As BDS activists worldwide rally to impose boycott on Israeli products, the Palestinians themselves are increasingly taking home ‘blue & white’.

By Ryan Jones

Even as activists worldwide purportedly working on behalf of the “Palestinian cause” push for a boycott of Israeli products, the Palestinian Arabs themselves are increasingly buying “blue & white.”

Initially, members of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement were upset that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas would not officially endorse their efforts to put Israel in an economic stranglehold.

But a recent survey by the Palestinian Authority’s Consumer Protection Authority revealed the possible reason for Abbas’ reluctance: the Palestinian Arabs are major consumers of Israeli products.

According to the survey, which was reported on by Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds, 70 percent of the Palestinian Authorities imports come from Israel.

Israel does not restrict imports to the Palestinian-controlled areas, and Israeli goods sold there must compete with those imported from Europe and other Arab states. The reason Israeli products are doing so well is simply because Palestinian Arabs prefer them, several Palestinian merchants told the newspaper.

For Palestinians, Israeli products are less expensive than European imports, but of much higher quality than cheaper Arab-made alternatives.

The survey is yet another example of how the BDS movement’s goals will hurt Palestinian Arabs as badly or worse than Israelis, and therefore do very little, if anything, to advance the cause of peace, assuming that is the true intention of the movement to begin with.

You can help combat this boycotting trend for the benefit of both Israel and the Palestinian Arabs by buying Blue & White!

View original Israel Today publication at: http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/24456/Default.aspx?hp=article_title