Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 12th October 2025, 8:07 AM
A new restaurant opened its doors in Paris on Saturday, founded by a Palestinian from Gaza and a Franco-Israeli, with the aim of promoting reconciliation through food.
The establishment, named “Sababa, the Taste of Peace”, proudly displays the Palestinian, French and Israeli flags from its ceiling. Its first customers flocked to enjoy hummus, falafel, and Gazan salad in a lively, convivial atmosphere.
Founder Radjaa Aboudagga, a Franco-Palestinian originally from the Gaza Strip, and his team began preparing dishes from 6:00 am, ensuring the menu met the standards of Middle Eastern culinary traditions.
“Everything is handmade,” Aboudagga said in the crowded kitchen while preparing manakish, a flatbread topped with cheese, ground beef, and herbs.
The restaurant will operate four nights a week until June next year, and was conceived in partnership with Franco-Israeli Edgar Laloum and the reconciliation group “Nous reconcilier” (We Reconcile).
“I’m happy about this day because it comes at a time when there is finally hope there too,” Laloum remarked, referencing the expected return of Israeli hostages and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Laloum, who spent 30 years in Jerusalem, explained that the menu features dishes enjoyed by both Israelis and Palestinians, emphasising shared cultural traditions.
“The two peoples, Palestinian and Israeli, have the same customs, the same dreams, the same tears and the same sadness,” Aboudagga added.
“We share the same land; we all have to live together on it,” he continued, welcoming recent recognition of a Palestinian state by the French government and others.
Sababa is located at the Consulat Voltaire, a former electricity sub-station now serving as a cultural centre, in the 11th district of Paris near Place de la Bastille.
Customer reactions highlighted the symbolism and hope conveyed by the restaurant:
| Customer | Comment |
| Raphael | “The three flags are symbolic. It’s very beautiful, and I was explaining to my son that, in the end, we can all live together.” |
| Henri Poulain, 57 | “It is a sign of reconciliation and a link between the French Republic on one hand and these two states, one of which has yet to be born. Even if war resumes in Gaza, it wouldn’t weaken a place like this.” |
| Joelle Bordet, 72, Psychosociologist | “The word ‘reconciliation’ is too strong. Just being together in the same space, when you’re effectively enemies, is extraordinary.” |
| Nour-Eddine Skiker, ‘Jalons pour la paix’ | “In this very small space, there is room for everyone.” |
| Mboreha Ahamed, 23, Volunteer | “Being here under these three flags is super symbolic… over a meal where we think of other things.” |
The restaurant’s opening also included a range of cultural activities, all emphasising the spirit of “joie de vivre”, which is the meaning of “Sababa” in both Israel and the Palestinian Territories:
By mid-afternoon, the queue for mezze extended outside the venue, signalling the enthusiasm and support for this initiative of peace, dialogue, and shared heritage.
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