BDS South Africa welcomes and supports the decision by South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to impose special labels for Israeli companies operating in Israel's illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Israeli settlement products can no longer carry "Made in Israel" labels but instead will have to carry "West Bank: Israeli Goods", "East Jerusalem: Israeli Goods" and "Gaza: Israeli Goods" labels.

 

The wording of these special labels needs to be made clearer and BDS South Africa will be meeting with the Department of Trade and Industry in the course of the next few months to strengthen the wording of these special labels. However, BDS South Africa welcomes the DTI taking action against these Israeli settlement goods and companies. BDS South Africa further calls on the DTI and the South African government to now initiate a complete ban on Israeli settlement goods and companies.

The new DTI labeling requirements, due to be published in tomorrow's Government Gazette, will come into effect as early as next week and will affect Israeli settlement companies operating in South Africa such as Ahava Dead Sea Cosmetics (sold in Truworths, Stuttafords and Foshini stores), Sodastream (sold in Pick n Pay, Checkers and Spar store) and Hishtil nursery plants (sold in some gardening stores). These and other Israeli settlement companies are presently in violation of the new DTI labeling requirements (as they currently carry false "Made in Israel" labels) and consumers can now demand that these Israeli settlement products are removed from shelves in line with the Consumer Protection Act. Traders or companies that refuse to remove these Israeli settlement products will face stiff penalties.
 
The decision to single out these Israeli settlement companies with special labels will empower and assist South African consumers by allowing them to shop in a way that accords with their moral convictions by not purchasing from Israel, particularly from Israeli settlements which are in violation of International Law. The United Nations Human Rights Council, in an official report published earlier this year, confirmed the illegality of Israel's settlements and also called on governments and private corporations to start considering economic and political sanctions against Israel for its illegal settlements enterprise.

Mbuyiseni Ndlozi of BDS South Africa comments: "Boycotts by ordinary people make it possible for international civil society to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law and assist - in concrete ways - to put an end to Israel's occupation and apartheid policies. We are calling on all South Africans to join us in the international boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel campaign by boycotting products such as Sodastream, Ahava and all others Israeli goods sold in South Africa".

 

ISSUED BY BDS SOUTH AFRICA SPOKESPERSON, MUHAMMED DESAI: +27 (0) 84 211 9988
FIND THIS PRESS STATEMENT ONLINE: http://tinyurl.com/c6qcq7m

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