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Arutz Sheva, Israel
July 22, 2014 Tuesday
Turkish Businesses Boycotting Israeli Products Because of Gaza
by Elad Benari
Turkish businesses and local authorities are joining a campaign to
boycott products from Israel due to its operation in Gaza.
Turkish businesses and local authorities are joining a campaign, which
first spread on social media, to boycott products manufactured in
Israel due to its counterterrorism operation in Gaza.
According to English-language Today"s Zaman newspaper, the boycott
campaign is the largest since a similar initiative that was launched
following Israel"s raid on the Mavi Marmara in 2010.
Municipalities from Turkey's largest cities, from Istanbul to small
towns in Anatolia, have urged residents not to buy products made in
Israel or which have links to Israel, in solidarity with the civilians
in Gaza, the newspaper reported.
A total of 12 municipalities joined the calls to boycott Israeli
products. The municipalities announced that certain products would not
be allowed to be sold at cafes, shops and recreational facilities run
by their local authorities.
Some municipalities openly named brands that they asked to be
boycotted, one of them being Coca Cola, along with many others.
Users on Twitter and Facebook shared lists of products that are
produced in Israel or manufactured by companies believed to have close
ties to the Israeli government. The posts on social media also shared
information for customers on how to spot Israeli goods in stores,
according to Today"s Zaman.
A call urging supermarkets, stores and shops to boycott Israeli goods
came from a large Turkish union late on Sunday. The Turkish
Tradesmen's and Artisans' Confederation (TESK), which has more than
1.5 million member businesses, was expected to make an official call
on members on Monday to help boycott Israeli products.
TESK President Bendevi Palandöken told Turkish press over the
weekend that the confederation "is seriously considering a call for a
boycott on Israeli goods."
"We are currently determining which companies and products can be
included in a boycott list," he was quoted as having said.
"Turkish people are rather sensitive to the Gaza conflict and we have
to heed the voice of the public, we can call for a boycott anytime,"
he added.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has continued his verbal
attacks of Israel over its operation in Gaza.
Erdogan has threatened to end the normalization process with Israel
over "state terrorism", and also accused Israel of "lies" because "not
enough" Israeli Jews have died in the conflict.
Last week, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) hit back at
Erdogan and reminded him of the Armenian Genocide, when in 1915 more
than a million Armenians were murdered by Ottoman troops.
"In 1915 the Turks massacred a million and a half Armenians and he
accuses us, who are fighting his friends in the Islamic movement, of
genocide? Who wants a relationship with such a person?" wrote Katz.
Arutz Sheva, All Rights Reserved.
July 22, 2014 Tuesday
Turkish Businesses Boycotting Israeli Products Because of Gaza
by Elad Benari
Turkish businesses and local authorities are joining a campaign to
boycott products from Israel due to its operation in Gaza.
Turkish businesses and local authorities are joining a campaign, which
first spread on social media, to boycott products manufactured in
Israel due to its counterterrorism operation in Gaza.
According to English-language Today"s Zaman newspaper, the boycott
campaign is the largest since a similar initiative that was launched
following Israel"s raid on the Mavi Marmara in 2010.
Municipalities from Turkey's largest cities, from Istanbul to small
towns in Anatolia, have urged residents not to buy products made in
Israel or which have links to Israel, in solidarity with the civilians
in Gaza, the newspaper reported.
A total of 12 municipalities joined the calls to boycott Israeli
products. The municipalities announced that certain products would not
be allowed to be sold at cafes, shops and recreational facilities run
by their local authorities.
Some municipalities openly named brands that they asked to be
boycotted, one of them being Coca Cola, along with many others.
Users on Twitter and Facebook shared lists of products that are
produced in Israel or manufactured by companies believed to have close
ties to the Israeli government. The posts on social media also shared
information for customers on how to spot Israeli goods in stores,
according to Today"s Zaman.
A call urging supermarkets, stores and shops to boycott Israeli goods
came from a large Turkish union late on Sunday. The Turkish
Tradesmen's and Artisans' Confederation (TESK), which has more than
1.5 million member businesses, was expected to make an official call
on members on Monday to help boycott Israeli products.
TESK President Bendevi Palandöken told Turkish press over the
weekend that the confederation "is seriously considering a call for a
boycott on Israeli goods."
"We are currently determining which companies and products can be
included in a boycott list," he was quoted as having said.
"Turkish people are rather sensitive to the Gaza conflict and we have
to heed the voice of the public, we can call for a boycott anytime,"
he added.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has continued his verbal
attacks of Israel over its operation in Gaza.
Erdogan has threatened to end the normalization process with Israel
over "state terrorism", and also accused Israel of "lies" because "not
enough" Israeli Jews have died in the conflict.
Last week, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) hit back at
Erdogan and reminded him of the Armenian Genocide, when in 1915 more
than a million Armenians were murdered by Ottoman troops.
"In 1915 the Turks massacred a million and a half Armenians and he
accuses us, who are fighting his friends in the Islamic movement, of
genocide? Who wants a relationship with such a person?" wrote Katz.
Arutz Sheva, All Rights Reserved.