Palestinian civil society lauds US boycott milestone - Olympia co-op

Ma’an – A group of Palestinian civil societies described on Tuesday a US grocery store's decision to remove all Israeli produce from its shelves as "moral and courageous."

On 15 July, the Olympia Food Co-op board of directors decided to boycott Israeli goods at their two locations in Olympia, Wash., apparently making it the first US grocery store to publicly join the international boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement.

"While Israel continues to ravage Palestinian livelihoods with full impunity the Olympia Food Co-op’s decision to boycott Israeli products presents a moral, effective and timely response that promises, if emulated across the US, to significantly challenge Israel’s criminal impunity, furthering the chances for respect for human rights and a measure of justice for the Palestinians," the statement read.

The move was applauded by the General Union of Palestinian Peasants and Co-op Groups, the Union of Palestinian Farmers, the Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, the National Committee for Popular Resistance, the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees, the Union of Palestinian Agricultural Engineers, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, and the Popular Committees Against the Wall and Settlements in Nil’in, Bil’in, Al-Ma'asara, An-Nabi Salih, Budros, Beit Jala, and Wadi Rahal.

In May, the Italian Coalition Against Carmel-Agrexco announced that two major Italian supermarket chains, COOP and Nordiconad, would suspend the sale of products from a settlement goods exporter as the Palestinian-led boycott movement gains international ground.