South African BDS campaigners target David Jones

DAVID  Jones is to become the first major retail chain targeted by the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

DAVID  Jones is to become the first major retail chain targeted by the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, with protesters angry at the company’s new South African parent seeking to export the campaign to Australia.

Two campaigners from BDS South Africa will fly to Australia this month to launch the boycott against David Jones, which was acquired this year by Cape Town-based Woolworths Holdings in a $2.1 billion takeover.

Woolworths in South Africa — a food, clothing and home merchandise chain that has no ­connection to Woolworths in Australia — has been the subject of a BDS campaign because it ­imports some products from ­Israel. The pro-Palestinian BDS campaign in South Africa is ­larger and far more aggressive than the BDS movement in Australia.

“BDS South ­Africa has been in conversation with our Australian partners ... and we are about to roll out the BDS #BoycottWoolworths campaign in Australia, but of course targeting David Jones,” BDS South Africa national co-­ordinator Muhammed Desai told The Australian.

“In addition to David Jones’ South African parent company … having trade relations with Israel, we have been informed by our Australian counterparts that­ David Jones itself stocks ­Israeli products.”

Activists in South Africa have held protests inside Woolworths stores, with campaigners shouting at customers and employees.

In one action, members of the Congress of South African Stud­ents placed pigs’ heads in what they thought was the kosher ­section of a Woolworths store in Cape Town. The area was in fact the halal section, angering South Africa’s Muslim community.

Last week, Woolworths announced that it would seek a court ­injunction, saying “we respect the right of BDS to protest, but we are seeking to prevent protests inside our stores”.

A spokesman for David Jones said the company imported very little from Israel. “David Jones is aware the situation in the Middle East affects many in our community here in Australia,’’ he said.

“We do not have any political affiliations and are committed to catering for a wide range of our customers’ traditions and beliefs.

“Like many other Australian companies, we import products without discrimination from num­erous countries, including ­Israel.

“David Jones respects our customers’ right to make individual purchasing choices, which is why we clearly label every product’s country of origin.”

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Vic Alhadeff said: “Picketing David Jones because its South African parent company imports figs and pretzels from Israel is nothing more than a stunt and a facile attempt to revitalise a discredited and disreputable campaign.

“Boycott campaigns do absolutely nothing to achieve peace or bring about a Palestinian state.”

South African observers have said that one reason why Woolworths makes an attractive target for the BDS protesters is that its clientele is relatively upmarket in a country which is still largely poor.