I wrote recently on how Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was touting hummus – because the Sabra hummus company was expanding its operations its operations there – and making it sound like the chickpea-based food had become the commonwealth’s unofficial Middle Eastern dish best eaten with pita.
Sabra, which is a partnership between the Israeli company Strauss Group and Pepsico, came up again Sunday at a session at the AIPAC policy conference called “Israel as a strategic asset to the United States.” The delegates were priming themselves to go to bat for Israel, so one questioner asked that if he had only a minute with his legislator, what should he say?
Hummus, and its contribution to Virginia’s economy, came up as part of the extended answer, which probably disappointed the questioner, who had come after all to a panel discussion with the word “strategic” in its title. I certainly thought we’d be talking more about war and peace and less about dip.
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