Israel-Hamas war: Jewish restaurateur and pro-Palestine protester in Auckland has Instagram account closed

A Jewish owner of a downtown Auckland restaurant and her daughter have had their Instagram accounts closed amid rising tensions over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

Yael Shochat, who runs the Middle Eastern restaurant Ima, and her daughter, Abigail Allan, are involved in the protest group Jews Against Occupation, which advocates for a ceasefire in Gaza. They have attended pro-Palestine rallies in Auckland.

Shochat said the social media accounts were closed at the same time at about noon on Saturday.

Her account was used for Ima in Fort St, which has 7200 followers, and she says the business is set to suffer financial consequences because social media is an important vehicle for promoting events and the catering business.

“It is how I talk to my customers. It is my megaphone,” she said.

Shochat said she had been very outspoken about her views towards Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying Auckland’s Jewish community does not dine at her restaurant.

“I don’t care. I’m not opening my restaurant to the Jewish community,” she said.

Meanwhile, police made three arrests at a pro-Palestine protest in downtown Auckland yesterday which they said was attended by “a few thousand”.

The demonstrations were “mainly peaceful” but a man with a shovel had hit a child in the head, police said.

Acting Auckland District Commander Superintendent Sunny Patel said the man they arrested with the shovel had been receiving support from mental health services before the attack. Police are working to establish the events that occurred in the lead-up to this incident and speaking with a number of witnesses.

Last week, pro-Palestine protesters covered the lights at Auckland Museum with red and green cellophane and illuminated the building in the colours of the Palestine flag last night.

The protest was attended by around 100 people, who were encouraged to “bring keffiyehs, flags, cars, posters and voices” in a social media post that went up shortly before the gathering in front of the Auckland Museum.

The covering of the lights in red and green came after the Auckland Museum illuminated the same lights blue and white in support of Israel on October 15. This drew criticism, with pro-Palestine supporters “blacking out” the museum lights.

Last week, a property registered as the Consulate of Israel in Auckland’s Epsom was also the target of an arson attack and sprayed with pro-Palestinian graffiti.