This latest move against Woolies is spearheaded by the Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions against Israel in South Africa (BDS South Africa), a protest group which claims Woolies source pretzels, couscous, matzo, figs, litchis and mangoes from Israel.
Pick ‘n Pay is also one of the stores being hit as many Muslim customers have banded to boycott its products saying that the chain supports Israel. However, Pick ‘n Pay says it has “always adopted a strictly non-political stance”.
In the same way Woolies is distancing itself from the allegations claiming the chain “only source food abroad – in accordance with government regulations – when local products are out of season”. This boils down to 0,1 per cent of food sold.
Meanwhile news24 reports Woolworths is the top trending topic in South Africa on Twitter as people spoke out about the boycott campaign.
BDS South Africa said, according to human rights organisation, Who Profits, “virtually all of Israel’s agricultural companies have illegal operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”.
BDS South Africa also urged consumers to get retailers to remove SodaStream from its shelves. “Sodastream has a factory, in violation of international law, in the illegal Israeli settlement of Ma’aleh Adumim within the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” BDS South Africa said.
Meanwhile, City Press reports that President Jacob Zuma received a standing ovation in Washington DC after suggesting Israel and Palestine should take advice from South Africa about resolving their violent conflict.
Zuma told the National Press Club in the city, where the US-Africa Leaders summit is under way, that South Africa would not expel Israel’s ambassador Arthur Lenk in the wake of the conflict between Palestine and Israel. “There was a demonstration in South Africa where the call was made,” he said, adding that South Africa was a free country and people were free to demonstrate to show how they felt.
Israel and Palestine have also agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire that started at 05:00 GMT on Tuesday, reported AFP.
