Boycott news
Besieging Israel's siege
Read this important article by Omar Barghouti on the BDS campaign.
Victory: Activists charged with blockading Israeli-owned beauty shop acquitted in court
Four activists charged with aggravated trespass for blockading the Israeli-owned cosmetics shop, Ahava, in Covent Garden, London, in 2009, were today acquitted of all charges against them.
The four - Bruce Levy, Tom Ellis, Jo Crouch and Taherali Gulamhussein, all from London - had locked themselves to concrete-filled oil drums inside the shop, closing it down for a day each time in September and December 2009.
They appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court, London, this week, and were acquitted this afternoon when the primary witness for the prosecution, Ahava's store manager, refused to attend court to testify, despite courts summons and threats of an arrest warrant. Read PSC's full press release here >>
H&M is doing it again! BDS H&M call for international protests
H&M's establishment in Israel is continuing. A new men's department is opening in H&M's store in Haifa on the 18th of August and on the 26th of August they are opening their fourth store, this time in the Israeli city of Kfar Saba, despite worldwide criticism of Israel's continued ignorance of international law.
The "H&M - Don't buy into occupation" campaign will be organising actions in Sweden on the 18th and 26th of August to make customers aware of H&M's continued establishment in Israel. For more information on this call visit: http://bdshm.org/
 |
 |
 |
Page 2 of 3 WHY THE CO-OP SHOULD BOYCOTT ALL ISRAELI GOODS On Thursday 17 September 2009, in a landmark decision, the Trade Union Congress voted overwhelmingly to commit to build a mass boycott movement against Israel until it complies with international law. We call upon the Co-op to join them in this campaign.
Despite the Co-op’s ethical image, the shelves of its supermarkets and high street stores have been stuffed with Israeli products, including Carmel mangoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, sweet peppers (grown by Sulat), cherry tomatoes, herbs, passion fruit, Jaffa oranges and own brand tinned grapefruit. PRESSURE FROM CUSTOMERS In January 2009, after considerable pressure from members of the Co-op and its customers, they agreed to no longer source dates, grapes and a number of herbs from the illegal West Bank settlements and phase out the use of similar items from their own brand products. But there was no mention of the Golan Heights (occupied Syrian land) and it unclear whether the Co-op's definition of the West Bank includes East Jerusalem. WINDOW DRESSING
Moreover, the Co-operative Group does not make any assurance that it will not sell products in its stores supplied by companies which source products from both the settlements and Israel, such as Hadiklaim, M-Tex and Carmel Agrexco. In the light of this, their decision to stock Zaytoun Palestinian olive oil appears as mere “window dressing”. PRINCIPLED STAND
For an organisation with deep roots in the labour movement, which claims to be democratic and ethical, the Co-op must recognise that the only real hope of progress towards peace in Palestine is to boycott ALL Israeli products. We are sure their shoppers would really appreciate this principled stand. WHAT YOU CAN DO
|