SAN FRANCISCO — The war in Gaza continues to heighten tensions locally, prompting acts of vandalism and calls for boycotting certain restaurants.
Politicians are voicing their concerns as small business owners are caught up in a war of words they don’t want to be a part of.
Old Jerusalem Restaurant in San Francisco’s Mission District is where Hajem Almukdad found work as a Palestinian immigrant more than 20 years ago.
He toiled away in the kitchen saving enough to become a co-owner.
“Thank God we made it here. It’s a great country. We are grateful and love it here,” Almukdad said.
But the war in Gaza spurred someone to spray-paint a harassing message of Zionism just outside his restaurant.
“It was in Hebrew. It was racist,” Almukdad said.
Micah Bazant of Jewish Voice for Peace says other Palestinian businesses in San Francisco have been targeted with similar Zionist attacks.
“From the river to the sea, you will see we are going to erase Palestinians,” Bazant said quoting one such message.