JEDDAH, 11 March 2003 — A boycott of Israeli products in Europe has forced the New York-based Freeman Center to start an e-mail campaign to help Israeli-made beauty and skin products Ahava.
According to the e-mail, “Ahava has lost its entire European market due to their boycott of Israel.”
The e-mail also urges consumers to bypass stores and to buy directly from the manufactures. And interestingly enough it also urges consumers to stop buying European products and instead purchase Israeli-made alternatives.
“If you wish to help against the boycott, when you go to the drug store, grocery or department store, take a break from your usual store brands (many of which are European-made products) and purchase Israeli products.”
“When you go to the supermarket, go to the international foods aisle and purchase Israeli products instead of the ones you normally purchase. When you go to purchase bedding, beauty products, clothing, leather products, gems, etc... look at the packaging, ask the salesperson, look at the tags.”
The author of the e-mail is a representative of Coalition for Jewish Concerns a Jewish grass-roots activist organization located in the United States.
Ironically the e-mail is also making the rounds by supporters of the European boycott, and is being seen as a sign of success. This version of the e-mail has the heading: “The boycott is working, please continue your efforts.”
The boycott is a reaction to continuing Israeli aggression in the West Bank and Israel’s failure to comply with over 60 UN resolutions.
