SodaStream on New Zealand shelves angers Palestine Human Rights group

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The internationally known Israeli product SodaStream has become the target of the Palestine Human Rights Group in New Zealand.

The Palestine Human Rights Campaign Waikato (PHRC) is asking the public to boycott SodaStream.

Flyer

Last weekend, the Human Rights Campaign group launched the first of multiple protests, all part of a plan to call for boycotting Israeli products, specifically SodaStream.

Approximately 15 members of the group descended upon The Warehouse at The Base, in Hamilton, and proceeded to hand out flyers outlining the group’s ultimate goal – to remove SodaStream from all shelves in New Zealand.

Palestine Human Rights Campaign group member Dr Asad Khan said: “We don’t want it sold in New Zealand. We support the economical and social boycott of Israel,” Khan said, referring to the overarching boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement that the group is part of.

Previously, SodaStream had a factory within an illegal settlement in the Israeli-occupied territory in the West Bank – the heart of Israel-Palestine conflict.

SodaStream NZ reports that the West Bank factory has closed, and a new plant has been opened in the Negev in the Southern region of Israel.

The re-establishment of the new plant according to Al Jazeera – was the loss of 470 jobs for Palestinian workers. SodaStream said financial reasons were behind the closure of the West Bank factory. The BDS movement says its pressure was behind the decision.

Israeli ambassador, Yosef Livne condemned the BDS movement’s tactics, and said it was another facet of economic warfare in Israel.

“The BDS campaign is a well-known anti-Israeli scare tactic employed by people motivated by hatred and ignorance.

“By supporting the aims of this movement the message that is being projected is against peace and against negotiations. Whereas the thrust of these people may be directed against Israeli-owned companies, more often than not the main victims of their tactics are the very employees of those companies who in many cases are Palestinians.”