UK Activists Target Israeli Products in Boycott Campaign Amid Gaza Conflict
Pro-Palestine activists in the UK have launched a campaign to boycott Israeli products, including avocados, hummus, and dates, in response to ongoing violence in Gaza. Organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), the movement urges consumers, shops, and restaurants to avoid Israeli goods and businesses linked to Israel, like Coca-Cola, which the PSC claims operates in an illegal Israeli settlement. The campaign includes a national day of action on April 5. Critics argue that it intimidates British Jews and disrupts local businesses, especially as costs rise. The PSC has created posters showing Israeli tanks filled with everyday products, promoting their message of “No apartheid products.”
UK Activists Target Israeli Products in Boycott Campaign Amid Gaza Conflict
Pro-Palestine activists in the UK have launched a campaign to boycott Israeli goods, specifically targeting items like avocados, hummus, and dates. Members of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), the group behind the movement, have been entering supermarkets, removing these products from shelves, and piling them into shopping carts to disrupt sales. The campaign encourages consumers, shops, and restaurants to avoid buying goods linked to Israel, including companies like Coca-Cola.
The PSC claims Coca-Cola operates in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem, which they consider illegal under international law. To amplify their message, the group has planned a nationwide protest day on April 5, inspired by the ongoing violence in Gaza. They liken their efforts to the historic boycott of South Africa during its apartheid era, aiming to pressure Israel through economic means.
However, the campaign has sparked controversy. Critics argue that these actions unfairly target British Jewish communities, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Some opponents accuse the PSC of drawing inappropriate parallels between Israel’s policies in Gaza and the atrocities of Nazi Germany or South Africa’s apartheid regime. Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, has condemned the boycotts, stating that they harm local businesses already struggling with rising costs and economic challenges. The Campaign Against Antisemitism, a group fighting anti-Jewish prejudice, has also raised concerns. They argue that the protests do little to address the situation in Gaza but instead make life harder for Jewish people in the UK, who may feel personally blamed for Israel’s actions.
In response, the PSC has released bold posters featuring images of Israeli military tanks filled with everyday products like avocados and dates. The posters carry slogans such as “No apartheid products in this shop,” aiming to highlight their view that buying these goods supports systemic oppression. The group insists their campaign is focused on political accountability, not targeting individuals. They emphasize that their goal is to challenge businesses profiting from or operating in Israeli settlements, which are widely regarded as illegal under international law.
The debate over the boycott reflects deeper tensions. Supporters see it as a peaceful, ethical stand against injustice, while critics view it as divisive and counterproductive. The PSC stresses that their movement is about solidarity with Palestinians, not hostility toward Jewish people. Yet, the heated discussions around the campaign reveal how deeply intertwined the issues of Middle Eastern politics, global commerce, and local identity have become in the UK.
As the April 5 day of action approaches, the controversy continues to grow, with both sides urging the public to consider the broader implications of their consumer choices. Supporters argue that boycotts are a nonviolent way to hold corporations accountable for profiting from conflict, while critics warn such actions risk inflaming tensions and alienating communities. Social media buzzes with debates, as hashtags promoting the boycott clash with posts defending Israeli businesses. Some supermarkets face pressure to take sides, though many remain neutral, citing policies against political interference.
Meanwhile, Jewish advocacy groups stress that conflating Israeli policies with Jewish identity fuels prejudice, while pro-Palestine activists insist their focus is solely on government actions, not religion. With emotions running high, the day of action may deepen divides or spark broader conversations about ethics, global trade, and the power—and limits—of consumer activism.