Three major supermarkets in the Netherlands have announced their boycott of Israeli settlement products, following the European Union announcement of its own plan to boycott such items.
Dutch newspaper Trouw reported that major supermarkets Hoogvliet, Aldi and Jumbo have announced the boycott. These companies are considered to be retail giants in the Netherlands and they have branches all over the country.
In response to the decision, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that the Netherlands’ boycott of the settlement products increases further the size of the international boycott of Israeli goods, and urged the government to take steps to resolve the issue.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem confirmed recently that its staff had been told unofficially that Dutch importers are advising major companies in the Netherlands to label all Israeli products clearly, possibly leading to a full boycott.
Reports in Haaretz said that the European Union has issued directives prohibiting funding or cooperation with any institutions, individuals, or organisations from the settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.