Is saying nothing the best approach?

This might be one of those rare times when you don’t want your client to say anything… When the news broke at the weekend about Palestinian Hamas operatives carrying out killings, bombings and kidnappings in Israel, no one is thinking much about anything other than shock and upset.

The Middle East is, however, a subject which encompasses and embraces a lot around food – I know myself a few years ago I travelled to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea to write about Palestinian cuisine. 

My first reaction on Saturday was how devastating the news is for everyone in that region – on both sides – who attempt to get along and live their lives to the best of their ability with a backdrop of conflict. 

In Britain there are a great number of brands and restaurants which have connections to the region, from hummus producers to Jewish chefs to Palestinian restaurants. And no doubt they have thoughts, opinions and emotions. But as we know with such a politically charged and practically divisive situation, it can be dangerous to talk about it.

It’s been informative to see (from my admittedly very unscientific research), how few operators, individuals and organisations which are in one way or another connected have commented. And – indeed – people who are unconnected but concerned. The attack on a Kosher restaurant in Golders Green (one I had been to recently, incidentally), would make any one of us nervous. Even a post on social media could create either virtual or real-life repercussions.

So is saying nothing the best (or at least the most pragmatic) approach? Probably yes, no matter how sad that feels.