Security concerns or anti-Semitism? The UK-based Guinness Book of Records is refusing to send a judge to Israel to determine a new record for the world’s largest bowl of hummus, citing a non-existent British travel warning.
A group of Israelis who wished to set a new record for the world’s largest bowl of hummus were dismayed to discover that the UK-based Guinness Book of Records is refusing to come to Israel. Their reason – a claim of security-related issues in Israel.
“It was the last thing I expected,” Israeli filmmaker Oren Rosenfeld said Sunday in response to the Guinness decision.
Rosenfeld is in the final stages of editing a film titled Hummus, which includes a scene of the characters participating in mass production of the Middle Eastern dish.
“As part of the film’s PR, I wanted to break the Guinness record, to create a plate with 15 tons of hummus and have all the characters from the film participate in the event,” Rosenfeld told Ynet. “I organized a budget, we organized a date, but when we turned to the Guinness World Records and asked them to send a judge, they claimed it was too dangerous to send a judge to Israel.”
“They asked me to fill in a form with four or five questions, where would I like to hold the contest, the date,” he continued. “But even before I filled in the form, they told me that the chance they would send someone here was slim, but that they would anyway pass it on to their security representative.”
Rosenfeld offered several venues for the event, but to no avail.
The British firm reportedly claimed that the UK Foreign Ministry had issued a travel warning to Israel. Apparently, no such warning was issued.
Israel and Lebanon have for years been battling over the title for the makers of the biggest bowl of hummus in the world. Guinness’ refusal has led some to suspect that they are offering excuses in an attempt to preserve the title currently held by Lebanon.
Israel held the world record for the largest plate of hummus until 300 Lebanese cooks claimed it in 2010 with a batch weighing approximately 11.5 tons.
IDF Radio attempted to contact the Guinness Book of Records for a response but received none to date.
By United with Israel Staff