ANT KATZ

Numerous busy stores were temporarily closed down because of the protests. “Free Palestine” and “Boycott Woolworths”, were the chants of many of the activists who danced inside stores to the surprise of their many clients.

Woolworths at the huge Maponya Mall in Soweto was stormed by protesters over alleged trade ties between the store and Israel. Policemen were immediately called in at this, and several other, Woolies stores and protesters were led out, but they continued protesting around the malls and stores.

RIGHT: Maponya Mall, Soweto

“Woolworths sources products to the value of R12 million from Israeli companies in violation of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) consumer boycott,” Muhammad Desai of BDS-SA reportedly said after the protests.

“If Desai was reported correctly,” one local Zionist leader told Jewish Report on condition of anonymity, “I have two questions for him: What makes him think that a multinational corporation should be held to account by an American NGO’s randomly issued boycott? And is he aware that the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, does not support sanctions against Israel?”

Meanwhile, Woolworths has responded to the protests by saying that while it is saddened by the tragic consequences of the conflict in Gaza, none of its products is sourced from the occupied territories.

THE ALGEMEINER reported on the Soweto incident where activists brandishing pro-Palestinian banners rushed into the store chanting “Free Palestine, boycott Woolworths”.

LEFT: Claremont, Cape Town

After security guards attempted to move the protestors, many of whom were dancing and leaping around, out of the store, a brief confrontation ensued. The store closed its doors temporarily as a result.

BDS activists warned that further protests would target other retailers stocking Israeli goods. “We are sending a clear message to the retail industry stores like Pick n Pay and Checkers that continue to stock Israeli products – we are coming for them,” said BDS South Africa spokesman Kwara Kekana.

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The BDS movement has been gaining support in SA, said The Algemeiner, attracting considerable sympathy from the country’s influential Muslim organisations as well as within the ruling ANC. Cosatu, they pointed out, had recently reaffirmed its support for the BDS movement.

Jewish Report asked a protester, who would not give her name, but said she was from the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), why she was protesting. “Woolworths should take Israeli products off its shelves and respect the international boycott on Israel.”
When told there was no such thing as an international boycott on Israel, the protester registered her clear disagreement with a string of expletives.

ANCYL’s Braam Hanekom says: “We will be going to other Woolworths stores. We are of the view that Woolworths continues to support a state that is guilty of war crimes. They have 0,1 per cent of produce they’ve bought from Israel, all we’re saying is take that 0,1 per cent off the shelves and we’ll leave you alone and we’ll be quite content that you are respecting human rights.”