Philadelphia Protest Targets Israeli-Owned Restaurant Amid Gaza Conflict

Accusations of Antisemitism Follow, Protest Organizers Defend Boycotts and Call for Ceasefire

Protesters in Philadelphia targeted the Israeli-owned restaurant Goldie during a demonstration against the ongoing conflict in Gaza, leading to accusations of antisemitism from officials including President Joe Biden and Governor Josh Shapiro.
The Philly Palestine Coalition, which organized the protest, denied the allegations and defended the practice of boycotting businesses, arguing that the criticism detracts from their main demand for a ceasefire.
Goldie is part of the CookNSolo restaurant group, co-owned by renowned Israeli-born chef Michael Solomonov, who has previously fundraised over $100,000 for the Friends of United Hatzalah, an Israeli nonprofit that provided emergency relief services to Israeli Defense Forces soldiers after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.
Despite the controversy, Solomonov's restaurants have not seen a decrease in sales, and he has expressed sympathy for the Palestinian cause and criticism of Israel's actions.
The protest and subsequent backlash have sparked a wider debate about the intersection of politics and business, with some arguing that the focus on the restaurant distracts from the broader issue of the conflict in Gaza.