Boycott Israel - who and why? An A-Z listing

Supporting the Principle of Boycott

• Boycotting Goods of Those who Slaughter Your Brothers Like Sheep by Muhammad Nasir ud-Din al-Albani
• On the Issue of Boycotting by Nabeel Nisar Sheikh

Another useful, non-Islamic, resource is the UN Human Rights Office Report, published on 12 February 2020, on business enterprises involved in certain activities relating to settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The report identifies 112 business entities which the UN Human Rights Office, on the basis of the information it has gathered, has reasonable grounds to conclude have been involved in one or more of the specific activities referenced in Human Rights Council resolution 31/36. Of the 112 business entities identified in the report, 94 are domiciled in Israel and 18 in six other States. During the complex process of drawing up the database, the Office consulted the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, and held widespread discussions with numerous States, civil society organizations, think tanks, academics and others, as well as having extensive interactions with the companies themselves. “I am conscious this issue has been, and will continue to be, highly contentious,” said Michelle Bachelet, the (then) current High Commissioner for Human Rights. “However, after an extensive and meticulous review process, we are satisfied this fact-based report reflects the serious consideration that has been given to this unprecedented and highly complex mandate, and that it responds appropriately to the Human Rights Council’s request contained in resolution 31/36,” Bachelet said. We have listed some of the companies in the report on this page - for the full list please read the report on their website here.

Methodology used on this Website

We have categorised companies (where evidence shows) as follows:

• Tier 1: which are those companies that support (or have supported) the Israeli Army directly (for example, through the provision of finances, physical goods and/or services) or the Occupation (for example, by operating on illegal settlements themselves); or
• Tier 2: which are those companies that support (or have supported) other companies that support (or have supported) the Israeli Army directly (for example, through the provision of finances, physical goods and/or services) or the Occupation; or
• Tier 3: other companies to be aware of that cannot be listed as Tier 1 or Tier 2 but have taken actions indicative of support of the Occupation.

Where we cannot verify a company as any of these tiers, they are listed as unverified. Please note that this website does not list companies on the basis that they have Jewish investors and/or directors, or if they operate in Israel on land not considered to be illegal settlements under relevant international law. This is not on the basis of any judgement other than to focus on the companies causing most the direct obstruction to a peaceful resolution in Palestine and the wider region.

The Listing

Airbnb, Inc. (Tier 2: Consider Action)

Airbnb Inc. is listed in UN Human Rights Office report A/HRC/43/71 as providing "[t]he provision of services and utilities supporting the maintenance and existence of settlements, including transport." [33]  In November 2018, Airbnb indicated that they would "remove listings in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank" [34] but later, in April 2019, reversed this decision following legal action from the owners of properties in the illegal occupied territories (irony is not dead). [35] At the time of this reversal, they stated that they would donate any profit it generated from these listings to "organisations dedicated to humanitarian aid that serve people in different parts of the world". [36]

In January 2019, Amnesty International UK published a report, Destination Occupation, showing how Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Expedia and Booking.com were fuelling systematic human rights violations against Palestinians by listing hundreds of rooms and activities in Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, including East Jerusalem. [37]  Saleh Higazi, Amnesty International’s Middle East Deputy Director, said: "Shamefully, Airbnb has been promoting and benefiting from a situation that is a root cause of the systematic human rights violations faced by millions of Palestinians." [38]

What they sell: A marketplace for holidays property rental listings across the world.  Both listing and renting via Airbnb should be avoided as well as investment.

Alternatives: Unfortunately most of the holiday rental and listing sites are owned by companies that are listed on the UN Human Rights Office's report A/HRC/43/71 - this includes HomeAway (owned by Expedia Inc.), vrbo (owned by Expedia Inc.), Tripadvisor and Booking.com.  If you can, try and book directly with the property, probably saving both you and the owner a tidy sum in the process (obviously don't booking anything in the occupied territories!).

Caterpillar (Tier 1: Take Immediate Action)

Caterpillar has long been providing its CAT D9 bulldozer to Israel. The D9 is then modified by the Israel Army to produce the Israeli Armored CAT D9, nicknamed mockingly by the Israelis as 'Teddy Bear'. [7] The Israeli Armored CAT D9 is at the forefront of Israeli's illegal activities within the occupied territories, used by Israel to illegally demolish Palestine homes and buildings ahead of the formation of illegal settlements. Like HP, Caterpillar has recently lost funding from The Presbyterian Church. [8] The board of Caterpillar was challenged in 2004 at its AGM about the end-use of its bulldozers, to which their spokesperson replied it was a "political matter". [9]

What they sell: As well as industrial construction (destruction) vehicles and technology, Caterpillar trade to consumers as CAT, selling men and women's footwear.

Alternatives: There are plenty of footwear brands available to consumers beyond Caterpillar. Businesses that require vehicles for construction are encouraged to seek alternatives such as Shantui or Komatsu.

Coca-Cola (Tier 2: Consider Action)

Coca-Cola drinks are sold in Israel through its franchisee, The Central Bottling Company Limited (CCBC). [46] Whilst headquartered in Tel-Aviv, CCBC operates a large distribution centre in an industrial park in Atarot, north of Jerusalem [47] on land which is considered partly or wholly an illegal settlement under international law - the Palestinian areas "next to and/or on where Atarot settlement was established include: al-Ram and Dahiyat al-Barid to the east; Bayt Hanina to the south; and Bir Nabala to the west. The area to the north is Qalandiya, with the settlement extending narrowly to the Qalandiya checkpoint." [48] A common defence utilised by apologists to such presences is that the companies operating on these illegal settlements employ Arabs from the West Bank and/or, in the particular case of the industrial park at Atarot, that Arab businesses operate in the industrial park itself. The realities of the such arguments, how the state of Israel adopts policies that make this the only option for Arabs and how Arab workers are treated in such areas, is well-explained in this article, The Atarot Exception? Business and Human Rights under Colonization, by the Institute for Palestine Studies.

What they sell: Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Powerade and other well-known brands of Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola owns other well-known food & drink brands such as Costa Coffee, Minute Maid, Powerade and others.

Alternatives: Do yourself a favour and give up fizzy drinks entirely for healthier alternatives or water even! If fizzy is your thing then there are Muslim backed alternatives available in independent retailers. We haven't looked into Pepsi at this time so can't comment in relation to them.

Fruit & Vegetables from Israel (Tier 2: Consider Action)

Jaffa oranges are sourced from a number of different countries, including Spain. However, those Jaffa oranges labelled as originating from Israel may in fact have been sourced from illegal settlements. One of the primary suppliers of Jaffa oranges is Mehadrin, a company delisted by Co-op in 2012 as they were "known to be sourcing from the Israeli settlements." [28] Mehadrin's own website states that they "a leading global supplier of the world - renowned JAFFA brand". [29] The website further states, "fresh produce comes in daily from over 50,000 dunam of agricultural holdings across Israel," in a stark contrast to the global view that Israeli settlements are illegal and in contrast to a map on that same website that appears to show at least three orchards on illegal settlement land. [31] In a 2013 investigation by Corporate Watch, it was discovered that Mehadrin was still listing produce from illegal settlements as being 'Produce of Israel'. [32]

What they sell: Mehadrin sell a range of fruit and vegetable produce including oranges, grapes, mangos, Mejdul dates and avocadoes. Due to Mehadrin's (and others') dubious past practices with respect labelling and the fact that their own website deems settlement land as part of Israel, you are advised to avoid all fresh produce that is sourced from (or produce of) Israel.

Alternatives: Jaffa oranges are also imported into Europe and the US from a number of other countries including Spain. Always check the label before purchasing.

Hewlett-Packard (Tier 1: Take Immediate Action)

HP established HP Labs Israel in 1994 on the campus of the Israel Institute of Technology, providing investment into Israel. [2] HP also has (and has had) a number of contracts with the Israeli government, including the Israeli Navy. Examples include their work on the BASEL system, a checkpoint system used by Israel enforce segregation of Palestinians and administration of the Israeli Navy's IT infrastructure. [3] HP recently rejected The Presbyterian Church's lobby for change, resulting in the Church divesting from HP. [5] Similarly, the Friend Fiduciary Corporation, an investment firm serving over 300 Quaker institutions in the US, has also divested from HP. [6]

What they sell: HP sell a large range of IT equipment including laptops, tablets, desktops, data storage, printers, etc. It owns and trades as a number of other brands including Compaq, and EDS. [4]

Alternatives: The IT industry is awash with brands who provide suitable alternatives. For example, for PCs, laptops, servers, etc. there are Dell and Microsoft. For printers there are Xerox, Epson and Canon. A simple search on a IT consumables website will reveal any number of other, ethical brands for one to choose from.

HSBC (Tier 3: Be Aware & Monitor)

HSBC recently closed, unilaterally and without any consultation, the bank accounts of a number of Muslim organisations. These include the account of Ummah Welfare Trust (UWT), an international relief and development charity, who was collecting significant funds for its efforts in Gaza. A trustee of UWT Muhammad Ahmad said: "The first time we were served notice [in 2008] was at the time of the first Gaza war. It has to be much more than a coincidence. To serve notice to a charity helping people on the ground [in Gaza], to choose that timing, it beggars belief." It has also closed the accounts of the Cordoba Foundation, again believed to be due to their work in Palestine and Gaza, as well as the accounts of the wife and daughter of Foundation's chief executive. HSBC has stated in all of its letters that providing accounts to these organisations no longer fits with their "risk appetite". [21, 22]

What they sell: Personal and business banking services, including 'Sharia compliant' services through its HSBC Amanah function.

Alternatives: There are a large range of banks providing similar services in the UK and beyond. For a 'Sharia compliant' alternative in the UK consider Ar-Rayan Bank.

Kimberley-Clark (Tier 2: Consider Action)

Kimberly-Clark is a significant customer of Avgol (19% of revenue), [15, 17] a company with a factory in the Barkan Industrial Area, adjacent to the illegal Israeli settlement of Barkan [16] in the occupied West Bank. Avgol manufactures approximately 10% of the raw materials for diapers in the global market.

What they sell: Kimberly-Clark produce a number of well-known consumer goods, including Huggies, Kleenex and Andrex. A full list of Kimberly-Clark brands can be found here. The most relevant brand here is their nappies range, Huggies, which uses materials provided by Avgol.

Alternatives: There are a range of alternatives available to the products produced by Kimberley-Clark in most retailers (you will probably save quite a bit of money too!).

Motorola Solutions (Tier 1: Take Immediate Action)

MSI has been engaged in a number of projects with Israel to support the Israeli Army and its occupation. Examples include its investment in 'Camero', a radar to be used by Israeli Law Enforcement and Special Forces operatives [10], and 'Mountain Rose', a cellular encrypted and secured TETRA-based communication network for the Israeli Army [13]. Recently, Motorola announced that it would develop and produce the Israeli Army's encrypted battlefield smartphone at a cost of $100m ($50m of which will be provided by the US). [11] Motorola has a large 40,000 square metre corporate and research office in Airport City leased for 25 years where it houses over 1,000 employees. [12] As with Hewlett-Packard and Caterpillar, The Presbyterian Church recently divested from the company. [5]

What they sell: MSI provide products (such as Application Development Tools, Data Capture, Integrated Command and Control, Mobile Computing, RFID, Two-Way Radios, WLAN), services and solutions.

Note: It should be noted that Motorola split in 2011, into Motorola Solutions and Motorola Mobility, the latter (now owned by Lenovo) makes Motorola branded mobile phones and appears to no longer have a material supportive link with the Israeli terrorist state.

Procter & Gamble (Tier 2: Consider Action)

P&G provide significant investment (funding, expertise, resources) into Israel through its "House of Innovation" and the presence of a corporate office in Tel-Aviv. [1] P&G is a major customer of Avgol (43% of revenue), [15, 17] a company with a factory in the Barkan Industrial Area, adjacent to the illegal Israeli settlement of Barkan [16] in the occupied West Bank. [14] Avgol manufactures approximately 10% of the raw materials for diapers in the global market.

What they sell: P&G sell household products under a number of different brands, including Ariel, Braun, Fairy, Gillette, Oral-B, Pampers, etc. A full list of P&G brands can be found here. The most relevant brand here is their nappies range, Pampers, which uses materials provided by Avgol.

Alternatives: There are a range of alternatives available to the products produced by Procter & Gamble in most retailers (you will probably save quite a bit of money too!).

SodaStream (Tier 3: Be Aware & Monitor)

Updated: The SodaStream factory in the West Bank closed in 2014 and Scarlett Johansson's relationship with SodaStream ended "shortly after" her role as SodaStream's 'Global Brand Ambassador'.[39] Given the history of this company, it remains on this list but has moved out of being on the Tier 2 list as it no longer has a factory on illegal settlement territory.

SodaStream is a home carbonated drinks manufacturer with 13 production factories worldwide [23]. It's principal manufacturing factory is located on the illegal [24] West Bank settlement of Ma'ale Adumim [25]. SodaStream's "First Ever Global Brand Ambassador", Scarlett Johansson was recently embroiled in a dispute with the charity Oxfam, of whom she was also a Global Ambassador. An official statement from Oxfam stated, "While Oxfam respects the independence of our ambassadors, Ms. Johansson’s role promoting the company SodaStream is incompatible with her role as an Oxfam Global Ambassador. Oxfam believes that businesses, such as SodaStream, that operate in settlements further the ongoing poverty and denial of rights of the Palestinian communities that we work to support. Oxfam is opposed to all trade from Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law ..." [26] It was recently reported that SodaStream was closing it's main UK store in Brighton and that the retailer, John Lewis, was also delisting its products [27].

What they sell: Home carbonated drinks and equipment.

Alternatives: Do yourself a favour and give up fizzy drinks entirely for healthier alternatives or water even!

Volvo Group (Tier 1: Take Immediate Action)

The use of Volvo Group's bulldozers in the establishment of illegal Israeli settlements is well documented [18], and is not denied (although they do say it they "regret if they are used for destructive purposes") by Volvo Group itself. [19] It has also been used in the construction of the illegal separation wall constructed in Israel. In June 2007, the New England Conference (a group of United Methodist Churches with over 90,000 members) recommended divestment from Volvo Group. [20]

What they sell: Volvo Group produces buses, trucks and construction equipment under a number of different brands including Volvo, Renault, MACK, UD and Eicher.

Alternatives: Businesses that require vehicles for construction are encouraged to seek alternatives such as Shantui or Komatsu. For trucks, consider companies like DAF.

Note: It should be noted that Volvo Group is separate to Volvo Cars, which is currently owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and appears to no longer have a material supportive link with the Israeli terrorist state.

Unverified

Costco

Costco has been listed on several websites and on social media messaging as having connections with Israel that would warrant their boycotting. However, those claims do not appear to be verifiable. Whilst the co-founder, Jeffrey Brotman, was Jewish (as is claimed) he passed away in 2017 and the co-founder simply being Jewish would not qualify Costco for entry onto the lists above. He does appear to have been a member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, however this fraternity, which began as a "Zionist youth society", eliminated sectarianism as a qualification for membership in 1954 (29 years before Costco was founded). [40, 41] Again, membership of this fraternity would be unlikely to enter Costco onto a boycott list.

Costco itself has been a publicly listed company since 1985 [42]. It's largest individual shareholder is Craig Jelinek (the current CEO & President) who owns about 0.08% of outstanding shares. [43] Mr Jelinik, who started as a warehouse manager at Costco in 1984, does not appear to have any material ties to Israel. The largest institutional shareholder is Vanguard Group Inc and then Blackstone Inc. We have not investigated either company for ties to Israel at this time, however we do note that they currently each hold around positions in 5,000 companies on the NASDAQ. [44] It's also noted that Costco currently has no presence in Israel having again been invited by Israel to establish themselves there in 2023. [45]

References