Palestinian Solidarity Society in Costcutter Jaffa ban | News | Nouse

Thursday 14 February 2013 | ONLINE ONLY
Amy Blumsom

It is unclear whether the ban will include products containing jaffa-type oranges, including jaffa cakes

Costcutter in Market Square has agreed to stop stocking oranges from the Jaffa company, following a campaign by the Palestinian Solidarity Society (PSS).

Jaffa brand citrus fruit is distributed by Mehadrin, a company which is accused of profiting from production of the oranges in its settlement in Palestine, described as ?illegally occupied? by the PSS.

A delegation of seven students from the PSS delivered a letter to the shop on Wednesday expressing their concern that ?Costcutter?s customers are unwittingly contributing to the injustice by buying products that are inaccurately labelled as coming from Israel when in fact they are from settlements in the West Bank?.

The letter requested the store ?abstain from stocking such goods on campus?.

Noel Wilson, manager of the Market Square Costcutter, said in an email to the society that the store would ?make sure we are supplied by alternate brands in the future?.

Mobeen Hussain, PSS Co-Chair, said ?We are delighted Costcutter have responded positively to the society?s concerns, and that the management have acted to ensure that the Costcutter stores on campus are not complicit in human rights violations, carried out in Israeli illegal settlements, through the use of such suppliers.?

This news comes after the society?s successful campaign to become ratified by YUSU, sparking controversy that led to a change in the society ratification process, as reported by Nouse on Tuesday.

Chris West, YUSU Activities Officer, said, ?It?s great to see students in our societies fighting for campaigns they believe in, and securing wins from the University. And similarly it?s great to see that the University ? and Costcutter in this instance ? have taken on board the requests in the campaigns of our students.?

Oranges from the company Jaffa

PSS statement said in 2010 the society requested that Costcutter on campus stopped selling products that were likely to have been sourced from ?illegal settlements? in Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Mehadrin, the main distributor of Jaffa products, have been accused of exploiting Palestinian workers and adversely impacting Palestinians? limited water and resource supplies. The company sells 65 per cent of the Jaffa company?s citrus fruits, according to a press release by the PSS.

Jaffa oranges have been a source of disputes between Israelis and Palestinians before. In 1978, Israeli-grown jaffa oranges sold in the Netherlands were reportedly poisoned with mercury in an effort to sabotage Israel?s economy. Four Dutch children were hospitalised after eating the oranges.

Source: http://www.nouse.co.uk/2013/02/14/palestinian-solidarity-society-in-costcutter-jaffa-ban/

Sam Mikulak London 2012 diving Tim Berners-Lee Olympics 2012 Schedule Kenneth Branagh Lupe Ontiveros London 2012 China