Palestinian activist: Boycott of Israeli products massively underway
The campaign to end entry of Israeli goods into West Bank announced last month on the heels of Israeli freeze on transferring tax revenue to PA.
A Palestinian activist says 80 percent of West Bank shops no longer carry products from six major Israel food companies, as a boycott takes hold.
The Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the campaign this month, after Israel halted the transfer of tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority. Israel took that step after the Palestinians joined the International Criminal Court to seek war crimes charges against Israel.
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Fatah activists gave shops until this weekend to remove the products.
Campaign leader Abdullah Kmail said Sunday that 20 percent of the shops still carry some Israeli goods, but "are getting rid of what they have."
He says the boycott in its current form would end if tax transfers resume, but that appeals to consumers to shun Israeli goods will continue.
A group of about 20 people, among them Fatah officials, have been visiting stores in Ramallah, enforcing the ban on Israeli goods.
The group is pressing store owners who have yet to get rid of Israeli-made products, ranging from Tnuva's dairy goods, to Strauss candies and basic foodstuffs from Osem.
Palestinians officials announced last month that they would prohibit the entry of merchandise from five large Israeli companies. They named the companies as Strauss, Elite (part of the Strauss Group Ltd), Tnuva, Jafora-Tabori, Osem and Prigat.
