Boycotting Israeli Products - Does it Work?

“It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” 
― Mahatma Gandhi

Hello Everyone,

I was once very ignorant of the concept of boycotting the products that either come from Israel, or support the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

I thought they were rumours which tried to defame products and companies and cannot be trusted. So I ignored them. I was having a chat with my friends the other day and they were of the same view, they all said "What difference does it make if one person aka me boycott? In the end, it only inconveniences myself"

But little did I know that a movement was already in place for some time, systematic and non-violent who does research not only on shareholding, but documented support campaigns and funding to Israel for their war on terror. Let me introduce you to INMINDS. Go to their website and see the work that they have put in. The people behind Inminds transcends gender, religion, race and creed. They consist of muslims, christians, jews and other races who stand united against the war on terror which Israel has perpetrated on Palestine.

Now, in so far as the boycott is concerned, if you do not think they are effective or do not work, let me give you a heads up on the companies and/or organisations who have withdrawn their support and/or divested their shares in companies complicit in their Support for Israel due in part or wholly to the boycott and this is taken from the Inmind website:-

"Why are some of the brands in the previous Boycott Israel Campaign missing from this campaign?

Over time many companies have reconsidered their support for Israel and some have divested from Israel due to many reasons including the accumulated pressure of the boycott. These changes are reflected in the new card.

Disney

Disney, working with the Israeli embassy, was given 1.8 million dollars by Israel to promote Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at a special exhibition at its Epcot centre in Florida, strategically positioned so that every visitor to the centre would have to walk through the exhibition in order to reach the exit. Jerusalem is an illegally occupied Palestinian city and under international law can NEVER be the capital of Israel. The exhibition has since been removed so Disney is no longer on the boycott list.

Sara Lee

Sara Lee has divested its large stake in the Israeli textile giant Delta Galil so it along with its two dozen plus brands have all been removed from the boycott list.

Nokia

Nokia Ventures Organization which had so heavily invested in Israel is no longer part of Nokia and is now called BlueRun Ventures and has many investors now. Note that Nokia is still one of its investors, but its stake in Israel is now no more prominent than countless other technology companies who are not on the boycott list, so Nokia has also been removed from the list.

Arsenal FC

Following a concerted campaign, Arsenal Football Club's contract with the Israeli Tourism board to promote Israel as the teams "official and exclusive travel destination" on its digital perimeter boards (to an estimated 700 million viewers in 198 countries) was not renewed. Subsequently, Arsenal FC has been removed from the boycott list. Note that Arsenal still runs 'Arsenal in the Galilee' coaching project in Israel.

Selfridges

Selfridges flagship store in London was picketed for stocking a range of settlement products including Ahava and soon a boycott of the store followed. It no longer sells Ahava Dead Sea products on its website, although it does advertise Estee Lauder Origins 'body scrubs' which include Dead Sea salts. As part of our strategy of a more focused boycott campaign where individual Israeli brands like Ahava are targeted, Selfridges in no longer on the boycott list."


And so my readers, the boycott DOES work. The aim is not to put people out of jobs or to jeopardise their livelihood, but to inflict enough pressure on boycotted companies so that they withdraw their support and/or pledges for the Israeli government, which as you can see HAS happened. We are not targeting Jewish companies, but rather ALL companies who support the Israeli occupation in Palestine.

Let us all do this, all of us regardless of race, religion, creed and position. I realised when Aisha died that I must be the change that I want to see. And this my way of doing it.  I know I may not see the results in my lifetime but I cannot simply close my eyes and look away and pretend the problem does not exist.

Like I said, she was a lifetime and millions of miles away, and maybe that was why I was never sensitive to the issues that plagued her. If I can convince and change even one person to start this boycott, that I will have succeeded.

From now on, I will also frequently post on alternative products which all households in Malaysia can use that is Israel-free.

Please help me keep Aisha's memory alive, please do not let her death be in vain.

Join me.