Palestinian owner of Somalian mall in Minneapolis bans the city's Jewish mayor Jacob Frey from the shopping complex for vetoing ceasefire resolution: 'I thought you were just a Jew but it appears you lean towards the other extreme'
- Basim Sabri, a Palestinian owner of a Somalian mall in Minneapolis has banned the city's only Jew holding elected office, Mayor Jacob Frey, from the complex
- Sabri, who went to prison for bribery and has banned officials in the past, said the decision was made after the mayor vetoed a ceasefire resolution
- The mayor has expressed support for a ceasefire, but raised concerns over the council's one-sided language
The Palestinian owner of a Somalian mall in Minneapolis has banned the city's Jewish mayor Jacob Frey from the shopping complex for vetoing a ceasefire resolution in Israel.
Basim Sabri, the prominent and controversial business owner, informed Mayor Frey over email that he's no longer welcome at Sabri's Karmel Mall, a Minneapolis complex of Somali shops.
The email stated the decision was made after the mayor vetoed the resolution which called for a cease-fire and an end to US military aid to Israel.
'I thought you were just a Jew but it appears that you lean toward the other extreme,' Sabri wrote, in an email obtained by the Star Tribune.
Despite Sabri mentioning Frey's Jewish identity in the email, he claimed that the ban is a result of the mayor's stance on the resolution rather than his religious affiliation.
Basim Sabri (pictured) the Palestinian owner of a Somalian mall in Minneapolis has banned the city's only Jewish elected official, Mayor Jacob Frey from the shopping mall
Mayor Jacob Frey (pictured) has expressed support for a ceasefire, but raised concerns over the council's one-sided language
Despite Sabri mentioning Frey's Jewish identity in the email, he claimed that the ban is a result of the mayor's stance on the resolution rather than his religious affiliation (Pictured: Sabri's Karmel Mall, a shopping complex with Somali shops and restaurants)
'This letter is to let you know that I am breaking ties with you and that I no longer have any trust or faith in you since many of your actions are contradictory to humanity and to the Somali and immigrant communities,' Sabri wrote.
'Therefore, please consider this a formal notice of trespass from the Karmel malls located at 2910 Pillsbury Ave. S. and 200 W. Lake St.'
Sabri laughed when he heard that Frey felt that the banning was an act of anti-Semitism, in an interview with the Star Tribune on Monday.
'I don't have an issue with Jews, but when I say 'the other extreme,' I mean Zionism,' Sabri said to the Star Tribune. 'You know the difference?'
When asked whether banning someone for their political views or cultural identity would be appropriate, Sabri told the Star Tribune: 'I'm not a lawyer, but I believe I could tell you that you're not welcome in my house. That's my right.'
According to Minneapolis law, Businesses or corporations cannot discriminate against someone because of their race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Sabri, a Palestinian who was raised in the West Bank, has a controversial history and has spent time in federal prison for bribing a city leader in the past.
This isn't his first time attempting to ban an election official either.
In 2012, Sabri banned then-Council Member Robert Lilligren and an aide during a feud between Sabri and city inspectors.
Sabri told the Star Tribune then that he'd rather speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than Lilligren.
Frey, the sole Jewish person holding an elected office position in the city, has expressed support for a cease-fire while raising concern over the council's one-sided language.
Frey expressed his support for a Palestinian state and condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his veto letter but has called out antisemitism.
Sabri, who went to prison for bribery and has banned officials in the past, said the decision was made after the mayor vetoed a ceasefire resolution
The council overrode Frey's veto last week. In response, Frey called their decision an example of antisemitism he and other Jews have experienced in recent months since the war broke out
Sabri laughed when he heard that Frey felt that the banning was an act of antisemitism, in an interview with the Star Tribune on Monday (Pictured: Karmel malls located at 2910 Pillsbury Ave. S. and 200 W. Lake St.)
'Council Members have given public statements in front of signs reading 'U.S.A. is occupied by Zionists more than Palestine' — which is based on a centuries-old trope,' Frey wrote.
Many Jews have called out the majority's stance for failing to balance of both Jewish and Palestinian right to seek refuge and live in peace.
Sabri disagreed with adding language to respect Israel's heritage, according to the Star Tribune.
The council overrode Frey's veto last week. In response, Frey called their decision an example of antisemitism he and other Jews have experienced in recent months since the war broke out.
'Whether that's some form of terror inflicted on my temple, or stickers placed on Jewish goods in the grocery store, or even in an email we received yesterday banning me from a store, are we really at that point right now, where people are getting banned from a store for little more than who they are or a position they hold?' Frey said, in the email obtained by the Star Tribune.
'We've seen this before in America. It's horrid, and it should have no place in our city.'
