Woolworths, a popular Israeli pearl couscous retailer, has been forced to withdraw its product due to "credible" threats of protests and a consumer boycott. The threats came from the Africa4Palestine movement, which had launched a campaign to force Woolworths to stop selling Israeli products. Woolworths stated that it was neither pro-Palestinian nor anti-Israeli and that media articles claiming it supports an Israeli boycott were false.
The retailer affirmed that it had no political affiliations and did not support any political party, organisation, or country. In a polarised world, misinformation, misunderstanding, and suffering fuelled heightened emotion, and Woolworths refused to add fuel to the fire. Employee and customer safety were its top priority, and the retailer decided to pre-emptively suspend the sale of the one product on its shelves that was imported from Israel.
Africa4Palestine, Africa's most significant Palestinian solidarity human rights movement, welcomed the decision not to stock Israeli products, stating that it aligns with ethical consumerism and demonstrates a company's commitment to being a socially responsible corporate citizen. The EFF, ANC Youth League, and Al-Jama-ah welcomed the retailer's decision to stop selling the Israeli product, stating that this brings to an end the calls for a boycott of Woolworths.
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies has previously described Africa4Palestine as an "anti-Semitic" and "extremist" organisation. Deputy International Relations Minister Candith Mashego-Dlamini said calls for the Israeli embassy's closure "have merit" after numerous calls for South Africa to cut diplomatic ties with the country.
