Proposed "Ground Zero" Middle Eastern Café Draws Protest

NEW YORK, NY -- Plans for a Middle Eastern café near Ground Zero have provoked outrage from critics who claim the location would be offensive to the memory of those who died in the 9/11 attacks.

The proposed restaurant, according to Chef Feisal Abdul Rauf, would sit two and a half blocks away from the former site of the World Trade Center and would include a lounge with Wi-Fi internet access open to any patron regardless of their culinary preference.

But a groundswell of anger has risen against the project.

"I can't think of anything more inappropriate than serving Middle Eastern food right on the spot where thousands of Americans were murdered by people who eat that very cuisine," said former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. "All pita-seeking people should refurgitate this idea."

"Being able to order Tabouleh on Ground Zero will be a huge victory for Islam and its goal of global domination," wrote Pamela Geller on her website Ayn Rolls Over. The popular conservative blogger has led the charge against the restaurant asserting that Muslims build eateries whenever they conquer a country.

"The mission of this Islamocafé is to add insult to injury by spitting in the face of America and probably in the food, too," opined Geller. "The whole idea smells worse than a Falafel."

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich voiced his opposition to the restaurant claiming that the proposed name, "Ali Baba's Place", is a clear reference to the legendary Arabic character who had an association with forty criminals.

"The name says 'Open Sesame' to all terrorist activities," argued Gingrich. "They must think we're really stupid if they thought we wouldn't figure that out."

Added Gingrich, "It's a slippery slope from hummus to Hamas."

The local planning commission has already given the go-ahead for the project. Among the strongest supporters of the café are Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City who says freedom of culinary choice is one of the bedrock principles this country was founded upon.

"American soldiers have died for our right to eat our food wherever we please," said Bloomberg. "I would have no problem eating sushi at Pearl Harbor, a burrito at The Alamo, or even a bratwurst at the Holocaust museum."

Polls show, however, that most Americans disapprove of the café.

Last week, Abraham Foxman, Director of the All Deli League, a national consortium of Jewish delis, surprised many by coming out against the restaurant saying that it is a matter of common courtesy.

"It's about being considerate of the feelings of others," stated Foxman. "If my name was Muhammad Ali, for instance, I would never visit Ground Zero out of respect for the families of the victims of 9/11 who might be offended by my name. Likewise, if I was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, I would be causing unnecessary pain if I went anywhere near Shanksville, Pennsylvania or the Pentagon. We need to be sensitive to people who equate anything Middle Eastern with terrorism."

Some think the entire controversy is ridiculous.

"Anyone who has studied the facts knows that Middle Eastern foodies didn't bring down the towers," said Dylan Avery, director of the film Loose With The Facts: My 9/11 Truth. "Now, if someone wanted to open a George W. Bush/CIA/Zionist restaurant near Ground Zero, that would be a gross insult and slap in the face."


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