Israel Boycott Launched

Totally Jewish
by Jeremy Last
May 15, 2002

The Jewish South African owner of a London health food shop has refused to stock Israeli products as a protest against the country’s treatment of Palestinians.

Hillel Friedman, who runs Dandelion, in Battersea, used to regularly order up to five cases of Tivall vegetarian frozen food products every week, as well as an order of Dead Sea Magic body lotions.

But now, he has placed a sign inside the shop, stating: “Due to the oppression of the Palestinian people and a call for a boycott, we will not be re-stocking these products as and when they run out.”

Friedman told TJ: “If the Israelis feel they are not being looked upon kindly by the world then, like the South Africans, they will be forced to rethink as it will make them realise that the situation is untenable.”

He added: “Unless the Europeans stand shoulder to shoulder against injustice and with the Arab people, the hostilities between Europe and the Arab nations, and the possibilities of terrorism, will increase.”

Jeffrey Fisher, the manager of Foundation Foods which supply Dandelion with the Tivall products, said: “Obviously I am a bit disappointed, but I think that in a lot of places people do not know the full situation.

“Only one other shop that we supply to said they wanted to stop selling Israeli goods because of the situation. But after they spoke to Tivall and saw the Israeli side of the story they have continued to stock the products.”

Fiona Macaulay, of the Board of Deputies, added: “Clearly Mr Friedman realises a boycott of Israeli products will not serve any gainful purpose.

“If he genuinely believed in the boycott he would remove the Israeli products from his shelves. This appears to be merely a cheap publicity stunt.”