A pro-Palestinian group has urged wholesalers in Bradford to ditch the sale of Israeli products throughout August.
United 4 Palestine (U4P) wrote to wholesalers on the Yorkshire market to demand a boycott on the sale of Israeli produce during the holy month of Ramadhan.
In a letter obtained by freshinfo, the group claims: “We are aware that some wholesalers at St James’s Market made the excuse last year that Palestinian workers will lose jobs if you don’t sell Israeli produce… You should note that Palestinian Trades [sic] Unions have unanimously called for a boycotts.”
One Bradford wholesaler said that he felt “bullied” by the group, which had falsely claimed that his company was supporting the boycott.
The Global BDS Movement website, which campaigns for boycott, divestment and sanctions for Palestine, currently reports proposed boycotts of Israeli produce in Ireland, Italy and Norway.
In the letter, U4P states that it is producing and distributing more than 100,000 leaflets around companies in Bradford, will be emailing 1000 people in the city and has received 20,000 hits in less than 12 months on its Bradford site.
Dates and other fresh produce have been put at the top of U4P’s list of products it would like boycotted during Ramadhan.
Campaigners for issues in the Middle East have regularly used produce as a talking point.
In May, Waitrose hit back at accusations it had been hiding the truth over products originating in illegal Israeli settlements.
Charity War on Want accused the upmarket retailer of misleading customers in its claims to have ceased stocking goods from illegal Israeli settlements, but Waitrose vehemently denied changing its stance.
The charity claimed Waitrose has said it was ‘untrue’ that it stocked products from the settlements and that continuing to sell products such as halva from a company in the Barkan settlement of the West Bank contravened this.
