Facebook share Share on TwitterRSS feed

Innovative Minds © 2014. All Rights Reserved. www.inminds.co.uk

[Boycott - Economic - Europe]

Swedish fashion chain H&M under pressure


Adri Nieuwhof, The Electronic Intifada
31 March 2010

More than a year ago, several concerned Swedish organizations asked fashion chain H&M about its plans to extend its franchise to Israel. H&M's management denied the rumors but refused to provide written confirmation. In March, H&M unexpectedly opened a store in Tel Aviv and a second store in Jerusalem's Malha shopping mall. The mall is built on the Palestinian village of al-Malha which was ethnically cleansed during the 1948 Nakba. In several European cities activists protested H&M's presence in Israel.




H&M's interest in expanding its business to Israel became clear in March 2008 when a team of top management went to Israel. According to a 14 March 2008 article in the Israeli daily Haaretz, the visit was initiated by Israel's economic attache in Stockholm, Mordechai Ish-Shalom. In Israel, H&M's management team met with leaders of local textile and fashion companies. Dafna Sternfeld of Israel's Exports Institute told Haaretz that H&M was primarily interested in low-cost bathing suits and underwear made in Israel, as well as knitwear and textiles for the home. The H&M team also met with representatives from Ahava, whose beauty products are produced in a factory in the illegal Mitzpe Shalem settlement in the occupied West Bank. However, the labels on Ahava's products sold in the EU declare that they originate from "The Dead Sea, Israel."

Although no deal with Ahava was announced, H&M's visit to Israel turned out to be fruitful. On 9 December 2008, H&M announced a franchise deal for opening stores with the private Israeli company, Match Retail, Ltd. Match Retail was founded by the Horesh family for the exclusive purpose of handling H&M in Israel. H&M's CEO, Rolf Eriksen, stated that "our business concept will suit the Israeli market well." Indeed, the first H&M stores were opened in March 2010, and will be followed by new stores in Haifa, Petah Tikva, Netanya and Rehovot.

H&M's decision to open stores in Israel was protested by 24 organizations from Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Palestine and Israel. The organizations called on the company to postpone the store openings until Israel respects international law. The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) also criticized H&M's decision to invest in Israel. In its statement, the BNC declared that Palestinians and supporters of a just peace will understand H&M's increased business activity in Israel as form of support for Israel's violations of international law and human rights.

On 10 March 2010, when the Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan asked H&M for a comment on the protests, the company's press relations officer, Hacan Andersson, replied, "It is of course up to everyone to have an opinion. We take no position on religious and political issues."

However, the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm expressed a different view, putting H&M's enterprise in Israel in a political context. On its website, the embassy declared in Swedish that "In these days when the resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians [is] approaching, it is important to support the parties. This support can be provided in many ways. Economic cooperation is a good way to increase influence and use influence. H&M's establishment in Israel is not only a good investment but also an investment in the peace process in the region." This statement was not available on the English section of the website.

H&M's store in Jerusalem is built on the Palestinian village of al-Malha, which was ethnically cleansed in 1948 and whose original Palestinian inhabitants are refugees denied the right to return to their lands. Baha Hilo, grandson of a family from al-Malha, researched the expulsion of the villagers. According to Hilo, the villagers were expelled at roughly the same time as the massacre of Palestinians in the nearby village of Deir Yassin on 8 and 9 April 1948.

He states that "The Haganah militia fought with people from the village who formed [their own] militia. The older generation is proud of this resistance. When the villagers realized the war would take longer, some went back to collect blankets or valuables. The Haganah shot at them and threatened them to stay away. Around 10 people died. Most villagers from al-Malha fled to Bethlehem, some to Ramallah." The expelled villagers were never allowed to return to al-Malha and have never received compensation for their losses.

The BNC has called for international protests leading to a boycott of H&M, particularly in the Arab world. In March, activists protested in H&M stores in the UK, Denmark, Sweden and France. Solidarity organizations and concerned citizens have sent a clear signal to H&M that they don't want the company to do business as usual with Israel so long as Palestinians' rights are not respected.

Adri Nieuwhof is a consultant and human rights advocate based in Switzerland.



Action against H&M in France (March 2010)

Source: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11176.shtml


Related Articles


Also Of Interest

Page URL: http://inminds.com/article.php?id=10339
Support Us
If you agree with our work then please support us.

Give one time donation:

Setup monthly donation:
INMINDS Facebook Live Feed
Latest Video's
Latest News..
[all-by date]
[all-by category]
[all-by modify date]
INMINDS Twitter Feed
Boycott Israel Campaign
Featured Video's
You need Flash player 8+ and JavaScript enabled to view this video.
Why boycott Israel on Campus[1:50:05]
12 London universities discuss need for BDS on campuses. Speakers include Rafeef Ziadeh, Ilan Pappe, Karma Nabulsi & Mike Cushman
Love Letters to Gaza[31:08]
A unique theatrical event using personal messages of love, support and hope from people of all ages and all walks of life to the people of Gaza.
John Pilger[7:55]
journalist and documentary maker
Antiwar Mass Assembly 8 Oct 2011
Julian Assange[7:07]
founder of WikiLeaks
Antiwar Mass Assembly 8 Oct 2011
Lauren Booth, Sami Ramadani & Yvonne Ridley[6:28]
Reading the names of the dead
Antiwar Mass Assembly 8 Oct 2011
George Galloway[6:39]
Antiwar Mass Assembly 8 Oct 2011
Jemima Khan[8:42]
Antiwar Mass Assembly 8 Oct 2011
Why Boycott Marks & Spencer 2011?[23:29]
Demo outside M&S Oxford Street(24 Sept 2011)
Sean Clinton[4:59]
Israeli Blood Diamonds Campaign
Al Quds Day rally, Trafalgar Square (31 Aug 2011)
Lauren Booth[5:24]
Al Quds Day rally, Trafalgar Square (31 Aug 2011)
Lauren Booth - Prayer for Gaza[2:46]
Al Quds Day rally, Trafalgar Square (31 Aug 2011)
Benny Morris - Historian or Racist?[34:07]
Activists oppose visit of racist Israeli historian Benny Morris who justifies ethnic cleansing and genocide.
Is Israel applying apartheid?[2:12:56]
Speakers: Yael Kahn, Jody McIntyre and Ghada Karmi (5 May 2011)
Karen Mitchell[48:27]
Partner at Thompsons Solicitors
Life changing visit to Palestine in 2008 (21 Feb 2011)
Ramzy Baroud[1:59:32]
Editor-in-chief of the Palestine Chronicle
"My Father Was A Freedom Fighter - Gaza's Untold Story" (25 Mar 2011)
Women United in the Intifada[2:31:36]
Speakers: Lizzie Cocker, Ewa Jasiewcz, Alaa Kassim, Yvonney Ridley, Isis Amlak, Sukant Chandan, Ramzy Baroud (14 Mar 2011)
George Galloway[1:01:48]
Solidarity with the Middle-East Revolution, support the people - oppose US/UK intervention (SOAS, 11 Mar 2011)
Omar Barghouti[55:08]
BDS Movement co-founder
"Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions" book launch (7 Mar 2011)
Shir Hever[1:49:09]
Alternative Information Centre
The Political Economy of Israel's Occupation, Kings College London (17 Feb 2011)
Why academic boycott of Israel[1:29:37]
Speakers: Mohammed Abuabdou(PSCABI), Mike Cushman(BRICUP), Jodey McIntyre(activist) (8 Feb 2011)
Dashed Hopes - Gaza Blockade[1:23:08]
Mohammed-Ali Abu Najela (Oxfam), Andrea Becker (MAP), Ewa Jasiewicz (Free Gaza Movement) (1 Feb 2011)
Jordan Valley: Apartheid[1:17:12]
Sarah Cobham(Brighton Jordan Valley Solidarity), Chris Osmond (Corporate Watch) (House of Commons, 1 Feb 2011)
Dump Veolia Demo[7:00]
Protesting at settlement supporter Veolia's sponsership of exhibit at the Natural History Museum (23 Oct 2010)
Boycott Israeli Dates [1/2][9:11]
Are you financing Israels brutal occupation this Ramadan?
Boycott Israeli Dates [2/2][9:05]
Are you financing Israels brutal occupation this Ramadan?
Lee Jasper [1/2][10:13]
[4 of 8] Genocide Memorial Day 2010 Session One, 17-1-2010
Lee Jasper [2/2][9:51]
[5 of 8] Genocide Memorial Day 2010 Session One, 17-1-2010
One Oppressor One Bullet[8:11]
Imam Achmad Cassiem, veteran of the armed struggle against apartheid in South Africa, speaks at the StW rally (London, 19 Feb 2005)
Salwa Alenat [1/2][9:56]
KavLaOved (Workers Rights hotline)
[1 of 8] Israel's Occupation - Abuse of Palestinian Workers (LSE 19 Nov 2009)
Salwa Alenat [2/2][8:57]
KavLaOved (Workers Rights hotline)
[2 of 8] Israel's Occupation - Abuse of Palestinian Workers (LSE 19 Nov 2009)
For Anwar [1of2][10:01]
Carmel Agrexco Valentines Action 7 Feb 2009
For Anwar [2of2][9:56]
Carmel Agrexco Valentines Action 7 Feb 2009
big
[all videos (over 200)..]
Featured MP3 Podcast

"They [Met Police] initially denied it, that they had sent officers to Israel to find out how to deal with suicide bombers. When I asked them would you have done the same thing after the Brixton riots and sent people to South Africa (under the apartheid regime) to find out how to deal with black people? They didn't have an answer. I asked the question 'do you have a shoot to kill policy?', they said no they didn't, over a number of years, and then it was finally, tragically, proven that they did have.. we finally cut our ties [ceased meetings with the Met Police in protest], I came out thinking of the police as insincere, hypocritical, having double standards."
Islamic Human Rights Commission
Islamic Human Rights Commission 10th Anniv. Nov 2007 [15min / 7Mb]
[need flash]

[all podcasts..]
Newsletter
To subscribe
enter your email:

COPY VERIFICATION CODEcopy this code —>
Feedback
If you wish to comment on this page:

(all fields optional)



COPY VERIFICATION CODEcopy this code —>
The opinions expressed on this site, unless otherwise stated, are those of the authors.
All logos & trademarks are the property of their respective owners and their use is covered under 'fair use' policy.
Copyright © 1998-2012 Innovative Minds www.inminds.com All Rights Reserved.
The opinions expressed on this site, unless otherwise stated, are those of the authors.
All logos & trademarks are the property of their respective owners and their use is covered under 'fair use' policy.
Copyright © 1998-2012 Innovative Minds www.inminds.com All Rights Reserved.