As we impotently watch the events unfolding in Gaza, there are text messages and e-mails flying around asking us to boycott Israeli goods or companies that have close relations with Israel. But we’ve been here before haven’t we? We need to ask ourselves why previous boycotts have failed and what lessons can we learn from them. There are a few problems with boycotts. One of the main problems is the sheer number of companies that have links with Israel. On some websites we see over a 100 diverse companies, ranging from GAP to Shreddies. Just remembering the list is impossible, let alone acting on it. It is impractical to boycott all of them. Sometimes the link to Israel may also be tenuous. This leads to cynicism amongst some people, and in the end the majority of us boycott none of them! Another problem with boycotting is something more profound, yet basic. Many people feel that they have “done their bit” by boycotting a company. It soothes our fragile conscience and makes it easier for us to switch the TV channel when the news comes on. If the reason behind a boycott is to help our brothers and sisters, then it is usually very hard to see tangible results, and this leads to de-motivation. We might ask ourselves, “Why should we inconvenience ourselves when nothing seems to happen from the boycott anyway?” Be realistic! The solutions to the above problems lie in some of the following: * Reduce the number of companies being boycotted to a few at a time. Target companies that can be effectively and totally boycotted to produce real results. Don’t stop boycotting until they collapse or reconsider their actions. Definitely do not stop just because the fighting seems to have ended or there is less coverage on the TV and newspapers. * If you are boycotting a company, tell your family, friends, colleagues and even strangers. Stick posters at appropriate locations and make a big deal about it. Encourage others to follow your principled stand. Also, don’t forget to send an e-mail to the company you are boycotting, informing them that their support for Israel has cost them the most important thing in the world to them – money. * Remember and remind others that boycotting is not the full answer – it is merely a part of it. The real answer lies in uniting together on the principles of Islam and breaking down the barriers of mistrust, nationalism and sectarianism that have led to a situation where 1.3 billion can be terrorised by 13 million. Here is the recommended boycott list you are asked to follow: 1) Marks & Spencers Few companies are as public and proud of their support for Israel and Zionism. What makes matters even worse is the fact that they are always moaning about declining profits and making a loss, yet still find money and time to support a desperately unpopular foreign “state”. M&S has been the focus of boycotts for years, but during this economic crisis they are especially vulnerable. For the store founded by Zionism cheerleaders, it is about time we boycotted them into bankruptcy – and encouraged all people of justice to do the same. 2) Starbucks Not only does Starbucks have a chairman who is a committed supporter of Israel, but they also have supported and funded various events and possibly websites that raise money for it. Added to this, they have even donated an entire store to US troops in Afghanistan and free coffee beans for the troops in Iraq. In two words – Starbucks sucks. 3) L’Oreal & Estee Lauder The chairman of Estee Lauder, Ronald Lauder has personally led a rally in Jerusalem and co-founded a right wing Israeli think tank. L’Oreal was given the Jubilee award by Israel for services rendered, and even has a special product line on display in some shopping centres called L’Oreal Israel. Boycott them. Despite the adverts, they’re not worth it! It is very important that we focus on few companies at a time. This has worked recently with Soda stream. May Allah help us. From a friend Lets do something real
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 11:49:42 +0000
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