Ramp up boycott of Israeli dates during Ramadan

SHAH ALAM - During Ramadan, choose wisely and avoid purchasing dates from companies that take advantage of Palestinian land and labour.

Israel is one of the world’s top five exporters of dates, with annual exports valued at approximately $200 million.

A portion of these earnings directly supports Israel's military operations.

Sometimes dates from the Israeli settlement are mixed with Palestinian dates either before being exported or after they were exported in other countries. This would allow sellers to pass off Israeli dates as Palestinian.

Often, the only indicator is the price difference because authentic Palestinian dates have to go through numerous obstacles imposed by the occupation, driving up their prices compared to Israeli dates.

Merely checking the label is insufficient, as they are frequently misleading, falsely claiming to be Palestinian when they are actually Israeli.

To ensure authenticity, opt for reputable Palestinian sources such as Zaytoun or Yaffa for Medjool dates as they are transparent about their sourcing and willing to address any inquiries you may have about the origin and traceability of their dates.

Here are some of the Israeli dates brands available in the Malaysian market that should be avoided:

- Anna and Sarah

- Hadiklaim

- Bomaja

- Jordan Plains

- Bonbierra

- Carmel

- Jordan River

- Delilah

- Kalahari

- Desert Diamond

- Fancy Medjoul

- Red Sea

- Royal Treasure

- Shams

- Karsten Farms

- Sincerely Nuts

- King Solomon

- Star Dates

- Mehadrin

- Tamara Barhi

- NavaFresh

- Premium Medjoul

- Rapunzel

- Urban Platter

- Paradise Dates

Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip has now entered its fifth month, murdering at least 31,272 people, including more than 12,300 children and 8,400 women.

According to reports, more than half of Gaza’s homes -360,000 residential units - have been destroyed or damaged, making Gaza largely uninhabitable.

Israel has also used starvation as a weapon of war by severely restricting aid delivery to Gaza, exacerbating the already dire situation.