Protest Against Swedish Clothing Store Chain H&M, Which Plans to Open Outlets in Israel

The Alternative Information Center (AIC)
5 March 2010

On 11 March, the Swedish clothes and fashion chain, H&M, will be opening the first of six planned stores in Israel. The familiar red H&M sign will be viewed in the Malcha shopping center in Jeruslaem, a municipality which has to continuously attempted to expand its control over occupied Palestinian lands and the oppression and removal of its Palestinian population. Moreover, the land upon which the Malcha shopping center stands is part of the al-Maliha Palestinian village, which was completely ethnically cleansed in 1948.

H&M store in Tel Aviv

This means that H&M is investing in Israel only a short time after the Goldstone report and while international human and civil rights organizations - some which H&M have cooperated with in various capacities such as UNICEF and the U.N.—continue to report about ongoing Israeli crimes against international law.

About a year ago, several Swedish organizations gave attention to H&M’s plans to establish stores in Israel and demanded an announcement from H&M. The management denounced the rumors but refused to give it in writing. Today the plans are public.

“We believe that our business idea will work well in Israel. Through our franchise partner we will have access to many years of experience and networks in Israel,” stated Rolf Eriksen, CEO at H&M.

The pre-1948 Palestinian village of al-Maliha,
upon which the Malcha shopping center was built.

Dror Feiler, chairperson of European Jews for a Just Peace, says that the choice of time for the establishment is particularly distasteful at the moment when Israeli war crimes have been raised by human and civil rights organizations and the Goldstone report.

“H&M contributes to a shift of focus from Israel’s war crimes to that of fashion, investments and commerce,” says Dror Feiler.

Today, the following organizations demand that H&M postpones their establishment in Israel until a time when Israel respects international law in line with the U.N. resolutions. While H&M opens its first store in Israel, the H&M customers in Sweden will be made aware of the companies failing judgment and double standards.

Jews for Israeli Palestinian Peace

Palestine Solidarity Association in Sweden

The Palestinian Association in Stockholm

Contact Person: Jonatan Stanczak (Jipf), tel.070-7908296. Jonatan.Stanczak@gmail.com .

Source: http://www.alternativenews.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2489:protest-against-swedish-clothing-store-chain-ham-which-plans-to-open-outlets-in-israel&catid=119:english&Itemid=878

H&M Don't Buy In To The Occupation

http://bdshm.wordpress.com/
6 March 2010

About

This campaign builds on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) call made by the Palestinian civil society in 2005 and the international BDS movement that followed. Inspired by the non-violent struggle against the Israeli occupation and oppression of Palestine, we acted when we heard that H&M were about to open seven stores in Israel. To buy into the occupation and oppression is not fashionable and it shouldn’t be profitable. Make your voice heard – tell H&M not to invest in Israel until Israel respects international law and human rights!

On the 11th of March H&M is opening its first store in the Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv. The second store will open on the 16th of March in Malcha Mall in Jerusalem. We will keep you updated.

Feel free to contact us at: bds.handm@gmail.com

Join the Facebook group "H&M, don’t buy into Occupation!":
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=372780908242

Press Release

Protest on March 11th

Protests are being arranged around the world. Inform us about your intensions and we will publish it on this page and disseminate the information through other channels such as our group and event on Facebook. If you plan to protest you are free do download and use the material on this page in any way you desire.

Sweden

* Göteborg, Sweden: 11th March 15:30-18:00. Meeting at Kopparmärra. For more information contact: goteborg@ism-sweden.org
* Malmö, Sweden: 11th March 16:00-18:00. Meeting at Gustav Adolfs Torg at 16:00. For more information contact: info@isoleraisrael.nu
* Stockholm, Sweden: 11th March 16:00-18:00. Meeting at Sergels Torg at 15:45. For more information contact:stockholm@ism-sweden.org
* Umeå, Sweden: 11th March 16:30-18:00. Meeting near Åhléns at 16:30.
* Lund, Sweden: 11th March 16:30-18:00. Meeting outside H&M.

Denmark

* Copenhagen, Denmark: 11th and 12th March 16:00-18:00. Boykot Israel laver protest-manifestationer med banner og uddeling af flyers på Kultorvet, København

Source: http://bdshm.wordpress.com

H&M opens Israel store amid calls to boycott European branches

Haaretz
11 March 2010

More than 24 European and Middle Eastern pro-Palestinian organizations on Thursday condemned the opening of H&M's flagship store in Israel and called to boycott the clothing chain's stores in Europe in response.

The various organizations, from Belgium, Sweden, Britain, Ireland, Denmark Palestine and even Israel, published a demand on the International Solidarity Movement Web site calling to boycott the European stores until H&M postpone the establishment of its stores Israel "until Israel respects international law in line with the UN resolutions."

"H&M is thus investing in Israel at the same time as the UN Goldstone commission and international organizations that H&M is cooperating with, such as UNICEF and the UN, report about Israel?s crimes against international law and human rights, "the website wrote.

Chairperson of European Jews for a Just Peace, Dror Feiler, told the International Solidarity Movement that "H&M contributes to a shift of focus from Israel?s war crimes to that of fashion, investments and commerce."

The call to boycott the European stores came as hundreds of Israelis stormed the new 2,000 square meters store on the third floor of the Azrieli shopping mall in Tel Aviv.

The Swedish clothing chain plans to open seven stores throughout the country, the first of which opened in Tel Aviv, and the second is due to open in Jerusalem, followed by Haifa, Petah Tikva, Netanya, and Rehovot.

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1155805.html

European groups: Boycott H&M over Israel stores

Ynetnews.com
11 March 2010

As fashion chain opens its first store in Tel Aviv, Swedish pro-Palestinian organizations urge company to delay opening of its additional stores until Jewish state 'respects international law'

Swedish fashion chain H&M opened its first store in Israel on Thursday morning, but not everyone seems to be happy about it. The Swedish organization for solidarity with the Palestinians and the Palestinian association in Stockholm have called for a boycott H&M over its decision to open six more stores in Israel and urged the company to postpone the opening until Israel "respects international law."

According to a statement issued by the organizations, "The familiar red H&M sign will be visible in the Azriel Mall in Tel Aviv and, a few days later, in the Malcha shopping centre in Jerusalem, a city gradually cleansed of its Palestinian population to be replaced by Jewish-Israeli settlements."

About a year ago, several Swedish organizations appealed to the chain following reports that it panned to open stores in Israel and demanded an official announcement. According to the organizations, the management "denounced the rumors but refused to give a written statement."

Now, the organizations said in the statement, H&M is investing in Israel "at the same time as the UN Goldstone commission and international organizations that H&M is cooperating with, such as UNICEF and the UN, report about Israel’s crimes against international law and human rights."

'Double standards'

Dror Feiler, chairperson of European Jews for a Just Peace said that H&M’s choice of time for entering the Israeli market was "particularly distasteful, coming at a time when Israel’s crimes are raised in the Goldstone Report and are being condemned by other international organizations."

He added that “H&M contributes to a shift of focus from Israel’s war crimes to that of fashion, investments and commerce."

The organizations demanded that H&M postpone the opening of its stores in Israel until the Jewish state "respects international law in line with the UN resolutions." They stated that while H&M opened its first store in Israel, H&M customers in Sweden and around Europe would be made aware of the company’s lack of good judgment and double standards.

Source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3861303,00.html

Shoppers storm Israel's 1st H&M store

The Jerusalem Post
11 March 2010

Anti-Israel groups in Europe to protest chain's decision to open in Israel.

Hundreds of enthusiastic shoppers waited outside the first local H&M store on Thursday, as the Swedish-owned fashion house opened their first store in Israel in Tel Aviv’s Azrieli Center.

Immediately after the count down, dozens of customers ran into the store, practically trampling two baby strollers in their rush to enter, Channel 2 reported. Passersby managed to save the babies while shoppers continued to flow into the store.

“This place looks like the site of a terror attack,” one shopper told the television station.

Meanwhile in Europe, anti-Israel organizations in Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, the UK, Austria, Canada and Ireland were planning to demonstrate on Thursday evening against H&M’s decision to open shops in Israel.

According to Army Radio, a young Jewish man named Jonathan Sanchek, organized the protests. “This protest is about H&M opening in Israel, while it continues the occupation and in settlement construction. The Goldstone Report was published recently, and we think that one cannot open a store in Israel until it starts obeying international law,” the radio station quoted him as saying.

A statement calling on Europeans to protest against the store’s opening in Israel was also published on the palsolidarity.org Web site. “The familiar red H&M sign will be visible in the Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv and, a few days later, in the Malcha shopping center in Jerusalem, a city gradually cleansed of its Palestinian population to be replaced by Jewish-Israeli settlements,” the statement reads.

“H&M is thus investing in Israel at the same time as the UN Goldstone commission and international organizations that H&M is cooperating with, such as UNICEF and the UN, report about Israel’s crimes against international law and human rights,” it added.

Source: http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=170771