The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), a Palestinian coalition leading a global 'boycott Israel' campaign, has urged Total Produce not to purchase ailing Israeli exporter Agrexco.
In a letter to the Irish fresh produce company published today, the coalition alleges “Agrexco’s complicity with Israeli war crimes and illegal activities in the colonial settlements built on occupied Palestinian land”.
In its letter, the BNC expresses deep concern at reports the Irish company is considering making a bid for Agrexco and warned that should it make the purchase, Total Produce “will be targeted in a similar way” to Agrexco.
Total Produce has so far declined to comment on the possible bid and offered the same response to the open letter to freshinfo.
“We urge you to forgo this ill-conceived idea of buying a company that markets most of the illegal produce of Israel’s colonial settlements and that has suffered a fatal financial blow,” the letter states, “partly as a result of a vigorous boycott that will no doubt continue regardless who the new owners may be.”
Agrexco has recently suffered acute financial problems that have led to bankruptcy proceedings being brought against them in the Israeli capital Tel Aviv. Agrexco trustee Shlomo Nass asked for more time to find a buyer and was given a two week extension to the deadline last Monday.
Agrexco has been a target of Palestinian solidarity activists calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel for some time.
A new coalition of European campaigners last month promised to “put an end to Agrexco’s presence in Europe”. Twenty-three groups signed a declaration saying they had established mechanisms to co-ordinate boycott campaigns and court actions against the exporter.
The alliance of European groups including the French Coalition contre Agrexco have set Saturday 26 November as a pan-European day of action against the company.
Campaigners have drawn attention to the exporter’s involvement with what they claim are illegal Israeli settlements with stunts, pickets and direct action.
