By Tom Anderson & Therezia Cooper
On February 9th 2013 a coalition of civil society groups has called for an international day of action against Israeli agricultural companies in line with the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israeli militarism, apartheid and colonisation. Corporate Occupation/Corporate Watch researchers are in Palestine collecting new information and over the coming weeks Corporate Occupation will be writing a series of articles and blogs examining Israeli agricultural exports.
We have received this photo from BDS campaigners showing that EDOM products are stocked in Sainsburys stores in the UK.
On Wednesday 16th January 2013 researchers acquired EDOM branded packaging which had been taken from Tomer settlement. The packaging had been mislabelled as coming from a kibbutz in 1948 Israel. The company director has previously pledged not to stock goods from the settlements.
For more information on EDOM click here.
18 Comments
Bert Gedin · 3rd February 2013 at 8:23 pm
The Sainsbury Ripe Mangoes label states “Grown in Israel”. Should it not say, instead, that the produce is grown in Israel’s Occupied Territories in Palestine. Preferably, it should not be sold at Sainsbury’s, nor anywhere else in the U.K.
Marie Helene Lindsay · 5th February 2013 at 7:53 pm
I do not buy any fruits or vegetables which are stated as ‘grown in Israel’ because they might have been grown in occupied Palestine. Palestine isn’t Israel. Please be more specific and honest with your labelling
tomandersoncw · 5th February 2013 at 11:13 pm
Hi – I agree with the sentiment but this is not the Sainsbury website. Why not write to the store. All the best
Catherine Perez Phillips · 5th February 2013 at 8:14 pm
I want to be able to buy my produce at Sainsburys without fear that I am supporting the illegal occupation of the West Bank, can you reassure me that the mangos grown by EDOM and similar products will either be properly labelled or not sold.
tomandersoncw · 5th February 2013 at 11:12 pm
Hi – No I can’t reassure you of that. Why not write to the store
A Kelly · 5th February 2013 at 8:36 pm
Customers have a right to know if goods are produced in conditions which breach international law and oppress minorities.
A Kelly · 5th February 2013 at 8:57 pm
While we are on the subject, the worst offenders are Tesco, who sell medjool dates marked as ‘West Bank Settlement Produce’. But at least they seem to be more open about it. When I complained, they said they would not change their policy, so I told them I would stop buying their goods.
A B Aziz · 6th February 2013 at 11:35 am
I object strongly to Sainsburys selling produce from Israel, they illegally occupy Palestinian lands. They are human rights law breakers.
Sheldrake · 6th February 2013 at 1:49 pm
I hope that none of your “activists” will ever use any medicine or medical equipment made or manufactured in “occupied Palestine”. If you can’t eat the veg, you shouldn’t take the pills. Alas, Israelis contribute with science and research something to the wellbeing of the nations. The ‘Palestinians’ can only export hatred.
tomandersoncw · 8th February 2013 at 4:41 pm
Hi
Actually we support a boycott of Israeli generic drugs too. See the chapter on pharmaceuticals in our book, Targeting Israeli Apartheid (http://corporateoccupation.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/targeting-israeli-apartheid-jan-2012.pdf) and this excellent report by Who Profits? http://www.whoprofits.org/content/captive-economy-pharmaceutical-industy-and-israeli-occupation
As for Palestinian exports – you are right that the Palestinians find it difficult export anything. This is because of the stranglehold the occupation maintains on the Palestinian economy.
Andrew Cooper · 6th February 2013 at 2:01 pm
All I can say is, good for Sainsburys and Tesco. What is your problem with settlements anyway? I can’t see why Jews shouldn’t be allowed to build and live in these areas, which were empty and uncultivated before they came. And where is the logic of insisting that the 1949 armistice lines are Israel’s borders? Why not the 1967 armistice lines? As far as I’m concerned, produce of the settlements is produce of Israel, and I will continue buying this wonderful fruit. See you in Sainsburys!
tomandersoncw · 8th February 2013 at 4:48 pm
Well lots of people don’t share your views. Protests are taking place outside branches of Sainsburys in over 20 cities across the UK tomorrow while similar protests are being held in 14 French cities as well as in The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg.
The notion that all of Israel’s illegal settlements were built on empty and uncultivated land is a denial of both historical and contemporary ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by the Israeli state.
Dr Y Othman · 6th February 2013 at 6:18 pm
The BDS campaign should not differentiate between products from settlements or from the so-called Israel proper.
All Israeli products should be boycotted.
tomandersoncw · 8th February 2013 at 4:35 pm
we agree…
Andy Hay · 10th February 2013 at 1:46 pm
As a regular shopper by internet I used the contact process always use to contact them just put corporate responsibility in the heading. They phoned yesterday in response to the question I asked about the stocking of goods from illegal settlements. They read out a statement about sourcing from the best sources for customers who can then make their choices. I asked about the fact that they were sourcing from sources that under international law were illegal and so why were they supporting law breaking? They tried to get an answer but couldn’t and so said they would ring me back in the next week.
Wonder what their response will be.
They also said they followed Defras rules on food labelling so West Bank Palestinians, West Bank Settlements, Israel…
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