'Israeli' restaurant chain in Washington shuts down amid pro-Palestinian boycott

Shouk, a popular kosher vegetarian restaurant chain in Washington, has permanently shut all its locations following an intense campaign by pro-Palestinian activists. The closures were accompanied by financial strain and public pressure, the owners said.

The establishment is co-owned by American businessman Dennis Friedman and 'Israeli' entrepreneur Ran Nussbacher. Since the outbreak of war in Gaza, pro-Palestinian groups had called for a boycott of the chain, accusing it of “appropriating Palestinian cuisine” and “collaborating with Israeli apartheid” due to its use of 'Israeli' products.

“It didn’t let up: boycotts, harassment, you name it,” Friedman told The Guardian. “The ability to continue to operate wasn’t there. I feel terrible because Shouk wasn’t a political place; Shouk was a place for people to come together. To become a target and be mislabelled and thrown into things that aren’t true is unfortunate.”

The closure forced the layoff of the remaining 30 staff members. DC for Palestine, an activist group behind the campaign, celebrated the shutdown on social media, posting “BDS wins in Washington” and calling it a “local BDS win.”