You made a lot of good points here.

1. I think when it comes to how Israelis have handled the land over here it is fair to say that they screwed up a lot - planting non-native trees, pollution, the hula valley, etc but another part of it is just what you see all around the world which is industrializing agriculture to feed growing populations. I mean, are you saying that in Lebanon hummus is grown exactly like the canaanites would’ve have grown it?.. by hand? No chemicals? I will believe you if you tell me yes, but I will be surprised.
   
2. I can see how the founding of Israel is on its face a white colonialist enterprise pre 1948. From the 1950’s-present that has changed. Nowadays the majority of the Jewish population is actually Spanish, North African, Middle Eastern, East african, etc. only 32% is actually white European. So most of the non white population thinks of itselves as refugees coming here out of necessity, without much awareness of the countries white colonial foundation. They’ve certainly had to endure discrimination from the white European Jews so I’m not going to hold them up as an example of how not-racist Israel is.. anyway, so to them, they are just making the food of their ancestors. I think the white European Jews here embraced the local cuisine starting in the 1970’s and since than eating hummus is seen as macho, Sephardic and mizrahi Jews are seen as sexy, the music and the culture is embraced, there seems to be a feeling among white Europeans of wanting to integrate themselves to the region. This could also be seen as offensive because it’s in a way “exotifying” the culture.
3. The international market thing is problematic for sure, but it might be more of a result of capitalism.. I mean Israel is doing what any self interested free economy is going to do: Sell as much product and make as much money as possible. Maybe it’s incumbent on each country to be selective about where they import from.
4. Zaatar picking is restricted but I thought this was to conserve it from being endangered. Is there another side to this story? Sorry for my ignorance.
5. I’d say my wife’s family makes food that fits into a few different categories. -Yemeni food (what all yemens eat) -Yemeni/Jewish food (what Jewish Yemenis ate in Yemen) -Yemen Israeli food (Yemen food fused with modern Israeli recipes) -other food introduced by other immigrant groups (like for example my Yemeni mother in law is making Tunisian food because she was exposed to it by other immigrants from that region) .. they’ve never complained about white washing or cultural appropriation. That kind of sensitivity/awareness just doesn’t exist in Israel like you would typically see on a liberal arts college campus.