Posters in Sarajevo call for boycott of companies allegedly supporting Israel

Associated Press
30 April 2002

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) -- Posters appeared on walls in downtown Sarajevo Tuesday calling on people to boycott products of companies that allegedly support Israel.

"Our contribution to the fight against terrorism. Boycott the companies that support Israel," the posters said.

One poster displayed the logos of 64 companies, including well-known global producers of food, cosmetics and clothing, accusing them of financially supporting Israel.

Another poster had a photo of a dead baby and urged people to remember that image when they were considering buying products from the listed companies.

It didn't say where the photo was taken, but a picture next to the baby showed an Israeli tank driving toward a Palestinian throwing a stone. "Do not participate in crime. Do not buy their products," it said.

The corner of the poster featured Israeli and American flags with red lines slashed through them. It accused the United States of openly favoring Israel in the Mideast conflict.

Despite the anti-U.S. tone of the posters, many Bosnian Muslims have a favorable view of the United States out of gratitude for its role in helping end the 1992-95 Bosnian war.

The posters carried the mark of an organization called Islambosna, which advertises also its Web site Islambosna.com.

The head of the organization Muslim Brotherhood in Sarajevo, Faruk Visic, told the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje Tuesday that the companies people are encouraged to boycott were chosen according to a survey done by a U.K.-based Muslim Web site, Inminds.

Oslobodjenje also warned citizens that such campaigns are sometimes organized by other companies trying to sabotage their competitors.