In apparent shift in strategy, the Israeli government today issued two permits for new franchises in the Gaza Strip. Some are questioning whether this indicates the end of Israel’s crushing embargo, or is just another generous humanitarian move by Israel.

In response to greater international calls for more aid and assistance to Gazans, many of whom suffer from mal nutrition, Israel granted two popular food chains, Krispy Kreme doughnuts (KKD) and Burger King (BKC), permission to open franchises in the Gaza Strip. This move was warmly received by the teenagers, prospective Big and Tall shop owners, cardiologists and dermatologists of Gaza.

On the same day, the Israelis denied three trucks of fresh produce at the Rafah crossing. An Israeli statement linked the two as acts of solidarity with Gaza’s children.

“As kids we never liked to eat greens” the official statement read. “And not even the so-called Palestinian Resistance can resist those fine maple donuts.”

The Gaza government, a government Israel and many western governments label as militant, called on international pressure when it discovered the Burger Kings, unlike those in America, would not carry their famous gold, cardboard King’s crowns usually given out to children. A spokesman decried this as “one more example of the western conspiracy to keep us powerless and weak.”

Tom Levitt, communication coordinator for Krispy Kreme, told reporters, “We are glad that our donuts are well received by both Palestinians and Israelis.”

When questioned about the impact on traditional sweets-makers, he replied, “as my Lebanese sister-in-law taught me, there is only so much Baklava one can take.” He added that the chains would cater to local tastes, “the donuts will come from Israeli dough and will be topped with crunched Palestinian nuts.”

Ari Mirt’z, an amateur poet and spokesperson for the right wing Israeli group “Killing Them Softly,” protested the opening of these chains. He told Israeli Army radio “Palestinians who do not recognize our right to exits should not get to enjoy the broiled succulance of a Whopper, nor the explosive sweetness of a Boston Crème-filled doughnut.”

Palestinian civil society groups were angered. Mr. Jehad Qader, a local activist educated in Serbia, complained that Burger King’s fish sandwich was vastly inferior to McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwich. “when the Israelis let us go fishing off our coast, we eat fishes so much, even in our maqlooba. The McFish is better for Gaza because it does not have that fishy taste of the BK Big Fish.”

Burger King was only proposed after a fierce debate in the pages of the New York Times. The influential writer Thomas Friedman argued that McDonalds should not be given a license. It would only further disprove his crackpot theory that countries with McDonalds do not fight each other. This convinced his friends in the Arab League to propose Burger King as a substitute, which Israel accepted. This was the greatest diplomatic victory by the Arab states in recent times.

In the meantime, Mr. Mirt’z and his group are partnering with American Soy Bean producers to “supply Palestinians with soy milk and other soy products.” Mr. Mirt’z called this a solution to the demographic threat. “It’s a fact that Soy milk lowers sperm count” he said.

This gesture has given the two chains a new international prominence. In some circles, this represents how corporations can promote peace between peoples. To show his appreciation, former President Jimmy Carter planned a high profile visit to a Krispy Kreme in Georgia. It was thwarted by Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz’s threat of a lawsuit against the Doughnut maker. The professor later went on CNN to praise his show of chutzpah.

[Tarboush tip: Will]

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