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Mediterra restaurant in Princeton is facing criticism over its offering of a wine made in Golan Heights. Mediterra is shown in a file photo.

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PRINCETON —When about 40 people sit down at Mediterra Restaurant and Taverna and sip wine with their Israeli-inspired dishes tonight, a local residents group says they'll be promoting a winery that violates human rights and international law.

The restaurant on Hulfish Street in Princeton is holding a sold-out event that will pair wines produced by Tal Pelter in the northern Golan Heights region of Israel, an area the residents group says has been settled illegally by Israelis who have been exploiting the native people’s land and resources for economic gain since it captured the land from Syria and placed it under military law in 1967.

“The wine is being produced illegally in illegal territory by illegal settlers that have taken from the people there,” said Marilyn Jerry, a Princeton resident opposed to Mediterra’s decision to feature the wine. “Such settlements are illegal because international law prohibits an occupier from expelling the native population and settling its own people.”

Jerry and others plan to arrive at the event prior to its 6 p.m. start and hand out pamphlets to attendees as they enter Mediterra, informing them of the winery's background, Jerry said.

“We’ll be there explain to people what’s wrong with the wine,” she said. “Golan Heights is a perfect microclimate for wine grapes, but the settlers continue to move in more of their own people and use the land and water that belongs to the native population.”

When Israelis began occupying the Golan region nearly 50 years ago, about 153,000 people lived there who relied heavily on the land to survive, Jerry said. The native population has been reduced to about 18,000 today, she said.

But Carmine DePasquale, Mediterra’s general manager, said by featuring the Pelter wine, no political stance is being taken. Instead, he said, they’re serving it because of its quality.

“Mediterra is not by any means promoting any illegal activity,” DePasquale said. “Our point of holding this event is to showcase the quality of the wine and the winemaker’s talents.”

The wine-dinner pairing event is one of a series that Mediterra hosts throughout the year, featuring winemakers and other specialty food producers from around the world. Its wine list includes selections from Israel, Morocco, Turkey, Lebanon, South America, South Africa, California and Europe, DePasquale said.

DePasquale noted the Pelter wines have been on the restaurant’s menu for two years, and the wines can also be found in many U.S. restaurants, including in New York City, Atlantic City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In Europe, they are offered at some Michelin restaurants in Belgium, Holland and Denmark, he said.

“In regard to the winery, the Pelter family has turned formerly barren land into productive vineyards, which now contributes to the economic development of the region,” DePasquale said.

For more information about the event, visit Mediterra's website.



Contact Nicole Mulvaney at nmulvaney@njtimes.com.

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