. Thank you for pointing this out and I hope it helps. ] (]) 17:24, 9 March 2008 (UTC)


:Ping {{u|Carlstak}}, who added the content. ] (]) 14:43, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
== re: Falafel has been part of the diet of ]s, as well as ] for centuries. ==


{{reflist talk}}
Are you challenging this statement? If so, on what grounds? Or are you objecting to the source alone? If you object to the source, why? And why is that enough to remove this line? I don’t honestly know what kind of a reputation e-cookbooks has, but I do know that it is a third-party that publishes non-controversial and non-extremist material directly relevant to the topic, making it appropriate to the context. - ] (]) 17:18, 23 March 2008 (UTC)
:So I realized that the Kantor article is actually from the NYTimes, which kind of renders this discussion a moot point; however, I still want to hear your responses, if you could take the time to do so. - ] (]) 17:35, 23 March 2008 (UTC)


::I discussed this in in response to the "‎COATRACK and UNDUE?" discussion in replying to a comment by SPECIFICO, as you can see: "Have to disagree, it has ''everything'' to do with falafel because of the cultural symbolism, whether developed organically or synthetically, inherent in almost every aspect. The food itself has been politicized in Israel, so that should be addressed in the article, as well as the fact that even some Jewish Israelis, such as Dafna Hirsch, an authority on Israeli food culture and food history, calls its cultural appropriation from Palestinians just that. Her writing is not a ''complaint'' from Palestinians, it's a description of reality from an Israeli Jew." I have access to the article, and I'm looking at it now, but I'm busy working; just saw this on my lunch break. If this issue is being relitigated ad infinitum, I'm out. 18:24, 10 August 2024 (UTC) <!-- Template:Unsigned --><small class="autosigned">—&nbsp;Preceding ] comment added by ] (] • ]) </small>
==Hebrew name==
:::{{u|Carlstak}}, I'm only asking if you still have access to this source, as I don't, so we can know what the "lament" was. ] (]) 19:09, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
::::Here's the relevant paragraph:
:::::Palmach members apart, prior to the second half of the 1940s, hummus was largely unknown to most Jews in Palestine. In a piece titled “Oriental Gourmet: Lamb, Tehina, Humas,” journalist Dorothy Khan Bar-Adon lamented that “since the outbreak of war domestic science institutions have been advocating the use of local products, popular with the Orientals, and cheap, nourishing and tasty. But probably only the sheerest necessity will make a dent in the wall of resistance. Food habits cling. There are many Eastern Europeans who have never learned to eat olives!” (1941).
:::::I am subscribed to this section, so you needn't ping me. ] (]) 00:59, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
:::::Thank you! ] (]) 11:22, 11 August 2024 (UTC)


== Palestinian version ==
Falafel is an Arabic word, so why do we have the Hebrew transliteration of the Arabic after the bolded term in the introduction? I should note that we are having the same discussion at ] and that I've asked at the ] talk page for some guidance on how to deal with other languages in parentheses. My own personal opinion is that the transliteration in languages not related to the term's etymology are unnecessary and raise the question of where to draw the line (for example, should we also list how falafel is transcribed in Greek?) Your feedback, here, at Za'atar or the MoS page, would be appreciated. ]<sup>]</sup> 01:47, 24 March 2008 (UTC)


{{ping|SPECIFICO}} Clearly, it is not exclusively Palestinian; but it is indeed the context from which Israel had appropriated this version from. Why did you remove it? ] (]) 18:35, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
Tiamut, I do not believe Hebrew should be here, that is for sure. It is stated in the article that Falafel is plural of an arabic word, "filfil", and adding the Arabic text is appropriate. Adding the Hebrew text I believe is simply an organized attack to not allow any Arabic dish to be sourced exclusively as Arabic. This is extreme overkill since I believe the translation should be included when the word is taken from the actual word in the cited language. Same with Za'atar. These are arguably international dishes, but what is indisputable is that these are ARABIC words that have made there way into the English language since those foods are now eaten all over the world. <small>—Preceding ] comment added by ] (] • ]) 07:12, 24 March 2008 (UTC)</small><!-- Template:Unsigned --> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
:We can't make up a fakefact, clearly not a fact if I read your post right, to fit an interpretation about "appropriated" etc.
:Maybe the first falafel was shared with pride, love, and respect by an Arab Israeli citizen at a neighborhood gathering.
:I don't see appropriation at our ] ] or ], or ] article pages. I've previously addressed the ]. I think it's a reasonable suggestion, as others have noted, to create a ] page, which could discuss its popularity around the world and the expressions of grievance and reactions to such feelings, worldwide.
:A more obvious example of culinary influence on Jewish culture would be the Ashkenazi Jews' ] to mimic indiginous Eastern European dumplings.
:Of all the tragedies of the mideast region over the past 100 years, this is pretty far down on the list in the global mainstream view. The exaggerated grievance and elevation of the falafel as a symbol of the more essential and enduring issues has nothing to do with falafel, as {{ping|Valereee}} has articulated. The weaponization of falafel trivializes the underlying issues.]] 20:49, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
::What matters is the source, not your unsourced ramblings about irrelevant things like meatballs. What Raviv 2003 says is {{xt|Falafel is generally made from fava beans (as in Egypt, where it is also known as Ta’amia), from chickpeas (the ver-sion traditional to Palestine and encountered in Israel today), or from a combination of the two.}} Palestinian should be restored and this effort to disregard the sources ignored. ''']''' - 00:48, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
::This seems to be a case in which personal opinions are being used to justify ignoring RS: "The falafel that Zionist settlers eventually came to claim as their national food was made by Palestinians first. It belongs to a family of fritters made with fava beans, or chickpeas in the Palestinian version, that had long been shared throughout the Arab Eastern Mediterranean, from Alexandria and Port Said in Egypt to Beirut in Lebanon."
::On a side note, this would be relevant: "Kassis focuses the book on food and kin; in an opinion piece she wrote in February for the Washington Post, she gave voice to the objections raised by many Palestinians over the notion of “Israeli cuisine.” “By and large, the dishes that make up the Israeli ‘national food’ repertoire (hummus, falafel, msabaha, baba ghanoush, knafeh) were learned from the Palestinian population,” she wrote. “In many restaurants and cookbooks, Israelis have no problem including such items as ‘Yemeni schug,’ ‘Iraqi sabich’ or ‘Tunisian salad.’ But the absence of the word ‘Palestinian’ from their menus and books is a glaring omission. As many Israeli academics and food writers themselves have pointed out, the word ‘Palestinian’ is still considered by many Israelis as a threat to their existence.”" ] (]) 09:40, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
:::{{tq|the word ‘Palestinian’ is still considered by many Israelis as a threat to their existence}} Kentucky Fried Chicken did not originate in Kentucky! Shakespeare appropriated ] from the Greeks without attribution - presaging the British imperialism that plagued humanity for centuries.
:::My personal opinion is that "cultural appropriation" has been not only one of the principal engines of human progress -- starting with the Christian and Muslim appropriation of Hebraic teaching -- but has also driven outcomes of eventual integration and respect among disparate cultures. Some folks may be too close to the issue to see it in perspective. So, I leave you to your falafel. Adieu.]] 13:32, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
::::Misplaced Pages is not the place for your personal opinions. I don’t want to know them and ] means I don’t need to be burdened with them. Kindly stop disrupting the purpose of this page, which is to discuss the article on ], not our personal views on irrelevant topics. ''']''' - 13:46, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
::::Your personal opinion, while entirely irrelevant and as already pointed out strongly discouraged from being argued for here, is -whether in purpose or absence of knowledge- lacking the context of the settler colonial nature of Zionism against the indigenous Palestinian population. This is why we have RS, which contextualizes these disputes and gives a sound judgement on them, which we can then reflect on WP. ] (]) 14:35, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
:::::To ]: Somebody claimed without evidence that I post here from my personal opinion, so I corrected the record on that. Full stop. The problem is that falafel is not a crime, it's a foodstuff. The controversy has its own extensive discussion in a page initiated by our colleague Valereee. On this page it's ] that has baffled most uninvolved editors and readers.]] 15:15, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
::::::Are you under the impression that having a dedicated article on a subtopic makes it less noteworthy? Huh. You know that coatracking is about including things not related to the subject, and what we include is things related to the subject, right? ''']''' - 15:42, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
::::::{{ping|SPECIFICO}} The actual wrap up of this discussion is that the removal of the word "Palestinian" from the context of Israeli "adoption" of the food is contrary to RS, and that "I leave you to your falafel" is an implicit non-objection to its restoration? ] (]) 09:25, 12 August 2024 (UTC)

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Inappropriate paragraph

This paragraph in the introduction is inappropriate and should be removed: The Palestinian chickpea-only version of the falafel has also been adopted into Israeli cuisine, where it now features prominently and is proclaimed as the country's national dish – a situation which has been lamented by Palestinians, Lebanese, and other Arab groups alike as amounting to cultural appropriation. 82.19.192.8 (talk) 17:40, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

Why do you object to it? It is well sourced and I believe factually correct. Do you deny that there is debate about the cultural appropriation of Arab foods by Israelis? The phrasing is I think WP:NPOV, not taking sides on the issue. --Macrakis (talk) 17:55, 7 September 2023 (UTC)
Citation needed that Israel appropriated food. Israel is a middle eastern culture just like the others. 64.121.35.108 (talk) 13:00, 10 November 2023 (UTC)
Hi Macrakis, I think there is debate because there are Jews from several Arab lands who have settled in Israel therefore, not true cultural appropriation. Either more sources or different wording is needed. Chavmen (talk) 03:58, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
this is blatantly antisemitic Davidatlasdavidatlas (talk) 14:28, 27 September 2024 (UTC)
Here are some constructive suggestions and comment:
The Palestinian chickpea-only version of the falafel has also been adopted into Israeli cuisine, where it now features prominently and is proclaimed as the country's national dish. MISLEADING AND NOT NECESSARY FOR LEDE. DOESN'T READ AS NEUTRAL.
History:
The dish later migrated northwards to the Levant, where chickpeas replaced the fava beans, and from there spread to other parts of the Middle East. THERE WERE JEWS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST INCLUDING A SMALL POPULATION IN PALESTINE. THEREFORE STATING THE FOLLOWING:
The identification of Falafel with Israeli cuisine has been lamented by Palestinians, Lebanese and other Arab populations as amounting to cultural appropriation.
SEEMS CONTRADICTORY.
ALSO, RAVIV IS THE ONLY SCHOLARLY SOURCE CITING CULTURAL APPROPRIATION ALONG WITH OTHER ARAB ORGANISATIONS.
CONSIDERING...it was consumed by Syrian and Egyptian Jews AND was adopted in the diet of early Jewish immigrants to the Jewish communities of Ottoman Syria. WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO STATE JEWS AND ARABS CONSUMED/MADE FALAFEL AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY IN LEDE.
Thoughts? Chavmen (talk) 09:20, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
The main note that I have on the above is: read WP:SHOUT. Iskandar323 (talk) 11:06, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
Of course Arab Jews (as well as Arab Christians etc.) in Egypt and the Levant ate falafel, but it was not regarded as a distinctively Jewish dish until recently. Treating falafel as a "national food" makes a claim about its distinctiveness.
Not sure what your point about the "lamenting" part is. This is an WP:NPOV statement, not claiming in WP's voice that it is cultural appropriation, just reporting on what others say. Do you disagree that others say this?
Not sure what you mean by Raviv "and other Arab organizations". Raviv is an Israeli-American scholar who has researched this issue and published it as a book and as far as I know has nothing to do with Arab organizations. --Macrakis (talk) 11:20, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
Hi Macrakis, I'll try to be more specific.
  1. If the lede is a summary, then it would make more sense, judging by the article and each section to say something like this:
Falafel is a popular dish with a disputed origin, likely originating in Egypt and later spreading to the Middle East. The name is derived from the Arabic word for pepper. The dish involves fritters made from fava beans or chickpeas, often shaped into balls or patties and deep-fried or oven-baked. Preparation methods vary, with fava beans used in Egyptian cuisine and chickpeas in Palestinian cuisine. Falafel gained popularity across the Levant and the wider Middle East, often served during Ramadan. In Israel, the Palestinian chickpea falafel is considered a national dish, adopted by early Jewish immigrants. Falafel has gained global popularity as a vegetarian food in Europe, particularly Germany, and North America.
This just seems to me to fit more with WP:NPOV and for summation purposes.
2. In terms of Raviv, I understand he studied it significantly, but I think it would be more specific (according to him also) that it wasn't a Jewish Ashkenazi dish yet Syrian and Egyptian Jews did prepare and eat this dish. Specifically here: Falafel was never a specifically Jewish dish, but it was consumed by Syrian and Egyptian Jews. Makes more sense. Also, one person is not enough experts on the topic, hence why I then brought this up:
3. In terms of my Arab Organisations comment, I was referring to this sentence:...has been lamented by Palestinians, Lebanese and other Arab populations as amounting to cultural appropriation. I didn't mean to get this sentence confused with Raviv - they were too separate points.
To someone reading the article who doesn't look at sources, I would want to see both sides of the spectrum.
But I will get out of here now and leave it to some ECs to figure out :) Chavmen (talk) 11:27, 12 November 2023 (UTC)
"Until recently" meaning almost all Middle East Countries were created by Europe recently? Alexfrombonn (talk) 22:20, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
Sorry, will put in italics next time. Just wanted to create the distinction. Chavmen (talk) 10:58, 12 November 2023 (UTC)
@Iskandar323 :) Chavmen (talk) 11:30, 12 November 2023 (UTC)
Raviv writes in citation “The Jewish population in Palestine, the early halutzim, or pioneers - adopted the local Arab version made with childpeas. By the 1920’s falafel had become a popular snack with the younger generation." That does not directly correspond to the citation, which implies it is a Palestinian dish, with Palestinian referencing the modern usage of the term. In the 1920's the "Palestinians" were the people who lived in Palestine, including Jews, and Raviv is directly referencing the Jews in her paper. The citation should be removed, or it should be clarified that by "Palestinian, Raviv was referring to the Halutzim. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Psycholing (talkcontribs) 22:28, 19 January 2024 (UTC)
You are denying the whole history and culture of the Mizrahi Jewry.
That paragraph is discriminatory, zero neutral and against the idea of wikipedia.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/Mizrahi_Jews Alexfrombonn (talk) 22:17, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
In terms of WP, it seems like WP:FRINGE, similar to autism/vaccine denial. The rest of the world's billions do not associate falafel with "appropriation". SPECIFICO talk 14:58, 27 September 2024 (UTC)
I agree, especially since there seem to be several different theories and viewpoints, and dearth of any sources mentioning it before the 19th century. The summary of it certainly is phrased in a way that's opinion as fact. I agree that it's not necessary in the lede altogether and move to strike the whole sentence and keep the controversy sequestered where it belongs.
Stampfer has an interesting viewpoint, which is that the deep-fried ball version in a pita pocket with tomato, which is certainly what would be called the iconic Israeli version of the dish, really couldn't have been created before the 20th century.
"Traditional Middle Eastern breads are dipped in sauces or used as a wrap. European baking technology that came to the Middle East in the late 19th century made the pocket pita possible. At the same time, inexpensive frying oil became available and a fried croquette that was popular in India was naturalized in the Middle East and given the name ‘falafel’."
"At this time, the tomato, which had recently been introduced to the Middle East, began to be used for salad. The combination of pocket pita, falafel balls and vegetable salad, with a bit of tahini added, came into being in the 20th century."
Stampfer criticizes the culinary nationalism debate, saying most modern foods in general aren't such ancient recipes. I think that perspective is perfectly valid and certainly matches pre-controversy usage, i.e. the subject of the criticism. --Scharb (talk) 18:37, 23 October 2024 (UTC)
Sorry, @Scharb, who are you agreeing with? It looks like you're agreeing with Macrakis 7 Sept 2023, is that what you intended? Valereee (talk) 20:06, 23 October 2024 (UTC)
No, I meant to agree with the top post. Let me fix that. Scharb (talk) 20:16, 23 October 2024 (UTC)
When it gets this far down, just include mention who you're agreeing with. "I agree with 82 IP's OP" or whatever. That way people don't have to try to figure it out after thirty intervening posts. Valereee (talk) 20:21, 23 October 2024 (UTC)

Neutrality Tag

Can’t believe its come to this, but with serious battleground behaviors being exhibited on this page, I’m placing a neutrality tag on the page until actual balanced consensus can be achieved on the political implications of falafel.

There are clear biases that are being railroaded into the edit. The largest Jewish ethnic subgroup in Israel are Jews from Muslim and Arab countries, yet accusations of cultural appropriation from both Palestinians and “other arab populations” are being given emphasis in the lede without any grounds for counterpoint? Not remotely neutral. Mistamystery (talk) 20:44, 20 December 2023 (UTC)

Please provide something other than personal opinion to justify the tag. Please explain why what several reliable sources discuss should not be included. Please explain why when WP:LEAD says we should include noteworthy controversies about a topic in the lead you think we should remove them. And please do so with sources. nableezy - 21:00, 20 December 2023 (UTC)
Because the representation of the controversy is one-sided, and excludes counter information now only available in the body that then flatly mischaracterizes the nature of the controversy. I’m putting the tag back on. Mistamystery (talk) 23:13, 27 December 2023 (UTC)
I've been doing some work on the article, do you still feel it is POV, Mistamystery? Falafel most likely originated in Egypt but the time is unknown; some say ancient, some say modern. It predates the modern states Israel or Palestine, or many of the nations on the present Middle Eastern map. Egyptians, Yemenites and others from the Arab world brought it to Israel. Other civilizations have a falafel inherited via the Egyptians: the Persians and the Greeks, who aren't Arab, but also had contact and their own spin on falafel. Andre🚐 00:14, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
This neutrality tag was not helpful and I have removed it. See Special:Diff/1191574503Alalch E. 10:23, 24 December 2023 (UTC)
I agree the tag is not helpful. I believe Mistamystery was saying that the lead doesn't need to include the accusation of cultural appropriation. I think I agree. Can we remove that from the lead? It would of course remain in the body. Is this really one of the most notable aspects of Falafel? Can't we all share this food that everyone inherited probably from ancient Egyptians, who were neither Arab Palestinians nor Jewish Israelis? Andre🚐 10:25, 24 December 2023 (UTC)
I want to be very clear: the lede is not neutral and does not present a balanced view of the "controversy" (which I also do not think is sufficient to be included in the lede at all). This is why the neutrality tag needs to be restored and the above comments do not counter why I put it there in the first place. I merely
left the convo for a few days and someone took the silence as grounds to remove it without actually addressing the clear issue.
The point-counterpoint is not "Israelis consider it to be a national dish but Palestinians/Arabs consider that to be cultural appropriation" is not remotely balanced. The "Israelis" being referenced includes Jews from Arab countries (including Egypt, where falafel originates from), so it is non-sensical to place a claim of Arabs making accusation of cultural appropriation without counter-mention of the Arab Jewish influence on Israeli cuisine and dietary attitudes.
Until this specifically is resolved (plus resurgent coatrack concerns all over the page that are an attempt to turn it into a PIA conflict battleground), then no, I do not consider this page to have resolved its neutrality issues. I will be (again) restoring the neutrality tag shortly until this is resolved, and will be happy to pull in an admin for feedback. Mistamystery (talk) 21:02, 28 December 2023 (UTC)
The controversy isn't about shared cuisine: it is about appropriation and lack of attribution of the origins of certain dishes. If a dish is thought to have originated in Egypt, it can reasonably be construed as "Egyptian"; but if an Egyptian moves to country X, taking that dish with them, it is not necessarily reasonable to then construe that dish as "country X-ish" in turn. Iskandar323 (talk) 23:56, 28 December 2023 (UTC)
I recently had to remove a quote that someone had added into this article which referred to those who supposedly were “appropriating” the cuisine as “criminals and misfits from American jewish ghettoes”, which I think both illuminates the core issue here (insofar as a distinct and venomous pseudo-legitimized bias finding its way both into sources and discourse on the subject) as well as a clear (and questionable) agenda certain editors are attempting to push here that - in spite of people’s appreciable frustration with all things Israel and Israelis - just simply does not add up.
There is no dispute as to the genesis of falafel becoming an Israeli national dish. It was already widely consumed across the Arab world (including by Jews living both inside of pre-1900 Palestine, as well as across the middle east). When Jewish migration started to rise in the 19th century, cuisines were carried along from one location to another, new ones were adopted and adapted and modified and collided into the eclectic mix of influences that defines Israeli cuisine today. As a new community, and later national cuisine started to formulate itself, falafel (alongside many other popularly consumed dishes with influences from far and wide) came to be considered a staple dish.
The lede does not currently say “Palestinians”, it says “Palestinians and Arabs” criticize this cultural appropriation, which in effect creates set up a lose-lose nexus that is profoundly unacademic, and nefariously so in its insistence that it somehow is a legitimate argument worthwhile of an article lede. A Jewish Israeli who ate chickpea-based falafel in Yemen and continued to do so in Israel is now an “appropriator” in Israel, when he wasn’t one in Yemen?
This argument attempts to say “Israeli cuisine” is at fault, but clearly - given that it attempts to make no account for both the majority of Jewish Israelis who migrated from the Middle East and have often historically included falafel in their diet, or the 20% of Israelis who are Arabs - it is nothing but a byword for the toxic, highly politicized distortive bias that “Israeli” only means “European Ashkenazi Jew”…which we all know it very much doesn’t, and just mathematically is not the case.
None of the sources on the page imply there is any dispute as to the trajectory of falafel dishes. Nor do any of the sources indicate any Israelis are claiming they invented falafel. Nor are there any sources claiming that the concept of falafel as a “national dish” preceded its popularity. It was a popular, cheap street food that grew in popularity alongside many other dishes that were influenced by the collision of subcultures happening at the time in the region.
For it to be cultural appropriation the accusation would have to be applied evenly to all potential appropriators, and that just isn’t the case here. There is a bottlenecked and distorted fixation on one particular group, and we all well know what that is, and is sure as shootin’ isn’t academic or remotely NPOV.
This theory is frankly very much WP:FRINGE and is nothing but a convenient coatrack for people’s general grievances around the conflict. It doesn’t mean we indulge it here.
Someone just make a “food disputes” page or a “cultural appropriation in food” page and let us be done of this in this location. It’s super inappropriate. Mistamystery (talk) 02:01, 29 December 2023 (UTC)
Claims of cultural appropriation are subjective and have been attributed as such. It sounds like you disagree with the claims - that's fine as many cases of cultural appropriation and the concept itself is controversial. VR talk 18:07, 31 December 2023 (UTC)

I am pointing out an inaccuracy. The page states "The Association of Lebanese Industrialists in 2008 brought a lawsuit against Israel seeking damages for lost revenues, claiming copyright infringement regarding the branding of Israeli falafel, hummus, tabbouleh, and other foods." when in fact there is no evidence that such a law suit was ever brought forward. The citations simply refer to a quote about a plan to bring forward a lawsuit about copyright violations. I could find no reference to an actual lawsuit or a resolution or settlement to a lawsuit over copyright violation. This entire portion should be removed as inaccurate, or should be altered to say that such a lawsuit was considered but not brought forward. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Psycholing (talkcontribs) 21:40, 19 January 2024 (UTC)

DENIAL.OF THE HISTORY OF JEWS OF ORIENTAL AND SPANISH ORIGIN.

The paragraph about cultural apropiation is clearly discrminating the descendents of the thousands of Jewish of non European origins that lived in Northen Africa,,Egypt, and the whole Middle East, their own history and the history of their families. The article is not neutral and heavily biased, ruining the whole idea of Misplaced Pages for political issues. This is not the standard of a neutral and unbiased colective construction of knowledge. Alexfrombonn (talk) 22:11, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

@Alexfrombonn, would you like to make a suggestion? Valereee (talk) 14:56, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

Lede

@TrulyShruti: Please note that the inclusion of this material to the lede is based on the WP:LEDE guideline which states that the lede is a summary of the body including any prominent controversies of which this is clearly one. This has already been discussed. Makeandtoss (talk) 14:31, 9 August 2024 (UTC)

Restored to lead. nableezy - 15:50, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
It is not prominent in the world mainstream discussion of falafel. This has long failed to gain consensus for the lead, and it should not appear there until consensus is explicit. SPECIFICO talk 16:02, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
There has been a consensus, you not liking that consensus but failing to achieve one to overturn it is a personal problem. nableezy - 16:53, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
Please give a link that demonstrates explicit consensus for this lead text. It's repeatedly been challenged by various editors. SPECIFICO talk 19:24, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
You were there the last time this was discussed. The sources, and the majority of editors, are on one side. You are on the other. Being challenged by various editors who either ignore or misrepresent the sourcing does not change that consensus. If you would like to try to establish a new one feel free. nableezy - 19:33, 9 August 2024 (UTC)
Nableezy, the link you provided demonstrates a failed attempt to elevate the grievance. No consensus was achieved there. Also, please try not to personalize talk page content discussions. SPECIFICO talk 16:24, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
I haven’t. And nope, it shows a majority of users and all the sources supporting this and a few users demanding we not follow WP:LEAD which requires the inclusion of noteworthy controversies. nableezy - 16:34, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
I removed the content too. Consensus can change, of course. This is an unnecessary politicization of a cuisine-related article that doesn't belong in the lead section, where readers expect a straightforward introduction to the dish, instead of political wars over food. Controversies should remain where they belong, in the controversy section. PeleYoetz (talk) 09:00, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
Its inappropriate and presents a false view to have the inventors and native eaters of a dish in the same position as someone who adopted it. The history and background must be presented when there is text about the country that adopted it. Including the lede. ---Supreme Deliciousness (talk) 16:36, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
That’s absurd, this is stable content for a decade and the lead summarizes the article, including the controversy section. nableezy - 10:56, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
Agreed, no arguments based in WP policy have been made against its inclusion as well. Makeandtoss (talk) 18:35, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
All the "arguments" against are based on policy WP:NPOV. Consensus can change, and in the case of this page it has changed due to the many new editors who previously did little editing relating to the mideast and now find themselves browsing this and other related pages. So "absurd" and other non-policy-based reasoning is not going to help. SPECIFICO talk 20:58, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
Funny, since NPOV requires the inclusion of all significant views and a bunch of highly reliable sources have been provided to show this to be one. And lead requires in the inclusion of noteworthy controversies and again a bunch of highly reliable sources have shown this to be one. The effort to ignore the sources and the policies should be ignored. nableezy - 00:54, 11 August 2024 (UTC)

Kahn Bar-Adon's lament

We've got Dafna Hirsch of the Open University of Israel, wrote: "Despite Kahn Bar-Adon's lament, but we make no mention of what that lament was (or why it matters what Bar-Adon thought, although I did hunt her down). Does anyone have access to Hirsch's piece? It's here. Valereee (talk) 13:43, 10 August 2024 (UTC)

Ping Carlstak, who added the content. Valereee (talk) 14:43, 10 August 2024 (UTC)

References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414213438/https://www.haaretz.com/food/.premium-food-wars-did-jews-invent-falafel-after-all-1.5429673
  2. https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/the-secret-lives-of-bagels-and-falafel/2015/11/16/
  3. Hirsch, Dafna (November 2011). ""Hummus is best when it is fresh and made by Arabs": The gourmetization of hummus in Israel and the return of the repressed Arab". American Ethnologist. 38 (4): 619–621. doi:10.1111/j.1548-1425.2011.01326.x.
I discussed this in this edit in response to the "‎COATRACK and UNDUE?" discussion in replying to a comment by SPECIFICO, as you can see: "Have to disagree, it has everything to do with falafel because of the cultural symbolism, whether developed organically or synthetically, inherent in almost every aspect. The food itself has been politicized in Israel, so that should be addressed in the article, as well as the fact that even some Jewish Israelis, such as Dafna Hirsch, an authority on Israeli food culture and food history, calls its cultural appropriation from Palestinians just that. Her writing is not a complaint from Palestinians, it's a description of reality from an Israeli Jew." I have access to the article, and I'm looking at it now, but I'm busy working; just saw this on my lunch break. If this issue is being relitigated ad infinitum, I'm out. 18:24, 10 August 2024 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Carlstak (talkcontribs)
Carlstak, I'm only asking if you still have access to this source, as I don't, so we can know what the "lament" was. Valereee (talk) 19:09, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
Here's the relevant paragraph:
Palmach members apart, prior to the second half of the 1940s, hummus was largely unknown to most Jews in Palestine. In a piece titled “Oriental Gourmet: Lamb, Tehina, Humas,” journalist Dorothy Khan Bar-Adon lamented that “since the outbreak of war domestic science institutions have been advocating the use of local products, popular with the Orientals, and cheap, nourishing and tasty. But probably only the sheerest necessity will make a dent in the wall of resistance. Food habits cling. There are many Eastern Europeans who have never learned to eat olives!” (1941).
I am subscribed to this section, so you needn't ping me. Carlstak (talk) 00:59, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
Thank you! Valereee (talk) 11:22, 11 August 2024 (UTC)

Palestinian version

@SPECIFICO: Clearly, it is not exclusively Palestinian; but it is indeed the context from which Israel had appropriated this version from. Why did you remove it? Makeandtoss (talk) 18:35, 10 August 2024 (UTC)

We can't make up a fakefact, clearly not a fact if I read your post right, to fit an interpretation about "appropriated" etc.
Maybe the first falafel was shared with pride, love, and respect by an Arab Israeli citizen at a neighborhood gathering.
I don't see appropriation at our meatball noodle or fried chicken, or tomato article pages. I've previously addressed the potato. I think it's a reasonable suggestion, as others have noted, to create a Appropiations of Falafel page, which could discuss its popularity around the world and the expressions of grievance and reactions to such feelings, worldwide.
A more obvious example of culinary influence on Jewish culture would be the Ashkenazi Jews' Matzo Ball to mimic indiginous Eastern European dumplings.
Of all the tragedies of the mideast region over the past 100 years, this is pretty far down on the list in the global mainstream view. The exaggerated grievance and elevation of the falafel as a symbol of the more essential and enduring issues has nothing to do with falafel, as @Valereee: has articulated. The weaponization of falafel trivializes the underlying issues. SPECIFICO talk 20:49, 10 August 2024 (UTC)
What matters is the source, not your unsourced ramblings about irrelevant things like meatballs. What Raviv 2003 says is Falafel is generally made from fava beans (as in Egypt, where it is also known as Ta’amia), from chickpeas (the ver-sion traditional to Palestine and encountered in Israel today), or from a combination of the two. Palestinian should be restored and this effort to disregard the sources ignored. nableezy - 00:48, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
This seems to be a case in which personal opinions are being used to justify ignoring RS: "The falafel that Zionist settlers eventually came to claim as their national food was made by Palestinians first. It belongs to a family of fritters made with fava beans, or chickpeas in the Palestinian version, that had long been shared throughout the Arab Eastern Mediterranean, from Alexandria and Port Said in Egypt to Beirut in Lebanon."
On a side note, this would be relevant: "Kassis focuses the book on food and kin; in an opinion piece she wrote in February for the Washington Post, she gave voice to the objections raised by many Palestinians over the notion of “Israeli cuisine.” “By and large, the dishes that make up the Israeli ‘national food’ repertoire (hummus, falafel, msabaha, baba ghanoush, knafeh) were learned from the Palestinian population,” she wrote. “In many restaurants and cookbooks, Israelis have no problem including such items as ‘Yemeni schug,’ ‘Iraqi sabich’ or ‘Tunisian salad.’ But the absence of the word ‘Palestinian’ from their menus and books is a glaring omission. As many Israeli academics and food writers themselves have pointed out, the word ‘Palestinian’ is still considered by many Israelis as a threat to their existence.”" Makeandtoss (talk) 09:40, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
the word ‘Palestinian’ is still considered by many Israelis as a threat to their existence Kentucky Fried Chicken did not originate in Kentucky! Shakespeare appropriated Tragedy from the Greeks without attribution - presaging the British imperialism that plagued humanity for centuries.
My personal opinion is that "cultural appropriation" has been not only one of the principal engines of human progress -- starting with the Christian and Muslim appropriation of Hebraic teaching -- but has also driven outcomes of eventual integration and respect among disparate cultures. Some folks may be too close to the issue to see it in perspective. So, I leave you to your falafel. Adieu. SPECIFICO talk 13:32, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
Misplaced Pages is not the place for your personal opinions. I don’t want to know them and WP:NOTFORUM means I don’t need to be burdened with them. Kindly stop disrupting the purpose of this page, which is to discuss the article on Falafel, not our personal views on irrelevant topics. nableezy - 13:46, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
Your personal opinion, while entirely irrelevant and as already pointed out strongly discouraged from being argued for here, is -whether in purpose or absence of knowledge- lacking the context of the settler colonial nature of Zionism against the indigenous Palestinian population. This is why we have RS, which contextualizes these disputes and gives a sound judgement on them, which we can then reflect on WP. Makeandtoss (talk) 14:35, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
To wrap this up: Somebody claimed without evidence that I post here from my personal opinion, so I corrected the record on that. Full stop. The problem is that falafel is not a crime, it's a foodstuff. The controversy has its own extensive discussion in a page initiated by our colleague Valereee. On this page it's WP:COATRACK that has baffled most uninvolved editors and readers. SPECIFICO talk 15:15, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
Are you under the impression that having a dedicated article on a subtopic makes it less noteworthy? Huh. You know that coatracking is about including things not related to the subject, and what we include is things related to the subject, right? nableezy - 15:42, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
@SPECIFICO: The actual wrap up of this discussion is that the removal of the word "Palestinian" from the context of Israeli "adoption" of the food is contrary to RS, and that "I leave you to your falafel" is an implicit non-objection to its restoration? Makeandtoss (talk) 09:25, 12 August 2024 (UTC)
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