This Year's Arab Purimschpiel!

מוצש״ק פר׳ כי תשא תשע"ה

Arutz 7: Palestinian Stores Begin Boycott of Israeli Food Products
80% of Palestinian stores in Judea and Samaria started boycott against companies Tnuva, Strauss, Elite, Osem, Prigat, and Yafora.

Cynthia Blank, March 2, 2015

80% of Palestinian stores in areas of Judea and Samaria controlled by the Palestinian Authority have stopped selling products belonging to six major Israeli food companies, Walla! reported Sunday.

The leader of the boycott campaign against Israel, Abdullah Kamil, said Sunday night that the ban had gone into effect about a month after its first announcement.

The companies included in the boycott are Tnuva, Strauss, Elite, Osem, Prigat, and Yafora. Any of these companies' products left on shelves will be destroyed by next week.

Fatah activists claim the boycott is backed by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, and that it serves as a retaliatory response to Israel's decision to freeze tax funds to the PA as well as other "Israeli violations."

Those measures came as a result of the PA's unilateral moves, including turning to the United Nations Security Council for statehood and joining the International Criminal Court in order to lodge a war crimes complaint against Israel.

The campaign is titled "16% Lethal," in reference to their contention that 16% of the food companies' profits go to the Israeli government in taxes, thereby contributing to the killings of Palestinians.

The boycott appears to be more effective than similar measures attempted previously, complete with a website allowing consumers to view alternative Palestinian products.

According to Kamil, the ban on these Israeli products will continue until Israel agrees to transfer the tax funds to the Palestinian Authority.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
I thought for certain that this was some kind of Purim report!

Who cares if the PA boycotts Israeli products? Arab patronage at the Rami Levy supermarket chain, with branches in Sha'ar Binyamin, Mishor Adumim, and at the Gush Etzion Junction, will only increase, thus making such boycotts worthless. Arabs from Ramallah can often be seen gracing the aisles at the Sha'ar Binyamin branch, including English speaking, Arab Americans trying to figure out the Hebrew/Arabic labels.

Hamentaschen - traditional Purim cookies

Sure, there have been a few Arab protests at these stores, but the Arabs themselves keep coming back, for the wide selection of Israeli products, and for the low prices.

Not only that, Rami Levy employs many Arabs at these same branches in Yehudah and Shomron (Judea and Samaria). I have no doubt that if Rami Levy were to fire them all, there would be an uproar from the very PA which supports the boycott on Israeli products.

Arabs continue to demand their Hamentaschen and eat them, too.

If anyone should be boycotting Rami Levy, it should be Jews, not Arabs