Stop the Wall has a lot more information on the boycott campaigns around the world in its 7 March Newsletter.
This month, there was widespread action across Europe supporting the BDS effort against Israeli produce. In the UK, a demonstration was held outside the main Carmel – Agrexco warehouse in Middlesex on the 2 February. The action was aimed at raising awareness about BDS as well as blocking the company’s daily shipment. More demonstrations against Carmel Agrexco were also held on 7 February, including another at the main warehouse.
In Wales, activists also targeted settlement produce, staging an action in front of a large Tesco supermarket and calling for a boycott of Israel. Several activists filled shopping carts with settlement produce before pushing the carts out of the store without paying. The items was then strewn on the ground in front of the supermarket and covered with fake blood. The group proceeded to speak about the situation in the West Bank and Gaza, handing out flyers to customers explaining the action and calling for BDS before being removed by the police.
In Denmark, BDS activists across Denmark held a day of action on 14 February, where they distributed information on reasons for boycott in front of supermarkets selling produce from firms like Carmel and Jaffa.
For UK actions, see news here, here and here. For Denmark, click here.
Ongoing Campaigns
Veolia campaign update
The activities of French transportation giants Veolia and Alstom in building on occupied Palestinian land clearly constitute misconduct sufficiently grave to warrant the exclusion of all its divisions from public contracts in Europe. It is difficult to imagine what misconduct could be more grave than the aiding, abetting, facilitation or exacerbation of war crimes and human rights violations. [MORE]
Church of England divests over £2.2 million from Caterpillar
The Church of England has clarified their position on their investments in companies profiting from and supporting the ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, clarifying that late last year they removed over £2.2 million from Caterpillar, a company whose bulldozers and heavy plant equipment are used to destroy the homes of Palestinians and construct the Wall. [MORE]
Consumer boycott of Max Brenner launched in Australia
Palestine solidarity activists in Sydney have launched a campaign targeting Max Brenner Chocolates, a 100% Israeli-owned company belonging to the Strauss Group, as part of the growing international boycott of Israel. [MORE]
Latest News
Israeli company NICE wins new contracts Brazil and South Africa
In Brazil, NICE SmartCenter has been selected by seven leading Brazilian telecommunications and contact center outsourcing companies. Each of these companies placed orders in the fourth quarter of 2008 for NICE SmartCenter for their contact centers, which handle millions of customer calls each month, to meet the requirements of the country’s new presidential decree. [MORE]
In South Africa, Transnet Port Terminals, the largest cargo terminal operator in South Africa, is expanding NICE’s IP video surveillance environment at Durban Car Terminal and Ngqura, for a total of five port terminals. The new project is part of a national security upgrade initiative designed to improve security at South Africa’s commercial ports and ensure compliance with the government’s Key Points and Strategic Installations regulations for the security of national critical infrastructure sites. [MORE]
Egyptian workers strike against exports to Israel
In an unprecedented action, the first following the destruction of Gaza, workers from the Egyptian Fertilizers Company in Suez protested on 7 February against the export of fertilizers to Israel. [MORE]
British cooperative to promote Palestinian goods over Israeli
The British retailers' cooperative sent a letter to the Carmel Winery distributor last week saying: Up to this day we have not taken any products containing significant parts manufactured in the occupied territories. From now on, we will also avoid marketing products with any part of their components purchased in the occupied territories.
Britain also plans to promote Palestinian goods. "We are opening commerce channels with Palestinian farmers in hopes of launching the first fair-trade Palestinian product later during the year," the letter said. [MORE]
modu wins first-ever $38.5 million contract in Philippines
Israeli mobile phone company modu announced an exclusive agreement with Lynk Communications to distribute modu phones and jackets in the Philippines, with agreements in several other countries in the region to be announced at a later date. An initial order of modu phones and modu jackets, valued in total at $38.5 million, will hit the region beginning in the 2nd quarter 2009. modu expects to expand to other Asian markets in the coming months. [MORE]
Bank Hapoalim considers expanding in Turkey
Israeli bank Bank Hapoalim is unconcerned that the recent Israeli-Turkish diplomatic spat following Operation Cast Lead will impact long-term opportunities, and the bank is considering expanding its activity in Turkey. Currently, Bank Hapoalim's Turkish business is handled through subsidiary Bankpozitif Credi Ve Kalkinma Bankasi AS. One option under consideration is the acquisition of the Turkish operations of Millennium Banco Commercial Portuguese and consolidating them with Bankpozitif.
Bank Hapoalim owns 35% of Bankpozitif, with the rest held by C Faktoring SA, whose owner, Halit Cingillioglu, is considered close to the AK Party, Turkey's current ruling party.
Bank Hapoalim is the largest Israeli Bank, founded in 1921 by the Histadrut and the WZO. [MORE]
VocalTec wins South African VoIP contract
Israeli telecommunications provider VocalTec Communications Ltd. will supply its Essentra VoIP solution to South African Under-Serviced Area License (USAL) provider Amatole Telecoms Ltd., a Black Empowered Enterprise (BEE) company. [MORE]
Max Brenner to open Philadelphia chocolate bar
Strauss Group Ltd. chocolate subsidiary Max Brenner will open three branches in the US, the first in Philadelphia this summer at a cost of $1.5 million. The company will have five branches in the US when the move is completed.
Max Brenner currently has 25 stores and chocolate bars worldwide, of which 18 are operated by franchisees, with the rest wholly owned by Strauss. The company has six branches in Israel, fourteen in Australia, two each in the US and the Philippines, and one in Singapore. [MORE]
Cafe chain Aroma plans to open branches in NYC and Toronto
Cafe chain Aroma Israel is continuing its international expansion. This week, it opened its first branches in Ukraine capital Kiev and Cypriot resort of Limassol. The openings come a few days after the chain opened its second cafes in both New York and Toronto. All these branches are operated by franchisees, with Aroma directly owning a small stake. [MORE]
This month, there was widespread action across Europe supporting the BDS effort against Israeli produce. In the UK, a demonstration was held outside the main Carmel – Agrexco warehouse in Middlesex on the 2 February. The action was aimed at raising awareness about BDS as well as blocking the company’s daily shipment. More demonstrations against Carmel Agrexco were also held on 7 February, including another at the main warehouse.
In Wales, activists also targeted settlement produce, staging an action in front of a large Tesco supermarket and calling for a boycott of Israel. Several activists filled shopping carts with settlement produce before pushing the carts out of the store without paying. The items was then strewn on the ground in front of the supermarket and covered with fake blood. The group proceeded to speak about the situation in the West Bank and Gaza, handing out flyers to customers explaining the action and calling for BDS before being removed by the police.
In Denmark, BDS activists across Denmark held a day of action on 14 February, where they distributed information on reasons for boycott in front of supermarkets selling produce from firms like Carmel and Jaffa.
For UK actions, see news here, here and here. For Denmark, click here.
Ongoing Campaigns
Veolia campaign update
The activities of French transportation giants Veolia and Alstom in building on occupied Palestinian land clearly constitute misconduct sufficiently grave to warrant the exclusion of all its divisions from public contracts in Europe. It is difficult to imagine what misconduct could be more grave than the aiding, abetting, facilitation or exacerbation of war crimes and human rights violations. [MORE]
Church of England divests over £2.2 million from Caterpillar
The Church of England has clarified their position on their investments in companies profiting from and supporting the ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, clarifying that late last year they removed over £2.2 million from Caterpillar, a company whose bulldozers and heavy plant equipment are used to destroy the homes of Palestinians and construct the Wall. [MORE]
Consumer boycott of Max Brenner launched in Australia
Palestine solidarity activists in Sydney have launched a campaign targeting Max Brenner Chocolates, a 100% Israeli-owned company belonging to the Strauss Group, as part of the growing international boycott of Israel. [MORE]
Latest News
Israeli company NICE wins new contracts Brazil and South Africa
In Brazil, NICE SmartCenter has been selected by seven leading Brazilian telecommunications and contact center outsourcing companies. Each of these companies placed orders in the fourth quarter of 2008 for NICE SmartCenter for their contact centers, which handle millions of customer calls each month, to meet the requirements of the country’s new presidential decree. [MORE]
In South Africa, Transnet Port Terminals, the largest cargo terminal operator in South Africa, is expanding NICE’s IP video surveillance environment at Durban Car Terminal and Ngqura, for a total of five port terminals. The new project is part of a national security upgrade initiative designed to improve security at South Africa’s commercial ports and ensure compliance with the government’s Key Points and Strategic Installations regulations for the security of national critical infrastructure sites. [MORE]
Egyptian workers strike against exports to Israel
In an unprecedented action, the first following the destruction of Gaza, workers from the Egyptian Fertilizers Company in Suez protested on 7 February against the export of fertilizers to Israel. [MORE]
British cooperative to promote Palestinian goods over Israeli
The British retailers' cooperative sent a letter to the Carmel Winery distributor last week saying: Up to this day we have not taken any products containing significant parts manufactured in the occupied territories. From now on, we will also avoid marketing products with any part of their components purchased in the occupied territories.
Britain also plans to promote Palestinian goods. "We are opening commerce channels with Palestinian farmers in hopes of launching the first fair-trade Palestinian product later during the year," the letter said. [MORE]
modu wins first-ever $38.5 million contract in Philippines
Israeli mobile phone company modu announced an exclusive agreement with Lynk Communications to distribute modu phones and jackets in the Philippines, with agreements in several other countries in the region to be announced at a later date. An initial order of modu phones and modu jackets, valued in total at $38.5 million, will hit the region beginning in the 2nd quarter 2009. modu expects to expand to other Asian markets in the coming months. [MORE]
Bank Hapoalim considers expanding in Turkey
Israeli bank Bank Hapoalim is unconcerned that the recent Israeli-Turkish diplomatic spat following Operation Cast Lead will impact long-term opportunities, and the bank is considering expanding its activity in Turkey. Currently, Bank Hapoalim's Turkish business is handled through subsidiary Bankpozitif Credi Ve Kalkinma Bankasi AS. One option under consideration is the acquisition of the Turkish operations of Millennium Banco Commercial Portuguese and consolidating them with Bankpozitif.
Bank Hapoalim owns 35% of Bankpozitif, with the rest held by C Faktoring SA, whose owner, Halit Cingillioglu, is considered close to the AK Party, Turkey's current ruling party.
Bank Hapoalim is the largest Israeli Bank, founded in 1921 by the Histadrut and the WZO. [MORE]
VocalTec wins South African VoIP contract
Israeli telecommunications provider VocalTec Communications Ltd. will supply its Essentra VoIP solution to South African Under-Serviced Area License (USAL) provider Amatole Telecoms Ltd., a Black Empowered Enterprise (BEE) company. [MORE]
Max Brenner to open Philadelphia chocolate bar
Strauss Group Ltd. chocolate subsidiary Max Brenner will open three branches in the US, the first in Philadelphia this summer at a cost of $1.5 million. The company will have five branches in the US when the move is completed.
Max Brenner currently has 25 stores and chocolate bars worldwide, of which 18 are operated by franchisees, with the rest wholly owned by Strauss. The company has six branches in Israel, fourteen in Australia, two each in the US and the Philippines, and one in Singapore. [MORE]
Cafe chain Aroma plans to open branches in NYC and Toronto
Cafe chain Aroma Israel is continuing its international expansion. This week, it opened its first branches in Ukraine capital Kiev and Cypriot resort of Limassol. The openings come a few days after the chain opened its second cafes in both New York and Toronto. All these branches are operated by franchisees, with Aroma directly owning a small stake. [MORE]
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