Boycott Israeli dates - a 5 step guide

Palestinians call on us to boycott Israeli products to pressure Israel to end its apartheid and genocide against Palestinians..In 2005, Palestinian civil society called for Boycott Divestment and Sanctions to assist Palestinian people to also achieve freedom and justice, founded  in the same year BDS thttps://bdsmovement.net/, is a global movement which takes inspiration from the campaign that targeted South Africa’s apartheid regime, focusing on non-violent methods to accomplish its goals. Its basic principle is that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity, and it seeks to mount international political and economic pressure on Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The worldwide consumer, cultural, sporting and economic boycott, divestment and sanctions of South Africa contributed to the end of that apartheid state. 

Israel is a major producer and exporter of dates to the European market!  They are grown in the Jordan Valley, West Bank, and are the most profitable crop of the illegal Israeli settlers, who exploit the desperate poverty of their Palestinian workers – including children – with appalling working conditions.

Many dates sold in UK supermarkets and grocery stores are grown in Israeli settlements which are illegal according to international law as they are located on Israeli Occupied Palestinian land.

Dates are an important part of Israel’s economy, producing over half of the world’s leading varietal the Medjool date. Medjoul dates are grown in the Jordan Valley within illegal Israeli settlements. They form a large part of the agricultural produce from these settlements which are then exported all over the world.Buying these dates means that you are actually helping Israeli settlers steal Palestinian land.  Israelis claim Palestinians are given jobs working on the land of these settlers and a boycott will harm them. In actual fact, these Palestinians are employed for paltry wages, to do the back-breaking work that the Israeli settlers will not do themselves. 

Settlers exploit Palestinian children, who are forced to miss out on their education and work long hours under the hot baking sun for small sums of money.The price of settlement produced dates are cheaper compared to those produced by Palestinian farmers as a result.Israeli exporters are using their profits to support these illegal settlements that help entrench the brutal, military occupation and colonisation of Palestine. 

Additionally, Israel has maintained control of Palestine’s water resources since 1948, leaving Palestinians with insufficient water for their individual needs or to produce food for their own economy.

As Ramadan approaches, make sure you stand with Palestinians by boycotting dates from Israel. Say no to the dates of oppression, occupation and apartheid! Free Palestine.

Boycott Israeli dates - a 5 step guide 

Step 1: When you’re buying dates, always check the label. Don't buy dates that are produced or packaged in Israel or its illegal settlements. Keep Israeli goods off the table.

Unfortunately checking the label doesn't always help as Israel has been caught falsely labelling settlement in  order to evade boycotts, they are often disguised using labels such as: Jordan Valley, West Bank (settlements), or ‘produce of more than one country,

So  please be mindful of such devious marketing ploys and mechanisms

Step 2: Check the retailer’s website. If you can't find a country of origin on the box this information is often online.

Step 3: Don’t buy dates from Hadiklaim  This is one of Israel's largest exporters. It sells dates under the names: King Solomon, Jordan River and Jordan River Bio-Top, and under supermarket brand labels  Check the box, if the dates were “exported by Hadiklaim" don’t buy them 

Step 4: Avoid these companies: Mehadrin, MTex, Edom, Carmel Agrexco, and Arava. They are major exporters of Israeli agricultural goods.

Step 5: Support the Palestinian economy by buying Palestinian Palestinian dates  Buy Palestinian dates with  @Zaytoun_CIC  These are social enterprises supporting Palestinian farmers, that imports Palestinian dates to the UK. Support Palestinian farmers defending their land against Israeli colonialism.https://zaytoun.uk/

The boycott of Israeli dates is already working and is sending a strong message to Israel’s government that its conduct will result in economic losses..Spread the word by downloading updated boycott Israeli dates postcard: 

https://palestinecampaign.org/resources/leaflets/