Harrods, London’s prominent department store, recently took off its shelves products, which pro-Palestinian groups claimed were labeled Israeli-made although they were in fact produced in Jewish settlements in Israeli-occupied territories.
"A number of products including Achva Halva, Beigal and Beigal pretzels, Yarden and Gamla Wines were withdrawn from sale, pending further investigation into the claims made," confirmed a spokesperson for the department store, owned by Egyptian businessman Mohammed Al-Fayed.
The Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) called to boycott settlement products imported under an Israeli guise. The London-based organization issued a statement saying that “By stocking such products, Harrods was in effect assisting settlement expansion through subsidizing the settler economy, as Israel continues to strangle the Palestinian economy by denying it free access to the outside world”.
CAABU added that the EU made it clear that settlements are not part of Israel. Their products are therefore excluded from any trade agreement and cannot enjoy preferential tariff treatment.
Another major London department store, Selfridges, also withdrew a range of foods and wines from sale after Palestinian campaigners accused it of effectively assisting Israel's settlement policy by selling goods produced in the West Bank and Golan Heights. Selfridges’ action was however short-lived and the store re-stocked after Christmas. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
