BDS activities during Ramadan
Every year towards the Ramadan fast action is being taken up, in front of Muslim audience in the occupied territories and worldwide, related to the boycott of Israeli products.
On June 10th, an interview with Mahmoud Nawajaa from the BNC organization (The Palestinian National Boycott, divestment and Sanction Committee) was posted, in which he says the Ramadan month boycott campaign has been prepared for over a year through meetings with local groups and international organizations and was officially launched at the beginning of Ramadan on June 6th. Its purpose is especially the products that are purchased specially for Ramadan, with an emphasis on raising awareness for the purchase of goods by Palestinian rather than those of Israeli origin, “in order to create political influence and to encourage the Palestinian public conscious choice of popular resistance during their shopping during Ramadan. Since Israel understood that it can earn from the celebration of Ramadan by offering qualified products. ”
In the interview he claimed that the territories are buying Israeli products in an annually worth of 14 billion USD, with an emphasis on companied like Tnuva, Yafora, Osem and Strauss and he reviewed the distribution of these products in the territories. He said research has shown that there are alternatives to these products which are worth half of that amount and that can produce 140 thousand jobs for Palestinians.
He said that the West Bank was divided into ten regions, and each region is responsible for the campaign against the purpose designated, alongside activities to ensure widespread media coverage on radio and television, workshops, approaching trade unions, teachers’ organizations and coalitions of Women and demonstrations against these companies on a weekly basis.
To launch the journey, demonstrations were held in Bethlehem and Beit Jala in front of Palestinian companies which host Tnuva and Yafora. Further planned to campaign in Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Tulkarem, in various public places and shopping centers. The goal is to “create a mental connection between the product and the violation of human rights”.
“This year we want to make sure that the Palestinians Muslims, when they break the fast each evening during Ramadan, will contribute also to break the ties with the occupation.”
In addition, on May 24th they published a call upon Muslim in Britain to avoid the acquisition of Israeli dates. Long story, which is actually a poster of two sides, included the major information presented at the outset;
- In 2014, Israel was the third exporter of dates
- The same year Britain was third importer of Israeli dates
- In 2013 60% of the majhoul dates came from Israel
- In 2014, 60% of the dates in Israel grew in plantations in “illegal settlements in the Jordan Valley.”
Therefore, “if you buy majhoul dates, they are likely originating from illegal settlements “.
