BOYCOTT Israeli Goods

➡️  BOYCOTT of ISRAELI GOODS - Consumer's Guide to Brands and Labels to Boycott

The  ➡️ BDS movement is in the spotlight again after the eruption of the ongoing  ➡️ Israel-Hamas war which started on October 7, 2023. Israel's response to the Hamas attack has consisted of relentless indiscriminatory airstrikes and a huge ground offensive.

This war has resulted in the death of 1,139 Israelis, and well over 40,000 Palestinians – over 17,500 of which were children. South Africa has filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. International activists, campaigners and human rights and peace NGOs are calling for a boycott of goods and their firms which have been complicit in Israels occupation, the siege of Gaza, and the annexation of the West Bank.

This nonviolent form of resistance aims to put significant economic pressure on the Israeli government until they comply with international law and end discriminatory policies towards Palestinians.

So far, various successes for the movement have been achieved. An E.U. wide product labelling initiative allows customers to avoid products made in Israeli settlements and prohibits them from being labelled as ‘Made in Israel’. Foreign investment in Israel has fallen significantly in 2023 due to Netanyahu’s extreme right-wing government.

Which Brands are included in the Israeli Goods Boycott?

In order to make is easier for consumers to support the BDS movement and avoid funding those who are involved in Israeli violations of Palestinian rights, a new revised list of brands, goods, and services has been created. The boycott targets goods produced by Israeli companies operating in the occupied territories, as well as international companies that have significant investments in Israel.

The barcode of Israeli products starts with 729. As there are so many businesses complicit that in order to create a larger impact BDS groups suggest targeting carefully selected companies which play a clear and well documented role in Israeli 'crimes'. This approach has already resulted in the successful boycott of G4S, Veolia, Orange, Ben & Jerry’s and Pillsbury.

Top priority boycott targets are:

•  Siemens – Top contractor in Israel's illegal settlements
•  Puma – Sponsor of Israel Football Association
•  Carrefour – Supports Israeli soldiers and partners with Electra Consumer
•  AXA – Huge investments in Israeli banks
•  Hewlett Packard Inc (HP) - Provides services to Israeli government
•  SodaStream – Displacement of Bedouin-Palestinian citizens and discriminatory practices against Palestinian workers
•  Ahava – Factory and store in illegal Israeli settlement
•  McDonalds and Burger King – Supports Israeli soldiers by donating free meals
•  Coca Cola and PepsiCo – Maintain plants in West Bank settlements and donates supplies to Israeli military
•  Fox, Disney, and Paramount – Donate to organisations which support the Israeli military

Corporate and institutional boycotts include:

•  Elbit Systems – Arms manufacturer including killer drones and surveillance technology which enable apartheid
•  HD Hyundai, Volvo, Caterpillar, JCB – Machinery sold to Israel knowing the intended use in the destruction of Palestinian homes and the construction of illegal Israeli settlements
•  Google and Amazon – Both provide technology to the Israeli military and government which further enable Palestinian oppression
•  Airbnb, Booking, Expedia – These sites offer accommodation in the illegal Israeli settlements
•  Barclays Bank – Provides financial assistance and owns shares in weapons companies complicit in sales to Israel
•  Chevron – Generates billions for the Israeli economy from gas extraction in the East Mediterranean
•  HikVision – Facial recognition and surveillance technology used to monitor Palestinians

Can Boycotting Israeli Goods Lead to Peace?

Boycotting is a non-violent form of protest. It has been used successfully in the past to challenge injustices and human rights violations for example in the South African anti-apartheid struggle and the U.S. civil rights movement.

Even though BDS is a proven tactic, there are various considerations to take into account. The boycott campaign began almost two decades ago, yet violent conflict is actually worsening. It is also unclear as to how much of an effect it is having on the Israeli economy. Hardened by decades of Arab boycotts, the Israeli economy has learnt how to adapt. Some sources state that the BDS movement is worsening the economic crisis for some Palestinians, especially those who work for Israeli companies.

We believe that all peaceful avenues should be explored in the hope of creating lasting peace, stability, and tolerance in this volatile part of the world. By providing reliable information on the subject of BDS we hope to spread awareness of the atrocities being committed against the Palestinian people, to allow consumers to explore opportunities for peaceful resistance, and to encourage others to fight for peace.

Other important tactics of the BDS movement include the military and arms embargo and the boycott of Israeli settlements.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 08.11.23, updated 16.04.24, licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0

For further reading on the Boycott of Israeli Goods see below  ⬇️