No egg roll for you: Wok-ers of the world, unite!Remember how we told you about the popularity of sushi in Israel? You may have noticed a brief mention of the government mandate that could "expel all Asian employees at ethnic restaurants in order to make room for Israeli workers" by next January. That subtext is now at the forefront of strikes and protests against the plan, which has already begun to move forward. The Israeli government is only awarding 500 permits to Asian chefs this year, compared with 900 from last year. Next year they won't grant any at all.

In protest, Israel's 300 Asian restaurants refused to serve egg rolls--a very popular treat--yesterday, and they have plans to deny Israelis sushi and noodles in another strike set for two weeks from now.

Asian cuisine in Israel is a 1-billion-shekels-a-year industry, and Israelis want a piece of the hand roll--but at what cost? Though Shoshana Strauss, a lawyer employed by Israel's Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, believes that "Everyone can make Chinese food," I think there's something to be said for the authenticity that comes with cultural history and knowledge. Sure, Israelis can learn how to stir fry and make hand rolls, but expelling all Asian chefs from Israeli restaurant kitchens can only result in a dearth of cultural and culinary diversity.

Related: Israelis Like it Raw

Wassup, B: is that tempura in your pocket, or are you just happy sashimi?More than happy to ignori (forgive me) the recurring warnings about mercury-laden fish, Israel has blossomed into a veritable sushi Eden. The 100th sushi restaurant opened its doors in Tel Aviv this past week, which makes the seaside city the "world's 3rd largest sushi market in per capita terms," behind only Tokyo and New York. According to Israeli restaurant review site 2EAT, approximately 20% of Tel Aviv's sushi spots are kosher, and "one out of every 10 Tel Avivians eats sushi at least once a month." The tourist version of 2EAT, which is in English, lets you see that Israeli sushi roll.

When the Japanese cuisine first appeared in Israel, many people thought it was "disgusting." Adventurous Israelis struggled with chopsticks, and some befuddled customers even requested that bread be served alongside the fish and rice: Imagine stuffing your tuna sushi into a pita pocket. In the past fifteen or so years, though, sushi has become a favorite ethnic cuisine in Israel. Not only that, but Israelis have begun to make their own mark on the cuisine, adding ingredients like mango, roast chicken, and even liver.

Something is fishy, though: The popular provisions might be threatened by a government mandate that would "expel all Asian employees at ethnic restaurants in order to make room for Israeli workers" by next January--a move that could potentially mean doom for a number of restaurants.

Have you had sushi in Israel? If so, tell us about it: sake to me in comments. (Surely you knew that was coming. I mean, really--I'm not just here for the halibut).