The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and ANC Youth League (ANCYL) have welcomed the decision by Woolworths to remove Israeli products from their shelves.
This follows an announcement by Africa4Palestine that the store had confirmed to them that it would not be stocking up Israeli products anymore due to the conflict in Gaza.
The calls for the store’s boycott started in October, with parties calling for Woolworths to stop selling products from Israel.
This was when they marched to the Israeli embassy in Pretoria last month.
Speaking to IOL, ANCYL President Collen Malatji said they were pleased with Woolies’ decision to remove Israeli products from their shelves.
“We are happy that the voice of the youth was heard and action was taken,” he said.
He further encouraged other retailers to follow the store’s lead in ensuring that no product from Israel was sold in their stores.
Malatji stressed that the focus was now on removing the Israeli ambassador from the country as soon as possible because the situation in Gaza was not getting better.
“We want the ambassador out of this country,” he added.
In a statement, EFF welcomed the decision by Woolworths to remove the products from its shelves.
“It follows this engagement that Woolworths has resolved to cease the sale of the sole product they traded in, which was imported from Israel, proving once again that the EFF remains forthright and committed to the cause of Palestinian people,” it said.
The party said the removal of the Israeli products was an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“The EFF reaffirms its call for global solidarity with Palestine, and this must come in the form of sanctions and cutting all economic, diplomatic, and research and innovation ties with the apartheid Israeli State,” said the EFF.
In the debate that was held in Parliament this week, the EFF and ANC supported a motion calling for the closure of the Israeli embassy in Pretoria because of the ongoing conflict.
IOL Politics