European trade and investment
relationships with companies in Israeli
settlements in occupied Palestinian
territories
Part 1: United Kingdom
A research paper prepared for Prosper Palestine
European trade and investment
relationships with companies in Israeli
settlements in occupied Palestinian
territories
Part 1: United Kingdom
A research paper prepared for Prosper Palestine
DRAFT: 12 February 2016
Jan Willem van Gelder
Anniek Herder
Profundo
Radarweg 60
1043 NT Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0) 20 920 8320
E-mail: jw.vangelder@profundo.nl
Website: www.profundo.nl
Contents
Chapter 1
Economic relationships with the United Kingdom ....................... 1
1.1
Policies on economic relationships........................................................ 1
1.2
Trade volumes and quantities ................................................................. 4
1.3
Exports to settlement companies ........................................................... 7
1.4
Exports by settlement companies to the UK .......................................... 7
1.5
Investments in settlement companies .................................................. 17
1.6
Summary................................................................................................. 21
Chapter 2
Profiles settlement companies ..................................................... 24
2.1
Abadi Bakery .......................................................................................... 24
2.2
Achdut .................................................................................................... 24
2.3
Adanim Tea ............................................................................................. 25
2.4
Agrexco................................................................................................... 26
2.5
Amnon & Tamar ..................................................................................... 29
2.6
Arava Export Growers ........................................................................... 29
2.7
Beigel & Beigel ....................................................................................... 31
2.8
Carmel Carpets....................................................................................... 31
2.9
Dead Sea Laboratories .......................................................................... 32
2.10
Dispobud ................................................................................................ 33
2.11
DiSTeK .................................................................................................... 33
2.12
D.N.M. Technical Equipment and Tools................................................ 34
2.13
Fermentek ............................................................................................... 34
2.14
Frutarom ................................................................................................. 35
2.15
Golden Ryd Dyl ...................................................................................... 35
2.16
Greenkote ............................................................................................... 36
2.17
Hadiklaim - Israel Date Growers’ Cooperative ..................................... 36
2.18
Keter Plastic ........................................................................................... 37
2.19
Mehadrin Group ..................................................................................... 39
2.20
Mul-T-Lock .............................................................................................. 40
2.21
Oppenheimer Manufacturing and Marketing ........................................ 41
2.22
Ofertex Industries .................................................................................. 41
2.23
Shamir Salads ........................................................................................ 42
2.24
SodaStream ............................................................................................ 42
2.25
Tip Top Toys Star ................................................................................... 46
2.26
Tishbi Estate Winery .............................................................................. 47
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2.27
Twitoplast ............................................................................................... 47
2.28
Yardeni .................................................................................................... 47
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Chapter 1
Economic relationships with the United Kingdom
1.1 Policies on economic relationships
1.1.1
Trade and economic agreements
In November 2008, the UK Business Secretary Lord Mandelson called for deeper business
ties between the UK and its “firm friend” Israel. The UK aims to raise trade between the two
countries to £ 3 billion per year by 2012. According to the Business Secretary, opportunities
exist in financial services, bio-technology, ICT, medical equipment and software, and also in
creative industries, including film-making. The Business Secretary did not announce concrete
funds or agreements.1 But in November 2010, a film co-production agreement was signed.
Besides the European Association Agreement, there are now three bilateral agreements
regarding economic cooperation between the United Kingdom and Israel:
 The Avoidance of Double Taxation Treaty between the United Kingdom and Israel was
signed in September 1962. Double taxation treaties are conventions between two
countries that aim to eliminate the double taxation of income or gains arising in one
territory and paid to residents of another territory.2
 The Industrial Research and Development Agreement which was signed in 1999. The
purpose of the agreement is to promote cooperation in industrial research and
development between private sector companies in the United Kingdom and Israel by
establishing a joint United Kingdom-Israel industrial research and development fund (the
Britech Fund) to support collaborative projects between such companies.3 The Britech
fund was initially launched for a period of five years, but extended for another four years.
At the end of 2008 the fund was suspended. Funding for cooperation in industrial research
and development appears increasingly to be channelled through European wide
programmes such as Eureka and Eurostars.4 Since the fall of 2010, the British
government has launched a UK/Israel Life Sciences Council, a UK/Israel Regenerative
Medicine fund, a major push to promote links between the two high tech economies and a
new Film Treaty to expand the cultural cooperation.5
 UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman
signed on a film co-production agreement in November 2010. The film treaty provides the
legal framework for British-Israeli film co-productions through financial benefits and
cooperation between the Israel Film Fund and a partner film organisation in the UK. At the
same day the UK Foreign Secretary also signed a comparable treaty with the Palestine
Authority, the first bilateral agreement between the two nations.6
1
DBERR, “Lord Mandelson calls for more business with Israel”, Press release Department for Business
Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, London, 18 November 2008.
2
UNCTAD, “United Kingdom FDI Country Profile”, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
Geneva, June 2005.
3
FCO, “Explanatory Memorandum on an Industrial Research and Development Agreement between the UK
and Israel (01/06/99)”, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, June 1999; FCO, “Agreement between
the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the
State of Israel on Bilateral Cooperation in Private Sector Industrial Research and Development”, Foreign &
Commonwealth Office, London, 24 May 1999
4
Personal communication, Pera, February 2009. See also
http://www.innovateuk.org/deliveringinnovation/internationalprogramme.ashx
5
Hague, W., “Sixty years of British-Israeli diplomatic relations”, Speech of Foreign Secretary William Hague
to Chatham House, 30 March 2011.
6
British Embassy in Israel, “UK and Israel sign film co-production agreement”, British Embassy in Israel, 9
November 2010; British Embassy in Israel, “UK-Palestine Film Agreement”, British Embassy in Israel, 9
November 2010.
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1.1.2
Diplomatic relationships
The British governments has connections with Israel through the following organisations:
 Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is responsible for promoting British interest
abroad. As Britain diplomatic service that represent the UK government overseas it has a
worldwide network of embassies and consulates, with 14,400 employees working in over
170 countries. Its political team is made up of the Secretary of State, William Hague, and
several Ministers, among which the Minister of Middle East, Alistair Burt.7
 The British Consulate General
The British Consulate General in East Jerusalem8 is part of the Foreign & Commonwealth
Office. On its website it states the following: “Our goal is a secure and universally
recognised Israel living alongside a sovereign and viable Palestinian state, based on the
borders of 1967, with Jerusalem the future capital of both states, and a fair settlement for
refugees. (…) Settlements, as well as the evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes
in East Jerusalem are illegal and deeply unhelpful to efforts to bring a lasting peace to the
Middle East conflict.”9
 UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is a directorate of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
UKTI helps UK companies succeed in international markets and assists overseas
companies to bring high quality investment to the UK. The UKTI website includes sections
about export to Israel and to the Palestinian Territories.10
 The Department for International Development (DFID)
DFID11 is the part of the UK Government that manages Britain's aid to developing
countries and works to get rid of extreme poverty through development. Its website notes
that “many different things can contribute to development which reduces poverty, such as
settling conflicts, increasing trade, tackling climate change, securing more and better aid,
and improving health and education.12
It has a programme aimed at the OPTs. This programme is based on the importance the
UK Government places on the achievement of an Israeli-Palestinian peace. It believes
that sustainable poverty reduction and economic growth can only be achieved in the
OPTs if a peaceful solution is secured. DFID spends an average of £86 million per year in
the OPTs until 2015. 13
7
FCO, “About us”, Website Foreign & Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
8
Its address is 19 Nashashibi Street, Sheikh Jarrah Quarter, P O Box 19690, Jerusalem 97200 , Website:
ukinjerusalem.fco.gov.uk. The address of the British Embassy in Israel is 192 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv
63405, Israel. Website: ukinisrael.fco.gov.uk
9
FCO, “Middle East Peace Process”, Website British Embassy in Israel (ukinisrael.fco.gov.uk), Viewed in
March 2011.
10
UKTI, “Countries”, Website UK Trade & Investment (www.ukti.gov.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
11
Its address is DFID Palestinian Programme, Middle East and North Africa Department, 1 Palace Street,
London SW1E 5HE, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)20-7023-0860 E-mail: dfid_jerusalem@dfid.gov.uk
12
DFID, “About DFID”, Website DFID (www.dfid.gov.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
13
DFID, “Where we work – Occupied Palestinian Territories”, Website DFID (www.dfid.gov.uk), Viewed in
March 2011.
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 British Council in Israel
The British Council is a charitable organisation promoting education and culture which
acts independently of the United Kingdom Government. While it does not carry out its
functions on behalf of the Government, the Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs is answerable to Parliament for the policies, operations and
performance of the British Council as the FCO is its sponsoring department.14
For more than fifty years the British Council has worked in partnership with Israeli
organisations and individuals in the development of Israel in education, English language
skills, arts, governance, human rights, science, environment and technology. Many of the
projects and programmes the Council works on are funded by the British Government
through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The British Council has centres in Tel
Aviv, West Jerusalem and Nazareth in Israel.15 It also has a centre in East Jerusalem and
contact points in Ramalla, Gaza, Nablus, the An-Najah National University, and Hebron,
the Palestine Polytechnic University.16
1.1.3
British position on settlements
In the past few years, the British government has consistently taken the position that the
Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories are illegal and an obstacle to peace. In
March 2008, a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office reacted on plans to
build in the settlement of Givat Ze'ev: “We see this as unhelpful - particularly when Israelis
and Palestinians should be focusing on full implementation of their obligations under phase
one of the road map, which include freezing all settlement activity, including natural
growth."17
In July 2008, Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited Israel and met with President Shimon
Peres. Brown told that the UK supports Israel's right to exist in peace and security, but called
on Israel's government to halt construction in the West Bank and to ease travel restrictions
imposed on Palestinians. 18 Gordon Brown also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. He offered Abbas additional financial support
and police training to the Palestinian government and pledged US$500 million over 3 years
to 2011 for economic development in Palestine.19
In August 2008, FCO minister Kim Howells vowed to ensure that settlers will not be invited to
future events hosted by the British embassy in Israel following a complaint by a Member of
Parliament that Israeli settlers took part in a party to celebrate the Queen's birthday at the
residence of the British ambassador to Israel in June.20
14
British Council, “About us”, Website British Council
15
Its address in Israel is Beit HaCrystal, 12 Hahilazon Street, PO Box 3302, Ramat Gan 52136, Israel. Tel:
+972-3-6113600 Fax: +972-3-6113640/50 E-mail: info@britishcouncil.org.il; British Council, Israel Home”,
Website British Council (www.britishcouncil.org/israel), Viewed in March 2011.
16
British Council, ”Palestinian Territories Home”, Website British Council (www.britishcouncil.org/ps), Viewed
in March 2011
17
Jerusalem Post, “Peace Now says there are plans to connect Jerusalem with the settlement of Adam”,
Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem, 11 March 2008.
18
FCO, “Middle East and North Africa – Middle East Peace Process – The Palestinians”, Website Foreign &
Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk), Viewed in March 2011; FCO, “Foreign Office Minister visits Israel
and the Palestinian Authority”, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 16 January 2011.
19
Brown: U.K. a true friend of Israel, will work toward terror-free future, Haaretz, Tel Aviv, 20 July 2008.
20
UK minister: Keep settlers out of official events, Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem, 5 August 2008.
-3-
(www.britishcouncil.org), Viewed in March 2011.
In a parliamentary debate on the UK’s policy toward Israeli settlement in July 2009, Foreign
Office Minister Ivan Lewis made clear that the UK opposes to settlements and press the
Israeli government on the importance of fulfilling its commitments: Israel should freeze all
settlement activity, including the natural growth of existing settlements, and dismantle all
outposts erected since March 2001. 21
In May 2010, the UK supported Israel’s application to the OECD, but emphasized that this
does not mean the government accepts the illegal settlements. To this end the OECD
Secretariat has agreed to the addition of a footnote in reports concerning Israeli data. The
FCO has worked hard to achieve sufficient language: “This report/review/document is not
intended to cover the territories known as the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank,
and East Jerusalem. However, for technical reasons, it uses Israel’s official statistics, which
include data relating to the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, and Israeli settlements in the
West Bank. It is without prejudice to positions regarding those territories, which most
members of the international community regard as occupied territory under the terms of
international law.” 22
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office in September 2010 stated that “the UK is very
disappointed that Israel has not renewed the settlement freeze that has expired in
September 2010”. 23 During a visit to Israel in in November 2010, Foreign Secretary William
Hague said construction of further settlements should stop.24
In January 2011, the Minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, announced another £17
million funding to the OPT’s for education and access to clear drinking water during his visit
to Northern Israel and the Palestinian Authority.25
Prime Minister David Cameron stated in February 2011 that “Israel need to meet its Road
Map obligation to halt illegal settlement activities as the resolution Britain supported at the
UN Security Council (…) underlines.” 26 Foreign Secretary William Hague also has said
repeatedly that settlements are illegal, run contrary to peace and are a threat to the two-state
solution, for example during his latest meeting with Ehud Barak and his speech to Chatham
House in March 2011.27
1.2 Trade volumes and quantities
No reliable statistics exist on trade between the United Kingdom and settlement companies.
As trade with settlements is included in the trade statistics of the trade between Israel and
the United Kingdom we discuss these official trade statistics, to get an indication of which
products might be exported by settlement companies to the United Kingdom.
21
FCO, “Middle East Peace Process remains a top priority”, Press release Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
21 July 2009.
22
FCO, “Middle East and North Africa – Middle East Peace Process – Israel and the international
community”, Website Foreign & Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
23
FCO, “Middle East and North Africa – Middle East Peace Process – Israel and the international
community”, Website Foreign & Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk), Viewed in March 2011;
24
FCO, “Israeli settlements: ‘extremely disappointing and unhelpful’ ”, Press release Foreign &
Commonwealth Office, 9 March 2011.
25
FCO, “Middle East and North Africa – Middle East Peace Process – The Palestinians”, Website Foreign &
Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
26
Cameron, D., “Prime Minister Urges Reform in the Middle East,”, Speech of Prime Minister David Cameron
to Kuwaiti National Assembly, 22 February 2011.
27
Hague, W., “Sixty years of British-Israeli diplomatic relations”, Speech of Foreign Secretary William Hague
to Chatham House, 30 March 2011; London Evening Standard, “William Hague: Israeli settlement building
‘runs contrary to peace’, London Evening Standard (www.standard.co.uk), 18 March 2011.
-4-
Israel is the UK’s largest individual trading partner in the Middle East & North Africa. British
imports from Israel increased the past decade to US$ 1.9 billion in 2007 and then dropped to
US$ 1.4 billion in 2009 (see Figure 1). The UK is Israel’s 4th largest export market in the
European Union, accounting for 3.0% of its exports in 2009.28 As no distinction is made in
these statistics between Israeli products and settlement products, the import figures from
Israel include settlement products.
British exports to Israel are slightly higher and peaked at US$ 2.7 billion in 2007, but dropped
to US$ 1.9 billion in 2009. In 2009 the United Kingdom was Israel’s 4th largest supplier,
accounting for 4.0% of Israel’s total imports.29 There are no figures on the percentage of
these exports which is destined for the settlements.
Figure 1.
UK imports from Israel and UK exports to Israel (in $ million)
Source: Website Central Bureau of Statistics Israel
(www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/?MIval=cw_usr_view_SHTML&ID=461), Viewed in March
2011.
Figure 2 gives an overview of British imports from Israel (including imports from the occupied
territories) by major product categories. The chart indicates that the most important British
imports from Israel consists of electric machinery and equipment (21%), plastics (14%),
diamonds (13%), agricultural and food products (13%), pharmaceutical products (10%) and
chemicals (9%).
Hidden in these statistics on trading relationships between the UK and Israel are the trading
relationships between British companies and companies active in Israeli settlements. How
many British companies have trading relationships with companies active in the Israeli
settlements, and precisely how important these trading relationships are in financial terms, is
difficult to assess. However, as the following paragraphs demonstrate, various trading links
do exist between British companies and Israeli companies active in the main product
categories mentioned above.
28
Central Bureau of Statistics Israel, “Foreign Trade”, Website CBS Israel
(http://www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/?MIval=cw_usr_view_SHTML&ID=461), Viewed in March 2011.
29
Central Bureau of Statistics Israel, “Foreign Trade”, Website CBS Israel
(http://www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/?MIval=cw_usr_view_SHTML&ID=461), Viewed in March 2011.
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Figure 2.
British imports from Israel in 2009 (value %)
Source: Website Central Bureau of Statistics Israel
(www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/?MIval=cw_usr_view_SHTML&ID=461), Viewed in March
2011.
This is especially the case in the category agricultural and food products (accounting for 13%
of British imports from Israel), among which potatoes, capsicum, citrus fruits and other fruits
are the largest product groups. Several companies export agricultural products grown in
Israeli settlements to the United Kingdom. These fruit and vegetable products are often sold
with a “West Bank” label of origin, which is confusing to customers who have assumed they
are buying goods from Palestinian-owned farms. The major UK supermarket chains Tesco,
Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Somerfield in 2008 all admitted sourcing produce from Israeliowned farms on Palestinian territory, but they claimed that labelling the goods “origin West
Bank” provides enough information for the customer to make an informed choice.30
Tesco admitted sourcing 'a number of products' from illegal settlements, including avocados,
herbs, grapes and stonefruit such as peaches from farms in the West Bank and Golan
Heights. Sainsbury's sells dried dates from the occupied Palestinian territories which are
labelled as grown in the West Bank. Waitrose, which is the supermarket division of the John
Lewis Partnership, sells organic cut herbs from the West Bank. Somerfield also sells herbs
from the West Bank.31 If these products are still sold to date by these supermarkets is difficult
to verify.
Another important category are plastic products, especially plastic packaging products
(boxes, crates, etc.) and kitchenware and toilet articles, which account for 6% of British
imports from Israel. The largest Israeli exporter in these two product categories is the Keter
Group, which manufactures some of its products in the settlements.
30
Responses from spokesmen of the supermarkets after being approached by the Observer, see also: 'Illicit'
settler food sold in UK stores, The Observer, London, 6 July 2008.
31
'Illicit' settler food sold in UK stores, The Observer, London, 6 July 2008; Concern over Israel settlement
exports, BBC, London, 5 November 2008.
-6-
1.3 Exports to settlement companies
This section describes UK companies involved in exporting products or services to
settlement companies.
1.3.1
Record Power Ltd
Unit B
Adelphi Way
Ireland Industrial Estate
Staveley, Chesterfield
S43 3LS
United Kingdom
Tel: 087-0770-1777
Fax: 087-0770-1888
Website: www.recordpower.co.uk
Record Power Ltd designs and manufactures fine woodworking machinery and tools. 32
According to D.N.M.’s website, Record Power’s products are imported from the United
Kingdom to Israel by Israeli company D.N.M. Technical Equipment and Tools, which has a
branch located in the Barkan Industrial Zone, in the West Bank.33
1.4 Exports by settlement companies to the UK
This section describes the exports of products or services by settlement companies to the
United Kingdom. A profile of the settlement companies can be found in Chapter 2.
1.4.1
Achdut
Achva products, from the company Achdut, are sold in the UK by:
Kelmans’ Kosher Foods 34
198 Preston Road
Wembley, Middlesex
HA9 8PA
United Kingdom
Tel: 020-8795-0300
E-mail: info@kelmans.com
1.4.2
Agrexco
Agrexco has a branch office in the UK, responsible for importing Agrexco’s fruit, vegetable
and flowers:
Agrexco Agricultural Export Co. Ltd 35
Carmel House
4F Swallowfield Way
Hayes
32
Website Record Power (www.recordpower.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
33
D.N.M., “Home”, Website D.N.M. Technical Equipment & Tools (www.dnm.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
34
Kelmans’ Kosher Foods, “About us” and “Search”, Website Kelmans’ Kosher Products
(https://www.secureonlineshopping.biz/liovic/main.asp), Viewed in March 2011.
35
Yellow pages (www.yell.com), Viewed in March 2011.
-7-
Middlesex UB3 1DQ
T: +44 (0)20-8848-7788
E: Heleng@agrexco.com
From this depot, Agrexco supplies fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers to all major
supermarkets. Products are sold both under the Carmel brand and under the private labels of
the supermarkets. In 2008, the United Kingdom represented about 35% of Agrexco's
business.36
Cargoflora is a British freight company which has, reportedly, been handling Agrexco's cut
flowers, distributing them to UK’s supermarkets. Campaigners of CorporateWatch reported in
February 2010 that members of staff from both Cargoflora and Agrexco confirmed the two
companies have worked together for some years. The company's partner, J and E Page
Distributors Ltd, based in the same office as Cargoflora, advertises that it imports flowers
from Israel. 37
There have been a number of protests at Agrexco’s depot in Middlesex. In July and August
2007, activists entered the depot. In June 2008 activists occupied and shut-down Carmel
Agrexco's headquarters and freight warehouse for over six hours.38 In February 2009
Agrexco’s and February 2010 both Carmel Agrexco and Cargoflora's depots in Hayes
Middlesex have been blocked. 39
1.4.3
Arava Export Growers
Arava Export Growers has a sales office in the United Kingdom, called Arava UK, that is
closely working together with Arava Export Growers and Arava Holland. 40
In 2008, the company Mill Associates, had taken over the marketing activities of Arava UK,
but it is now unclear whether it still exists. At that time, Mill Associates responded on the
reported trade from the Jordan Valley, which is in the OPTs that: ‘Arava does not supply
melons, mangos, cucumbers, aubergine, watermelons or cut flowers into the UK’. This
suggests that Arava does export the other export products grown by Arava - peppers,
tomatoes, grapes and herbs - to the UK.41
The address of Arava UK is:
Unit 5, The Mill Business Centre
Gringley on the Hill
Doncaster, DN10 4RA
United Kingdom
T: +44(0)1777 818 333
E: david@arava-uk.fsnet.co.uk
36
The Grocer, “Weak sterling deters Israelis”, The Grocer, Crawley, 12 May 2008.
37
Author unknown, “A Valentine's message from Cargoflora”, CorporateWatch, 25 February 2010.
38
Various articles on Agrexco, Website Indymedia UK (indymedia.org.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
39
Author unknown, “Carmel Agrexco and Cargoflora blockaded over Imports of Israeli Flowers”, Indymedia,
Viewed in March 2011.
40
Arava, “Home”, Website Arava Export Growers, Viewed in March 2011.
41
Arava UK treads the Mill, Freshinfo, London, 3 October 2008; Email by David Crossland, Mill Associates, to
SOAS, 3 December 2008.
-8-
On its website, Arava presents certificates that states it conforms with the Tesco Nurture
(organic) standard and holds a list of approved growers of peppers and herbs. This indicates
that Arava is supplying produce to Tesco. One of the locations mentioned on the certificate is
Moshav Mehola, a settlement in the West Bank.42
1.4.4
Beigel & Beigel
According to a report by a UK NGO, Beigel & Beigel products in the UK are sold by large
retailers Tesco and Waitrose. According to a website of a UK online ordering service which
delivers goods sold by the major supermarkets, Beigel & Beigel products are indeed sold by
Tesco, but not by Waitrose.43
1.4.5
Carmel Carpets / Caesarea Carpets
The Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute (IEICE) reports that Carmel Carpets
has a high success rate in repeat export orders from various countries including the United
Kingdom. We could not find any more detailed information about exports to the United
Kingdom.44
1.4.6
Dead Sea Laboratories
Dead Sea Laboratories has a branch in the UK, from which customers can order Ahava
products online and ask for the nearest beauty salons and retailers:45
Ahava (U.K.) Ltd.
Bentham Manor, Bentham
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
GL51 4TZ
United Kingdom
T: 014-5286-4574
E: enquire@ahava.co.uk
W: www.ahava.co.uk
The following beauty salons offer Ahava treatments:
Taylormade Made Treatments Ltd46
23 West Street
Buckingham
Bucks
MK18 1HE
T: +44(0)1280 816101
W: www.taylormadetreatments.co.uk
Ahava Shop and Beauty47
39 Monmouth Street
42
NSF-CMi Certification, “Tesco Nurture. Certificate of Conformity”, NSF-CMi Certification, 30 May 2010.
43
My Supermarket, “Beigel Beigel Nish Nosh Mediterranean Herb Snacks (300g)”, Website MySUpermarket
(www.mysupermarket.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011; War on Want, “Profiting from the Occupation”, War on
Want, London, July 2006.
44
IEICI, “Israeli Exporters Catalog”, Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute (www.export.gov.il),
Viewed in March 2011.
45
Ahava UK, “Contact Us”, Website Ahava UK, Viewed in March 2011.
46
Website Ahava UK (www.ahava.co.uk), Viewed in August 2008.
47
Covent-Garden, “Ahava Store”, Website Covent-Garden, Viewed in March 2011.
-9-
Covent Garden
London
WC1H 9DD
United Kingdom
Tel: 020-7240-8815
E-mail: london@ahavastore.co.uk
Jill Kelly Skincare Clinic
11 Dean Road
Scarborough
YO12 7SN
T: +44(0)1723 35 44 21
W: www.beautysalonscarborough.co.uk
1.4.7
Dispobud
Dispobud exports to the UK under private brand names since Dispobud is a member of the
international Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) and is listed on the Private
Label UK directory, which lists suppliers and manufacturers of private label products and
services. Only disposable table covers are mentioned.48 We did not found a more recent
source confirming this information.
1.4.8
DiSTeK
DiSTeK’s agent for the UK is located in the USA. 49
The following British company is among DiSTeK’s list of worldwide applicators: 50
Bodycote Metallurgical Coatings Ltd
Shakespeare Street
Wolverhampton
WV1 3LR
United Kingdom
Tel: 019-0245-2915
Fax: 019-0235-2917
E-mail: ray.blakemore@bodycote.com
Website: http://mc.bodycote.com
1.4.9
Fermentek
No direct links with British companies have been found. However, Fermentek is mentioned
as a supplier on several British online marketplaces, which suggests that the company is
offering its products in the UK.51
1.4.10
Frutarom
Frutarom has various locations in the UK for marketing and sales, R&D, production,
distribution.52
48
Private Label UK Magazine – Issue 04, The Planet Group, Birkby, June 2008.
49
Distek, “List of agencies”, Website DiSTek (www.distekgroup.com), Viewed in March 2011.
50
Distek, “Clients”, Website DiSTek (www.distekgroup.com), Viewed in March 2011.
51
EngNet, “Fermentek”, Website Engineering Network (www.engnet.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011;
TradeHolding, “Fermentek”, Website TradeHolding.net, Viewed in March 2011.
52
Frutarom, “Locations:” Website Frutarom (www.frutarom.com), Viewed in March 2011.
-10-
 Frutarom (UK) Ltd. - Fine Ingredients Division
Belasis Ave.
Billingham, Cleveland
TS23 1LQ
United Kingdom
Tel: 016-4237-9900
E-mail: FandF@uk.frutarom.com
 Frutarom (UK) Ltd. - Flavours Division
Turnells Mill Lane
Denington Industrial Estate
Wellingborough, Northants
NN8 2RN
United Kingdom
Tel: 019-3344-0343
 Turnells Mill Lane (Flavors Division)
Denington Industrial Estate
Wellingborough
Northants NN8 2RN
Tel: +441933440343
 Frutarom (UK)Ltd.
North Gare, Seaton Carew
Hartlepool, TS25 2DT, UK
 Continental Meat Technology (Flavors Division)
31 Salford Road
Aspley Guise
Milton Keynes, MK17 8HT
T: +44 1908 584 489
 EAFI/Frutarom
Wade Road Gorse Lane Industrial Estate
Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
CO15 4LT, UK
T: +44(0)1255 433124
In 2007, Frutarom bought the British flavour division of Belmay and the British flavour
company Jupiter Flavours, and in 2011 it bought East Anglian Food Ingredients Ltd. (EAFI).
Frutarom now is the leading flavour house in the British market.53
53
Frutarom, “Frutarom Continues Implementing Its Rapid Growth Strategy”, Press release Frutarom, 23
January 2011; Frutarom, “Frutarom acquires British flavors company Jupiter Flavours limited”Press release
Frutarom, Haifa, 19 April 2007; Frutarom, “Frutarom acquires the flavors company Belmay”, Press release
Frutarom, Haifa, 28 March 2007; Belmay, “Belmay Focus on Fragrance with Sale of Flavours Division”,
Press release Belmay, New York, 29 March 2007.
-11-
1.4.11
Greenkote
Greenkote supplies its technology to Tension Control Bolts Limited (TCB), a leading
producer of tension control bolts in the UK. Through its relationship with TCB, Greenkote has
also received the accreditation of several major British heavy construction projects including
the Oval cricket ground stadium, Wembley Stadium Bridge and Heathrow Airport Terminal 5.
Greenkote is registered as United Kingdom company.54
 Tension Control Bolts Limited (TCB)
Whitchurch Business Park, Shakespeare Way
Whitchurch, Shropshire
SY13 1LJ
United Kingdom
Tel: 019-4866-7700
Fax: 019-4866-7744
E-mail: info@tcbolts.co.uk
Website: www.tcbolts.co.uk
In a direct correspondence, TCB indicated that TCB and Greenkote are not related to each
other in a financial sense. Greenkote offered TCB the rights to use its patented plating
process/procedure in 2000. In exchange TCB would showcase that process to its
potential/future customers by allowing them to visit the plant in the UK. TCB subsequently
received grants from the Britech fund, which supported collaborative partnerships between
British and Israeli high-technology companies, to set up a plant in the UK using the process
developed by Greenkote.55 As a result, TCB has built a new innovative diffusion coating plant
incorporating the very latest Greenkote® technology for the coating of bolts, nuts and
washers.56
1.4.12
Hadiklaim - Israel Date Growers’ Cooperative
Press reports claim that Hadiklaim products are sold by Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s,
Tesco, Asda and Waitrose under their private brand names (i.e. the names of the
supermarket chains).57
In 2008, Marks & Spencer stated the following about it:
”In the past, we have sold dates from this region, however, we made a policy decision
sometime ago to cease all purchases from this area. However, our UK suppliers do buy raw
material (dates) from the organisation Hadiklaim on our behalf. The contract explicitly
prohibits purchase from Palestinian Territories and Hadiklaim source the dates from
elsewhere within Israel to satisfy our requirements. Traceability systems are in place to
confirm the source of the dates.”58
1.4.13
Keter Plastic
Keter Plastic has a subsidiary in the UK which imports and distributes products from its
parent in Israel:
54
Greenkote, “About Us”, Website Greenkote (www.greenkote.com), Viewed in March 2011Greenkote,
“Construction”, Website Greenkote (www.greenkote.com), Viewed in March 2011.
55
Personal communication by Ray Stokes, Tension Control Bolts, to SOAS, December 2008.
56
Greenkote, “Anti-Corrosion Coating”, Website Greenkote (www.greenkote.com), Viewed in March 2011
57
Lendman, S., "Israeli Occupation Supportive Companies to Boycott", The Palestine Chronicle, 3 February
2010.
58
Email by David Gregory, Technical Director Food Division of Marks & Spencer, to SOAS, 19 December
2008.
-12-
Keter (UK) Ltd 59
Unit 12 Woodgate Business Park
Clapgate Lane
Birmingham
West Midlands B32 3DB
T: +44(0)12 1422 6633
E: steven.bood@btinternet.com
Keter Plastic products are sold in the UK by Ace, Argos, B&Q, Costco, Debenhams, Focus,
Homebase, Makro, Tesco, and Toys-R-Us.60 It is not entirely clear from which Keter Plastic
plants these products originate.
1.4.14
Mehadrin-Tnuport Export Company (MTex)
MTex has an office in the UK: 61
3 Penta Court
Station Road
Borehamwood
Hertfordshire WD61SL
United Kingdom
T: +44(0)20 3114 3030
E: info@mtexuk.com
MTex, a subsidiary of the Mehadrin Group, is the second-largest importer Israeli exporter of
fruit and vegetables to the UK (after Agrexco). MTex markets its products in the UK via
Tesco and Asda. Other subsidiaries in the United Kingdom are Mehadrin Thnuport Marketing
UK (100%), MTex U.K Food Service (100%) and Topgro U.K. (50%).62
In 2008, MTex started a campaign to promote the Jaffa brand in the UK, supported by Tesco.
The supermarket has an exclusive 12-month supply contract with MTex.63 For the year 20092010, Tesco issued ‘Certificates of Conformity’ to MTex. 64
1.4.15
Mul-T-Lock
Mul-T-Lock has an office in the UK, which supplies Mul-T-Lock, Nemef, Corbin, Medeco and
Ingersoll Security branded products to Ireland and the UK: 65
59
BHETA, “Keter (UK) Ltd”, Website British Home Enhancement Trade Association (www.bheta.co.uk),
Viewed in March 2011; Keter, “Contact us – Keter UK”, Website Keter (www.keter.com), Viewed in March
2011.
60
Keter, “Where to buy”, Website Keter (www.keter.com), Viewed in March 2011..
61
Corporate Watch, “Mehadrin’s business in Beqa’ot settlement – and Tesco’s Complicity”, Corporate Watch
Research Blogs, 18 May 2010; MTex, “Global location”, Website Mehadrin Tnuport Export Company
(www.mtex.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
62
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Mehadrin Group”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 12
December 2010, Viewed in March 2011; The Grocer, “Dates not just on the Christmans calendar”, The
Grocer, 4 December 2010.
63
FreshPlaza, “MTex announces support for the Jaffa brand in the UK”, FreshPlaza, Tholen, 3 March 2008;
Talking Retail, “Tesco set to promote Jaffa brand”, Talking Retail, Swanley, 22 January 2008; Ford, R.,
“Jaffa gets down with the kids in a brand revamp”, The Grocer, 4 October 2008.
64
Corporate Watch, “Mehadrin’s business in Beqa’ot settlement – and Tesco’s Complicity”, Corporate Watch
Research Blogs, 18 May 2010.
65
Mul-t-lock, “Group Companies”, Website Mul-T-Lock (www.mul-t-lock.com), Viewed in March 2011; Mul-TLock UK, “Home”, Website Mul-T-Lock UK (www.mul-t-lock.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
-13-
Mul-T-Lock (UK) Ltd.
Portobello Works, School Street
Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3PW
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1902 364 200
W: www.mul-t-lock.co.uk
E: enquiries@mul-t-lock.co.uk
Mul-T-Lock products are sold in the UK by a large number of locksmiths to be found in the
directory on the website of Mul-T-Lock UK.66
1.4.16
Ofertex Industries
Ofertex has a branch for Ireland and the UK: 67
Ofertex Industries (IRL) ltd
Peter Hanley
Unit 17 Tallaght Enterprise Centre
IDA Industrial Estate
Whitestown Road, Dublin 24
Republic of Ireland
T: +35 (0) 3 1524 2417
M: +35(0) 3 1443 0519
E: peter@ofertex.com
1.4.17
Oppenheimer Manufacture & Marketing
Oppenheimer confectionery is sold in the UK by:
Just Kosher68
5-7 Croxdale Road
Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
WD6 4QD
United Kingdom
T: 020-8207-5556
E: info@justkosher.co.uk
W: www.justkosher.co.uk
1.4.18
Shamir Salads
Shamir Salads products are sold by:
Just Kosher69
5-7 Croxdale Road
Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
WD6 4QD
66
Mul-T-Lock, “Locksmiths directory”, Website Mul-T-Lock UK, Viewed in March 2011.
67
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Ofertex Industries”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 1
October 2009, Viewed in March 2011; Ofertex, “Contact information”, Website Ofertex (www.ofertex.com),
Viewed in March 2011.
68
Just Kosher, “Search results Shamir”, Website Just Kosher (www.justkosher.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
69
Just Kosher, “Search results Oppenheimer”, Website Just Kosher (www.justkosher.co.uk), Viewed in March
2011.
-14-
United Kingdom
T: +44(0)2 8207 5556
E: info@justkosher.co.uk
Website: www.justkosher.co.uk
1.4.19
SodaStream
SodaStream has various offices in the UK:
 Business Address
SodaStream Worldwide Trading Company
3, Francis Court
Fen Ditton
Cambridge
CB5 8TE
 Warehouse Address
Gefco UK Ltd
SodaStream UK
Unit 13a Prologis Park
Coventry
CV6 4BX
 Registered Address
Soda Club Worldwide Trading Company
Unit 3
The Manorgrove Centre
Vicarage Farm Road
Peterborough
PE1 5UH
T: 084-5601-0093
F: 017-3329-6941
E: info@sodastream.co.uk
W: www.sodastream.co.uk
SodaStream products are exported to 39 countries worldwide, including the United Kingdom.
Its products are sold under the SodaStream name in most countries, and under the SodaClub name or select other names in certain other countries. SodaStream sells its products
through more than 35,000 retail stores, including Macy’s, Bed Bath and Beyond,
Bloomingdale’s, Sears, Kmart, Coop, Carrefour, Gal and Gal, Edeka, and Migros.70
On its website SodaStream mentions John Lewis, Comet, Argos, Lakeland, Asda,
Sainsbury’s, Harvey Nichols, Steamer Trading, Robert Dyas and many other in its online
store locator. 71
1.4.20
Tip Top Toys Star
Tip Top Toys is registered in the UK:72
70
ABN, “Oppenheimer (NYSE: OPY) Initiates Coverage on Sodastream International (NASDAQ: SODA)”,
American Banking News, 14 December 2010; Who Profits, “SodaStream. A Case Study for Corporate
Activity in Illegal Israeli Settlements”, Who Profits / Coalition of Women for Peace, A Case Study No. 1,
January 2011.
71
SodaStream UK, “Home”, Website SodaStream UK (www.sodastream.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
72
Tip Top Toys UK, “Contact us”, Website Tip Top Toys UK (www.tiptoptoys.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
-15-
21st Century Toys Limited t/a TipTopToys.co.uk
Registration number 0717669
Registered office:
136 Tinshill Road
Leeds LS16 7PZ
Ready Steady Store
Kirkstall Road
Leeds
LS4 2QD
E: info@tiptoptoys.co.uk
W: www.tiptoptoys.co.uk
Interstar toys, brand of Tip Top Toys, are sold in the UK by:
 Amazon 73
W: www.amazon.co.uk
 Eduzone Ltd
Cedar House, Sopers Road
Cuffley, Herts
EN6 4RY
T: +44(0)8456 445 556
E: customerservice@eduzone.co.uk
W: www.eduzone.co.uk
In direct correspondence, Eduzone indicated that it was completely unaware that any of
the factories producing products from Tip Top Toys are located in settlements in the West
Bank. Eduzone stated that it would seriously consider withdrawing these products from
sale in order to exert pressure on the manufacturer to relocate their factory out of the
occupied West Bank, and would welcome further dialogue in this regard.74 However,
Interstar toys can still be found on the website.75
 Just Childsplay76
Unit 17, Abbey Court
Wallingford Road
Leicester
LE4 5RD
United Kingdom
T: +44(0) 844 826 00 10
E: customerservice@justchildsplay.co.uk
W: www.justchildsplay.co.uk
1.4.21
Tishbi Estate Winery
Tishbi wine is distributed in the UK by:77
73
Amazon, “Interstar Master Builder”, Website Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
74
Personal communication by Nigel Thorogood, Eduzone Ltd, to SOAS, December 2008.
75
Eduzone, “Interstar Animal and People Pack”, Website Eduzone (www.website.co.uk), Viewed in March
2011.
76
JustChildsPLay, “Interstar Master Builder”, Website JustChildsPlay (www.justchildsplay.co.uk), Viewed in
March 2011.
77
Website Tishbi Estate Winery (www.tishbi.com), Viewed in March 2011.
-16-
 Smithfield Wine
Tel: +44(0)16 1273 6070
E: info@smithfieldwine.com
W: www.smithfieldwine.com
 David Barry
London
T: +44 (0) 797 960 4346
E: David@TishbiWines.co.uk
W: www.tishbigreen.co.uk
1.4.22
Twitoplast
In the UK, Medal Aircon has secured UK marketing rights for the Twitoplast range of grilles,
diffusers and ancillary air movement products.78
Medal Aircon Distribution Ltd
Suite 5
LMH Business Park
Harlescott Lane, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
SY1 3AH
United Kingdom
T: +44(0)17 4346 6333
E: sales@medalaircon.co.uk
W: www.medalaircon.co.uk
1.5 Investments in settlement companies
This section describes investments in settlement companies by UK companies or financial
institutions via loans, share ownership or otherwise.
1.5.1
Apax Partners
33 Jermyn Street
London SW1Y 6DN
United Kingdom
T:+44 20 7872 6300
W: www.apax.com
Apax Partners is an independent global private equity advisory firm that invests via its Apax
Funds in companies with a value of between €1 billion and € 5 billion. Apax Partners
employs about 300 people and has offices staffed by local nationals in 12 countries
worldwide. It has two funds for investments in Israel: the Apax Israel II and the Israel Growth
Fund. Its subsidiary Apax Partners Israel Ltd is located in Tel Aviv.79
78
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Twitoplast”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 21 April 2010,
Viewed in March 2011; Twitoplast is Medal winner, ACR-news, South Croyden, 16 July 2007; Twitoplast,
“Links”, Website Twitoplast (www.twitoplast.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
79
Apax Partners, “Our Company”, Website Apax Partners (www.apax.com), Viewed in March 2011; Apax
Partners, “Annual Report 2009”, Apax Partners, October 2010.
-17-
One of the companies Apax Partners invests in is the Israeli Tnuva Food Industries, which
owns 25% of Agrexco (see section 2.4). It was acquired in January 2008 at a value of $1.025
billion by Apax Partners and the Mivtach Shamir group, which together hold 76.7% of
Tnuva’s shares. A further 23.3% is owned by a Holding Corporation whose members include
Kibbutzim, Moshavim and the Kibbutz Economic Organizations.80
Apax Partners also invests in Israeli telecommunication provider Bezeq, a company
providing telecommunication services to all of the Israeli settlements, army bases and
checkpoints in the West Bank. Since December 2009, Apax Partners has a majority stake in
Israeli asset manager Psagot, which Trust Funds hold shares (8%) in Amir Marketing and
Investment in Agriculture. This company has a branch in Thomer, occupied Jordan Valley.81
1.5.2
CSS Partners LLP
Apex House
18-20 Appold Street
London
EC2A 2AS
United Kingdom
T: 020-7422-1800
E: css@cssmail.co.uk
W: www.csspartners.co.uk
CSS Partners is a privately owned investment company. It was involved in various financing
rounds for Greenkote, raising several millions.82
1.5.3
F&C REIT Asset Management
4 Harechev street
Tel Aviv 67771
Tel: +972-3-6897999
Fax: +972-3-6897989
Website: www.british-israel.co.il
British Israel Investments Ltd. is a leading property company in Israel in the field of shopping
malls and commercial centres. Its website shows that it owns 4 malls across Israel.83 But
according to the Coalition of Women for Peace it also owns one mall in Maaleh Adumim in
the occupied West Bank:84
Kenyon Adumim
Kedem Road
Maaleh Adumim
80
Apax Partners, “Secotr Focus – Retail&Consumer Investments - Investment Company”, Website Apax
Partners (www.apax.com), Viewed in March 2011; Apax Partners, “Consortium comprising funds advised
by Apax Partners & Mivtach Shamir acquires Tnuva for $1.025 billion”, Press release Apax Partners, 7
January 2008.
81
Apax Partners, “Annual Report 2009”, Apax Partners, October 2010; Coalition of Women for Peace, “Amir
Marketing and Investment in Agriculture”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 21 December
2008, Viewed in March 2011; Coalition of Women for Peace, “Bezeq”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 17 May 2009, Viewed in March 2011; Psagot, “English Site”, Website Psagot
(www.psagot.co.il/heb/EnglishContent/Homepage), Viewed in March 2011.
82
CCS Partners, “Case Studies”, Website CSS Partners (www.csspartners.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
83
Website British Israel Investments (www.british-israel.co.il), Viewed in August 2008.
84
Coalition of Women for Peace, “British Israel Investments”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated
September 2009, Viewed in March 2011.
-18-
Israel
Tel: +972-2-5908000
Fax: +972-2-5908010
Although the company is listed on the Tel Aviv stock exchange, the company is controlled by
REIT Asset Management (Israel), that was part of the REIT Group, headed by the British
company REIT Asset Management. This company was owned by the British businessmen
Leo Noé (75%) and Ivor Smith (25%).85 But in July 2008 the British asset manager F&C
Investments announced that it would acquire 70% of the shares of REIT Asset Management
from Noé and Smith for £ 60 million. The property business of F&C and REIT Asset
Management are now merged into F&C REIT Asset Management. This company is
managing property with a total value of £ 7.6 billion around the world (as of 31 December
2010).86
In a personal communication F&C REIT Asset Management in December 2008 stated that
British Israel Investments was excluded from the merger between F&C Property Investments
and REIT Asset Management.87 However, British Israel Investments still claims on its
website that it is part of the REIT Group, controlled by Leo Noé. Possibly the Israeli
subsidiaries of the former REIT Group are now owned directly by Leo Noé and Ivor Smith,
who is a director of British Israel Investments.88
Leo Noé is also Executive Chairman and a significant shareholder of F&C REIT Asset
Management, which means that the ties between British Israel Investments and F&C REIT
Asset Management are still very close.89
1.5.4
G4S
G4S plc90
The Manor
Manor Royal
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 9UN
United Kingdom
T: 44 (0) 1293 554 400
W: www.g4s.com
G4S is the result of a merger between the British Securicor company and the Danish
Group4Falck in 2004. The company, G4S plc is registered in England and traded on the
London Stock Exchange and Nordic Nasdaqy-OMX. 91
85
86
87
Website REIT Asset Management (www.reit.co.uk), Viewed in August 2008.
F&C and Noé form 8.5bn Manager, Press release REIT Asset Management, London, 26 July 2008; F&C
REIT, “About us”, Website F&C REIT Asset Management (www.fandcreit.com), Viewed in March 2011.
Letter by K.D. McGrath, F&C REIT Asset Management, to SOAS, 2 December 2008.
88
British Israel Investments, “Company”, Website British Israel Investments (www.british-israel.co.il), Viewed
in March 2011.
89
F&C REIT, “About us”, Website F&C REIT Asset Management (www.fandcreit.com), Viewed in March
2011.
90
G4S, “Annual Report and Accounts 2009”, G4S, March 2011.
91
G4S, “Factsheet”, G4S, 28 March 2011.
-19-
Its subsidiary, G4S Israel (also known as Hashmira Company Limited, bought by
Group4Falck in 2002), provides security systems to prisons in Israel and the OPT, to Israeli
military checkpoints and police headquarters in the West Bank, and to businesses in the
settlements. In March 2011, after a campaign of Dan Watch, the company stated that it
would stop part of their occupation-related activities. 92
1.5.5
Unilever
Unilever UK Foods
Head Office
Brooke House
Manor Royal
Crawley, West Sussex
RH10 9RQ
United Kingdom
Tel: 012-9364-8000
Website: www.unilever.co.uk
The Anglo-Dutch company Unilever, one of the largest food, personal care and detergents
producers in the world, has been active in Israel again since 1995. In that year Unilever
bought a 50% stake in the ice cream business of Strauss, one of Israel's two leading dairies.
Later, this stake was raised to 51%. Unilever furthermore acquired the household and
personal care division and the food division of the Israeli company Vitco and Bestfoods. 93
Through its subsidiaries Unilever Israel Foods and Unilever Israel Home and Personal Care,
Unilever is owner of Beigel & Beigel Ltd, which is located in the Barkan industrial zone in the
occupied West Bank. After several campaigns against the factory and Unilever, the company
first announced it would sell Beigel&Beigel, but decided in December 2010 that it will move
the factory from the settlement. 94
In February 2009, newspapers reported that Israeli company Wissotzky Tea Ltd. was in talks
to buy Unilever Israel Food's 51% stake in Beigel & Beigel Food. However, the negotiations
did not lead to a transaction because the bid was too low. According to Wissotzky the
negotiations were abruptly stopped by Unilever who announced that it will not sell the
company. The accountants company KPMG that had managed for Unilever the sale told
Wissotzky’s owner and CEO, Mr. Shalom Zeidler, that they do not understand why the
company was not sold.95
92
Who Profits, “The Case of G4S. Private Security Companies and the Israeli Occupation”, Coalition of
Women for Peace, March 2011.
93
E-mail Kees van der Waaij (Chairman Unilever Nederland Holdings B.V.) to United Civilians for Peace,
Rotterdam, 4 October 2006; Annual report 2007, Unilever, London, March 2008.
94
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Beigel and Beigel”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 6
March 2011, Viewed in March 2011; Coalition of Women for Peace, “Unilever”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 8 November 2008, Viewed in March 2011; Unilever to sell stake in plant based in
West Bank settlement, The Guardian, London, 1 December 2008; Website United Civilians for Peace
(www.unitedcivilians.nl), Viewed in January 2009.
95
Beigel&Beigel. Retrieved August 2009 from www.bbexport.com.
Chen, Shoshana. (3 December 2009) Wissotzky CEO: “Mega is making a full of consumers”. Ynet
economy. Retrieved January 2010 from http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3814524,00.html.
Unilever Israel. Retrieved August 2009 from www.unilever.co.il
Dun & Bradstreet Israel. (2009) Dun's 100: Israel's Largest Enterprises 2009. Retrieved August 2009 from
duns100.dundb.co.il
Author unknown (12 February 2009). Wissotzky Tea may reportedly acquire Beigel. Businessweek.
Retrieved from
http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=49713022
-20-
United Civilians for Peace asked Unilever to clarify whether they have decided to drop the
sale altogether or not. In response Unilever Israel provided the following general
comments96: “we are indeed still actively involved with what is proving to be a complex and
time-consuming disposal process. We are not prepared to release any details as to the
status of this work since doing so could be in conflict with the basic confidentiality
agreements that are in place as part of this process […] disposing a stake in a business of
this sort […] is certainly not something for which specific timelines can be guaranteed. It is in
everyone's interests that any deal be concluded as rapidly as possible. This is our intent, but
we cannot comment on specific target dates at this time. The disposal of the Beigel business
is a strategic decision to focus on our core business; we have a very basic management
responsibility to ensure we do not destroy value in any deal we may complete relating to the
Beigel business.
With regard to the issue raised in UCP’s 2008 Unilever report concerning the plant location
on private Palestinian land97 the company responded: “we already gave the answer to this
question in the past and said that this is a political question which sits at the heart of the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict and we are at no position to comment on this topic. We are in line
with the relevant laws.” Unilever Israel added that B&B workers are “receiving the
communication flow and relevant consultation that you would expect any Unilever employees
to enjoy. We respect both Israeli law and Unilever global practice in this respect. Beigel
employees are briefed on the process as far as is reasonably possible given normal
confidentiality constraints, and full consultation processes are in place.”
Golden Ryd Dyl, an Israeli paper and cleaning products importer and distributor, also is a
supplier to Lipton, a brand of Unilever.98
1.6 Summary
A total of 22 Israeli settlement companies exporting to the United Kingdom were identified
(see Table 1). For 10 of these companies 17 British marketing subsidiaries were found.
Table 1
Exports from Israeli settlements in occupied territories to the UK
Exporter
Products
British subsidiary
British importer / retailer
Achdut
Sesame products
Agrexco
Fruit & vegetables
Agrexco Agricultural
Export
Probably to most
supermarkets. Handling of
flowers by Cargoflora
Arava Export
Growers
Fruit & vegetables
Arava UK
Tesco
Beigel&Beigel
Bakery products
Kelmans’ Kosher Foods, Just
Kosher, Adafina
Tesco, Waitrose
Yevet, O. (1 October 2009) Exclusive - It seems that Unilever gives up selling Beigel&Beigel. Calcalist.
Retrieved October 2009 from http://www.calcalist.co.il/marketing/articles/0,7340,L-3362631,00.html
96
E-mail Kees van der Waaij (Chairman Unilever Nederland Holdings B.V.) to United Civilians for Peace,
Rotterdam, 4 December 2009.
97
United Civilians for Peace. (2008) Improper advantage: a study of Unilever’s investment in an illegal Israeli
settlement, page 14-17.
98
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Golden Ryd Dyl”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Update 5 March
2008, Viewed in March 2011; GRD, “About us”, Website Golden Ryd Dyl (www.grd.co.il), Viewed in March
2011.
-21-
Exporter
Products
British subsidiary
British importer / retailer
Carmel Carpets /
Caesarea
Carpets
Carpets
Dead Sea
Laboratories
Ahava beauty care
products
Ahava (U.K.) Ltd, Ahava
Shop and Beauty
Taylormade Beauty, Jill Kelly
Skincare Clinic
Dispobud
Textile
Exports under private brand
names
DiSTek
Zinc coating
technologies
Bodycote Metallurgical
Coatings
Fermentek
Pharmaceuticals
Frutarom (UK) Ltd, Belmay
Fragrances, Jupiter
Flavours, East Anglian
Food Ingredients Ltd
Frutarom
Food additives
Greenkote
Coatings
Tension Control Bolts Limited
(TCB)
Hadiklaim
Dates
Asda, Marks & Spencer,
Sainsbury’s, Tesco and
Waitrose
Plastic products
Keter (UK) Ltd
Ace, Argos, B&Q, Costco,
Debenhams, Focus,
Homebase, Makro, Tesco and
Toys-R-Us.
Mehadrin-Tnuport Fruit & vegetables
MTex UK, Mehadrin
Tnuport Marketing UK,
Mtex UK Food Service and
Topgro UK
Asda and Tesco
Mul-T-Lock
Locks
Mul-T-Lock (UK) Ltd
Large number of locksmiths
Ofertex Industries
Cloths
Ofertex Industries (IRL)
Ltd
Oppenheimer
Confectionery
Just Kosher
Shamir Salads
Ready-made
salads
Just Kosher
SodaStream
Carbonating
devices
Soda Club Worldwide
Trading Company
John Lewis, Comet, Argos,
Lakeland, Asda, Sainsbury’s,
Harvey Nichols, Steamer
Trading, Robert Dyas
Tip Top Toys
Toys
21st Century Toys Limited
Amazon, Eduzone Ltd, Just
Childsplay
Tishbi Estate
Winery
Wine
Smithfield Wine, David Barry
Twitoplast
Plastic
accessories
Medal Aircon Distribution Ltd
Keter Plastic
Apart from the British companies importing products from Israeli settlements (summarized in
Table 1 on page 21), we found a further 7 British companies with a link to Israeli settlements.
-22-
Table 2
Other British business links with Israeli settlements
British company
Type of company
Link with Israeli settlements
Apax Partners
Investment company
Invests in Israeli Tnuva Food Industries, Bezeq and
Psagot companies that are involved in production or
services to the settlements
CSS
Investment company
Involved in several financing rounds for Greenkote
F&C REIT Asset
Management
Property management
firm
Owns a shopping mall in Maaleh Adumim through
subsidiary British Israel Investments Ltd
G4S
Security services and
equipment
Provides services to settlements through its
subsidiary G4S Israel.
Record Power Ltd
Woodworking machinery
and tools manufacturer
Exports to D.N.M. Technical Equipment and Tools,
which has a branch located in the Barkan I.Z.
Unilever
Food, personal care and
detergents producer
Owns Beigel & Beigel through its subsidiaries, which
is located in the Barkan industrial zone
Is supplied by Golden Ryd Dyl
-23-
Chapter 2
Profiles settlement companies
N.B. Not all settlement companies profiled in this chapter have relationships with the United
Kingdom. Some were included already here because they were found to have relationships
with other European countries.
2.1 Abadi Bakery
158 HaTozeret Street
Jerusalem 97800
Israel
Tel: +972-2-5855228
Fax: +972-2-5836026
E-mail: info@abadibakery.com
Website: www.abadibakery.com
Abadi Bakery is a manufacturer of traditional Mediterranean cookies, cakes and other baked
goods. According to the company it holds nearly 80% of the market for savoury cookies in
Israel and 12% of the entire cookie market. Products are available in Israeli supermarkets
and at 9 factory outlet-stores. In Israel its products are distributed by Wizotsky Tea, outside
the country is has distributors in the United States (King David Import, Galil Importing and
Nuts & More), France (Schneiders), China (Ruifuhang Food Trade) and Australia (Botany
International Foods). 99
The company offices and factory are located in the Atarot Industrial Zone, which is a
settlement in the West Bank. It employs both Israeli and Palestinian workers, but would
prefer to hire more Israelis.100
In response to a large boycott called upon by Palestinians and Arab Israelis in May 2010,
staff from Abadi Bakery told The Jerusalem Post that the company ‘doesn’t care’ because
the boycott will not affect its business.101
2.2 Achdut
P.O. Box 79
Barkan Industrial Zone 44829
Israel
T: +972-3-9068020
E: achdut-r@bezeqint.net
W: www.halva.co.il
99
Abadi, “About us” and “Distrubutors”, Website Abadi Bakery”, Viewed in March 2011, CWP, Coalition of
Women for Peace, “Abadi Bakery ("Mizrahiot" Cookies) “, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Viewed in
March 2011.
100
Friedman, R., “NU battles back against settlements goods ban”, The Jerusalem Post, 7 May 2010; Gush
Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009; RVN,
“Jordan: Next step regarding Jerusalem”, Right Vision News, 11 December 2009
101
Friedman, R., “NU battles back against settlements goods ban”, The Jerusalem Post, 7 May 2010.
-24-
Achdut is a company manufacturing sesame products (tahini, halva), sugarless products,
organic products, syrups, sweets, cakes, cookies & mini cakes. It uses the brand Achva. It is
a major provider of tahini for the Israeli Army. The company is located in the industrial zone
of the Barkan settlement, which is in the West Bank. 102
Figure 3.
Factory of Achdut in the Barkan settlement
Because the current factory is too small, Achva has purchased new land and is building a
new modern factory. It is however unclear were its location is. The company has distributors
and retailers in amongst others: United Kingdom and France.103
The products of Achdut are exported by the Mavua Group, a major Israeli exporter of food
and cosmetics products:104
6 Hasollelim Street
Tel Aviv 67897
Israel
Tel: 972 3 5626612
Fax: 972 3 5626615
2.3 Adanim Tea
P.O. Box 38
Beit Lehem Haglilit 36007
Israel
Tel: +972-4-9534603
Fax: +972-4-9534683
E-mail: ariel@adanim-tea.co.il
Website: www.adanim-tea.co.il / www.adanim-tea.com
102
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Ahdut Factory for Tehina Halva and Sweets”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 3 February 2008, Viewed in March 2011.
103
Achva, “About us”, Website Achva (www.halva.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
104
Mavua, “About Mavua”, Website Mavua (www.mavua.com), Viewed in March 2011.
-25-
Adanim Tea Co. produces organically grown herbal teas. The office of the company is
located in Israel itself, but “the company's organic herbs are grown in the Galilee Mountains
and the Jordan valley, where growing conditions are optimal.”105 More specifically, the
company’s production facility is located in Ofra, an Israeli settlement in the occupied West
Bank: 106
11 Ha'sela Street
Ofra 90627
Tel: 972-2-9975691
The company sells (organic) herbal tea under the Adanim and Valdena brand names.107
The products of Adanim Tea are exported by the Mavua Group, a major Israeli exporter of
food and cosmetics products:108
6 Hasollelim Street
Tel Aviv 67897
Israel
Tel: 972 3 5626612
Fax: 972 3 5626615
2.4 Agrexco
121 Ha’hashmonaim Street
P.O. Box 20601
Tel Aviv 61206
Israel
Telephone: +972-3-5630900
Fax: +972-3-563-0988
E-mail: info@agrexco.com
Website: www.agrexco.com
Agrexco is Israel’s largest exporter of fresh agricultural produce. Agrexco exports over 600
products, with some 2,000 -4,000 farmers supplying products under contract to about 350
buyers worldwide.109 In 2007, the company marketed 435,000 tons of fresh agricultural
produce, of which 47% were vegetables, 19% flowers, 14% fruits, 5% plants and propagation
materials, 4% citrus fruit, 3% organic produce, 3% general products/processed food and 5%
general trade. 110 Regarding the 50,000 tonnes avocadoes produced annually in Israel,
Agrexco produces approximately 70%.111
105
Adanim Tea, “Home”, Website Adanim Tea (www.adanim-tea.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
106
List of Products from Settlements in the Occupied Territories, Website Gush Shalom (http://gushshalom.org.toibillboard.info/products_eng.htm), Updated in March 2009; Website Who Profits
(www.whoprofits.org/Company%20Info.php?id=548), Viewed in March 2011.
107
Adanim Tea, “Products”, Website Adanim Tea (www.adanim-tea.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
108
Mavua, “About Mavua”, Website Mavua (www.mavua.com), Viewed in March 2011.
109
Agrexco, “Ecofresh”, Website Agrexco, Viewed in March 2011.
110
Author unknown. (11 October 2001). Israel's fresh exports-produce. Eurofood. Retrieved from
duns100.dundb.co.il
111
Smits, C., “Agrexco exporteerde grootste gedeelte”, AGF, Tholen, 2 November 2009.
-26-
It is owned in part by the Israeli government (50%), Israeli growers represented by the
country’s production and marketing boards (25%), and the Tnuva cooperative (25%), whose
controlling shareholder is Apax Partners. The company has about 500 employees in Israel
and overseas. Annual turnover amounted to €653 million in 2007, mostly realised by exports
to the EU. Agrexco exports 85% of its products to Western Europe.112
In 2010, Agrexco exported 300,000 tonnes. Its main client are in Western Europe: 50% in
France, 15% in Germany, 12% in the United Kingdom and 12% in Scandinavia.113
Carmel is Agrexco’s leading brand. Organic produce is marketed under the Carmel Bio Top
label, which represent over 30 different types of organically grown goods. Other brands used
by Agrexco are Jaffa, Jordan Plains, Alesia and Coral, a brand created exclusively for
Palestinian agricultural products exported and marketed by Agrexco. 114
Agrexco has a global network of branches operating in London, Frankfurt, Paris, Rotterdam,
New York, Zurich, Vienna, Madrid and Milan. Marketing and sales offices in Israel are
dedicated to marketing and sales in countries where Agrexco does not have representative
offices -- such as Eastern Europe, the Far and Near East. 115
Agrexco’s vegetables and fruits are transported to Europe mainly by boat. Since 1987,
Agrexco chartered two ships from the Israeli Ofer Group to supply its products to Southern
Europe: the Carmel Topaz and the Carmel Exotic, with a capacity of 370,000 cubic feet and
80 containers. In 2004 these two ships were replaced by two ships which Agrexco had
ordered at the ENVC shipyard in Viana de Castelo in Portugal: the Carmel Biotop and the
Carmel Ecofresh. The two ships have a carrying capacity of 460,000 cubic feet and 880
containers. The costs of the ships were € 35 million, financed by Munchmeyer Petersen
Capital (Germany).116
In March 2004, Agrexco and the Danish freight transport company Maersk Sealand
established a regular freight service across the Middle Sea, for containers and refrigerated
goods. The Carmel Ecofresh and the Carmel Biotop maintain a weekly service, following the
route Asdhod - Marseille - Valencia (Wednesday) - Genua (Friday) - Haifa (Monday) Asdhod (Tuesday). Agrexco carries its own produce on the ships, while Maersk can ship
containers with the ships.117
The Israeli company Associated Marimite Agencies (AMA) is the commercial and operational
manager of this shipping service in all ports of call.118
In Marseille (France) Agrexco has a “state-of-the-art terminal”, where products are stored
and then distributed throughout the European continent and the U.K. 119
112
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Agrexco Agricultural Export Company”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Viewed in March 2011; Syngenta Seeds. (December 2007). S&G Pepper Today. (No. 6).
Retrieved from: http://www.pepperstoday.com/docs/pdf/newsletter/peppers_today_06_dec07.pdf
113
Mercados, “El aguacate israelí se consolida en el mercado europeo”, Mercados Nº 93, February 2011.
114
Agrexco, “Our brands”, Website Agrexco, Viewed in March 2011.
115
Agrexco, “About us”, Website Agrexco, Viewed in March 2011.
116
Berrill, P., “New reefers up Agrexco fruit trade”, TradeWinds, 24 October 2003.
117
Vientepies, “Agrexco y Maersk establecen servicio conjunto desde Valencia a Israel”, Vientepies.com, 2
March 2004.
118
AMA, “Representation”, Website AMA (www.ama.co.il/aassociates/c1608.php), Viewed in March 2011.
119
Agrexco, “Logistics”, Website Agrexco (www.agrexco.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
-27-
Agrexco also transports flowers and some fruits by 747 airplane to Liege (Belgium), where
Agrexco has a terminal. From there they are further distributed to other European countries
and the UK. 120 Transport by airplane is decreasing in recent years however, due to rising fuel
prices. Agrexco announced in 2008 that it intends to minimize transport by airplane in the
coming years.121
Activities in settlements
Agrexco is the main exporter of agricultural products from Israeli settlements122, such as
grapes, Medjoul dates, citrus fruits, herbs, vegetables, melons and flowers. These products
are mostly sold under the Carmel brand. Citrus fruit from the settlements is sold under the
Jaffa brand name and dates are sold under the Jordan Plains brand name.123
Agrexco has a regional office in the Jordan Valley and also owns packing houses situated in
the settlements in the West Bank such as Tomer, Massua, Ro’I, Netiv Hagdud and
Mehola.124
Figure 1. Agrexco truck carrying products from the Jordan Valley through
the West Bank (Coalition of Women for Peace, August 2008)
In January 2006, a court case took place at Uxbridge Magistrates Court in the United
Kingdom against seven demonstrators who had participated in a November 2004 blockade
of the British office of Agrexco in Hayes. During the court case, the British manager of
Agrexco, Amos Orr, testified that Agrexco is responsible for marketing 60-70% of the
agricultural produce grown in Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. These settlement
products account for about 5% of Agrexco’s total turnover.125
120
Agrexco, “Logistics”, Website Agrexco (www.agrexco.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
121
Berkel, L. van, “Algemeen directeur van Agrexco: ‘Zo min mogelijk gebruik van luchtvracht maken’ (CEO of
Agrexco: ‘Use air freight as little as possible’)”, AGF, Tholen, 13 August 2008.
122
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Agrexco Agricultural Export Company”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Viewed in March 2011; William, H., “CODEPINK Activists Protest AIPAC at DC Confab”,
The Waspington Report on Middle East Affairs, May / June 2010.
123
Green, L. (2005, September 4). Apartheid and Agrexco in the Jordan Valley. The Electronic Intifada.
Retrieved September 2006 from http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4161.shtml
124
Author unknown, “A Valentine's message from Cargoflora”, CorporateWatch, 25 February 2010; Coalition
of Women for Peace, “Agrexco Agricultural Export Company”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org),
Viewed in March 2011.
125
The Agrexco Seven - Day one. (2006, January 24) Retrieved July 2009 from www.bigcampaign.org
-28-
Agrexco thus exports agricultural produce from Israel, from Israeli settlements in territories
occupied by Israel and from Palestinian agricultural companies. Whether exports are
distinguished with proper labelling is uncertain. Agrexco is exporting settlement products, but
the question remains whether or not they distribute products with a distinguishing label (i.e.
"Made in the West Bank") under the Carmel brand name. It can be ascertained that these
products are marketed under the "Made in Israel" label if no other labelling referring to the
occupied territories is found.
2.5 Amnon & Tamar
16 Kalanit Street
Alfe-Menashe 44851
Israel
Tel: +972-9-7925657
Fax: +972-9-7926682
E-mail: info@amnon-tamar.com
Website: www.herb-seasoning.com / www.amnon-tamar.com
Amnon & Tamar Ltd. produces herbal seasonings which are sold under the Pyramid brand
name. The factory of the company is located in Israel itself, but its corporate office is located
in the Israeli settlement Alfe-Menashe in the occupied West Bank, near the Palestinian town
of Qalqilyah. This privately held company is owned by Amnon and Tamar Karmi. 126
According to the Dutch Israel Producten Centrum, the herbs are being grown at a plantation
in Jizreel, Galilee. 127
2.6 Arava Export Growers
P.O. Box 238
Bnei Atarot 60991
Israel
Tel: +972-3-9734141
Fax: +972-3-9734114
E-mail: marketing@arv.co.il
Website: www.arv.co.il
Arava Export Growers is the third largest agricultural export company in Israel, with export
sales of about € 60 million. It is 50% owned by B. Gaon Holdings and Hamashbir Holdings.
The other 50% is held by farmers in the Arava region of Israel and by Jordan River Herbs. 128
126
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Amnon and Tamar (Pyramid Herbal Seasonings)”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Last updated 2 December 2010, Viewed in March 2011; Cronin, D., “Netherlands: Dutch
Christian Group Backs Israeli Settlements”, Interpress Service, 28 July 2010; Website Amnon & Tamar
(www.herb-seasoning.com), Viewed in August 2008.
127
IPC, “Webwinkel”, Israel Producten Centrum (www.ipc-nijkerk.nl), Viewed in March 2011.
128
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Arava Export Growers”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Last
updated 17 September 2008, Viewed in March 2011; Israel's fresh exports - produce, Eurofood, 11 October
2001; Website Gaon Holdings (www.gaon.com), Viewed in August 2008; Website Dun & Bradstreet Israel
(duns100.dundb.co.il), Viewed in October 2008.
-29-
The company exports (organic) peppers, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and other products such as
melons, grapes, mangos, cucumbers, aubergines, and cut flowers to a large number of
export markets, all under the Arava brand name. No recent figures on export quantities are
available, but in 2000/2001 Arava Export Growers exported 18,000 tons of fresh produce
from more than 200 growers from various regions of Israel (its map does not differentiate
between Israel and occupied territory).129
Activities in settlements
Arava is active in the occupied Jordan Valley. Figure 8 shows Arava’s tomato growing
regions which include the Jordan Valley, north of the Dead Sea, which is part of the West
Bank. 130
Arava Export Growers is supplied by "Jordan River Herbs", a company owned by farmers
from the settlement of Mechola in the occupied Jordan Valley.131
Figure 4.
Tomatoes growing regions of Arava
Website Arava (www.arv.co.il), Viewed in September 2008
Trade and investments
Arava has subsidiaries in the United States, Arava USA, and in the Netherlands, Arava
Holland B.V., and a sales office in the United Kingdom, Arava UK. 132
129
Website Ministry of Agriculture (www.moag.gov.il), Viewed in August 2008.
130
Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009;
Website Arava (www.arv.co.il), Viewed in September 2008.
131
Personal communication by David Crossland, Mill Associates, which has taken over the marketing activities
of Arava UK, 3 December 2008; Coalition of Women for Peace, “Arava Export Growers”, Website Who
Profits? (whoprofits.org), Last updated 17 September 2008, Viewed in March 2011.
-30-
2.7 Beigel & Beigel
Beigel & Beigel Food Ltd produces pretzels, savoury biscuits and crackers. It is located in the
Barkan Industrial Park in the occupied West Bank. Beigel & Beigel has 120 employees. Its
factory, probably the largest in Israel and the Middle East, produces 11 million bags of
snacks a year.133
In May 2010, Beigel&Beigel pretzels were target of a boycott of
settlement-made products by Arab Israelis.134
According to Who Profits? Beigel&Beigel is now fully owned by
Unilever through Unilever Israel Foods and Unilever Israel Home
and Personal Care. Unilever announced in December 2010 that it
will move the factory from the settlement. 135
2.8 Carmel Carpets
2 Ezzel Street, N.I.Z.
Rishon Le-Zion, 75105
Israel
CP: Efrat Moske-Cohen
T: +972 3 936 7470
E: export@carmelcarpets.co.il
Website: www.carmelcarpets.co.il
Carmel Carpets manufactures and distributes carpets. Its factory is located in the industrial
zones of the Barkan settlement. Subsidiary company, Caesarea Carpets, has factories both
in the Barkan and in the Shahak settlements in the West Bank. The company is controlled by
Carmel Holdings (Beitili), a public holding company held by the Eitani family for several
furniture, household and carpet manufacturing companies. 136
Apart from selling to consumers, the company also specialises in consulting, producing and
supplying carpets for hotels and office buildings. Among its clients are international hotel
chains including Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Marriot and Meridian.137 The
company exports to USA, Canada, China, Japan, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, UK ,
Greece, Turkey, Italy, Brazil and Cyprus. 138
132
Arava, “Home”, Website Arava Export Growers, Viewed in March 2011; Coalition of Women for Peace,
“Arava Export Growers”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Last updated 17 September 2008, Viewed
in March 2011.
133
E-mail Kees van der Waaij (Chairman Unilever Nederland Holdings B.V.) to United Civilians for Peace,
Rotterdam, 4 October 2006; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied Territories”,
Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009; United Civilians for Peace. (2008) Improper advantage: a study of Unilever’s
investment in an illegal Israeli settlement. Retrieved August 2009 from www.unilever.co.il
134
Friedman, R., “Arab Israelis launch boycott of settlement goods. Shopkeepers to post no-buy lists * 'We are
part of the Palestinian people,' Kafr Kana leader declares”, The Jerusalem Post, 6 May 2010.
135
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Beigel and Beigel”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 6
March 2011, Viewed in March 2011; Coalition of Women for Peace, “Unilever”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 8 November 2008, Viewed in March 2011;;
136
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Carmel Carpets” and “Caesarea Carpets”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 26 May 2008, Viewed in March 2011.
137
Carmel Carpets, “Client List”, Website Carmel Carpets (www.carmelcarpets.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
138
IEICI, “Israeli Exporters Catalog”, Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute (www.export.gov.il),
Viewed in March 2011.
-31-
2.9 Dead Sea Laboratories
Main Address:
Arava 1, Airport City, Lod Airport
Visitors Centre:
Mitzpe Shalem, Dead Sea, 86983
Israel
Tel: +972-2-9945117 / +972-2-9945123
Fax: +972-2-9945122
E-mail: gmail@ahava.co.il
Website: www.ahava.com
Dead Sea Laboratories Ltd. (DSL) was established in 1988. It produces personal care
products, which are sold under the Ahava brand name, but also sports equipment and
toys.139 The Ahava brand is sold in over 25 countries. In 2006, Ahava had a turnover of US$
23.4 million. The international market accounted for approximately 42% of Ahava’s total
products sales.140
The company is owned by B. Gaon Holdings Ltd., the Livnat family, and three Kibutzim. B.
Gaon Holdings Ltd. is one of the largest holding companies in Israel, managed by Benjamin
Gaon (former president of Koor Industries).141 The company shares are held by the West
Bank settlement of Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem (37%), Hamashbir Holdings (the investment fund
of B. Gaon Holdings and the Livnat family, about 37%), Shamrock Holdings (the investment
fund of the Roy E. Disney family, about 18.5%), and the West Bank settlement of Kibbutz
Kalia (7.5%).142
In October 2007, DSL announced its intention to sell shares on the AIM, part of the London
Stock Exchange. It expected to raise US$ 22 million. British investment bank Evolution
Securities acted as nominated adviser and broker to DSL.143 However, Evolution Securities
has indicated that the listing did not take place and that it no longer has any involvement or
relationship with Ahava.144
Dead Sea Laboratories has a plant and a visitor centre in the Mitzpe Shalem settlement in
the West Bank.145
139
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories]”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org),
Last updated 10 October 2010, Viewed in March 2011; Website Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories
(www.ahava.co.il), Viewed in August 2008
140
Intention to float on the London stock exchange - AIM, Ahava - Dead Sea Laboratories, Mitzpe Shalem, 1
October 2007.
141
Website Gaon Holdings (www.gaon.com), Viewed in August 2008.
142
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories]”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org),
Last updated 10 October 2010, Viewed in March 2011.
143
Intention to float on the London stock exchange - AIM, Ahava - Dead Sea Laboratories, Mitzpe Shalem, 1
October 2007.
144
Personal communication by TJ Worlledge, Head of Corporate Finance, Evolution Securities, London, 5
December 2008.
145
Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009;
Website Ahava (http://www.ahava.com/?CategoryID=190&ArticleID=188), Viewed in September 2008;
Concern over Israel settlement exports, BBC, London, 5 November 2008.
-32-
Since 2009 Ahava Dead Sea products are often a target of protests. In August 2009, Oxfam
International stopped publicity involving its ambassador, 'Sex and the City' actress Kristin
Davis, because she was also a spokeswoman for AHAVA Dead Sea Products. The contract
has expired but the campaign against Ahava continues.146 In May 2010, Ahava Dead Sea
products were target of a boycott of settlement-made products by Arab Israelis.147
2.10
Dispobud
Ha’almog Street
P.O. Box 93
Barkan Industrial Park 44820
Israel
T: +972-3-9067733
F: +972-3-9368933
E: info@dispobud.co.il
W: www.dispobud.co.il
Dispobud is a company which manufactures and distributes a wide variety of nonwoven
products, from disposable table covers, disposable clothing and promotional products. Two
private companies, Mega Print and Bold Marketing, are the owners of Dispobud. Its factory is
located in the Barkan Industrial Zone.148
2.11
DiSTeK
7 Sapir Street 149
P.O. Box 72
Barkan, Jerusalem 44820
Israel
Tel: +972-3-9067976 / 9366256
Fax: +972-3-9067976
E-mail: distek@netvision.net.il
Website: www.distekgroup.com
The company DiSTeK develops and manufactures zinc coating technologies for protection of
metal parts. DiSTeK has overseas offices in Austria, Bulgaria, Russia, Scandinavia, South
Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.150
DiSTeK is located in the Barkan Industrial Zone. The company is owned by Isaak (Yitzhak)
Shtikan, the German company N.T.B. AG, Y.T.B. Incentive Technological R&D Center in
Ariel, and the Economic Company of Ariel.151
146
Cheslow, D., “Mr. Khatib Goes to Quebec”, The Jerusalem Report, 7 december 2009.
147
Friedman, R., “Arab Israelis launch boycott of settlement goods. Shopkeepers to post no-buy lists * 'We are
part of the Palestinian people,' Kafr Kana leader declares”, The Jerusalem Post, 6 May 2010.
148
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Dispobud”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 4 October
2009, Viewed in March 2011; Dispobud, “About us”, Website Dispobud (www.dispobud.co.il), Viewed in
March 2011.
149
Website Israeli Industry Center for R&D (www2.matimop.org.il), Viewed in August 2008.
150
Website DiSTeK (www.distekgroup.com), Viewed in August 2008; Website Israeli Industry Center for R&D
(www2.matimop.org.il), Viewed in August 2008.
151
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Distek”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 15 April 2009,
Viewed in March 2011; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied Territories”, Gush
Shalom, 8 March 2009.
-33-
2.12
D.N.M. Technical Equipment and Tools
Haifa branch:
33 Jaffa Street
P.O. Box 681
Haifa 31006
T: +972-4-8523528
E: dnm@bezeqint.net.il
W: www.dnm.co.il
Barkan Branch:
Barkan Industrial Zone
PO Box 48
DN Ephraim 44820
D.N.M. Technical Equipment and Tools is an importer and marketer of heavy technical
equipment and tools for industrial and personal use. One of its two branches is located in the
Barkan Industrial Zone, in the West Bank. Company clients include the Israeli Ministry of
Defence.152
D.N.M. claims on its website to import and market tools of various European companies,
including AEG (Germany), Bosch (Germany), Metabo Power Tools (United Kingdom),
Record Power (United Kingdom), and Bahco (Sweden).153
2.13
Fermentek
Yatziv 25
Atarot Industrial Zone
P.O. Box 47120
Jerusalem 97800
Israel
T: +972-2-5853953
F: +972-2-5853943
E: fermentek@fermentek.com
W: www.fermentek.co.il
Fermentek was founded in 1995 and manufactures bioactive compounds by the means of
fermentation technology. Its products are intended for biological research, in the areas of
molecular biology, applied medical research, and, in bulk amounts, for preclinical trials and
for drug research in a factory in the Atarot settlement. The majority of Fermentek’s produce is
sold to major chemical trading companies who resell it under their own trade names. The
remainder is sold directly to the end-users who apply to Fermentek via the Internet. Among
these are university research institutes, drug research/development companies, and major
pharmaceutical manufacturers.154
152
Coalition of Women for Peace, “D.N.M. Technical Equipment and Tools”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 16 June 2006, Viewed in March 2011; Website DNM (www.dnm.co.il), Viewed in
March 2011.
153
Website DNM (www.dnm.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
154
Fermentek, “About”, Website Fermentek (www.fermentek.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
-34-
Fermentek has 10 employees and a yearly turnover of about US$ 1.5 million. Fermentek is
active in several countries, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom.155
2.14
Frutarom
Frutarom (listed on Tel Aviv and London stock exchange) creates, develops, manufactures
and markets an extensive variety of high quality flavours and fine ingredients for customers
in the food, beverage, functional food (claimed to have health promoting benefits beyond its
nutritional value), flavour, fragrance, pharmaceutical, “nutraceutical” (blend of nutrition and
pharmaceutical), and cosmetic industries.
Frutarom markets and sells over 20,000 products to more than 10,000 customers in 120
countries, has 27 R&D labs and 45 sales and marketing offices throughout the world, and
operates 20 production facilities in the United States, the UK, Switzerland, Germany, Israel,
Turkey and China. Frutarom employs 1,500 employees worldwide. Frutarom's major
shareholder (approximately 37%) is ICC Industries Inc., a New York-based holding company
that operates mainly in the chemical, pharmaceutical and plastic industries. In 2008 revenues
were US$ 473 million at a net profit of 37.2 million. 156
Subsidiaries of Frutarom are based in the USA, UK, Switzerland, Germany, France, Russia,
Nederland, Belgium, China, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan. 157 Its
global marketing organization includes branched in UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Denmark, and France. 158
In June 2007, Frutarom bought the company Adumim Food Additives, a manufacturer of food
additives based in the Mishor Edomim settlements in the West Bank: 159
36 Haruvit Street
Mishor Adumim 90610
Israel
T: +972-2-5353565
E: info@adumim.co.il
Website: www.adumim.co.il
2.15
Golden Ryd Dyl
Golden Ryd Dyl, an Israeli paper and cleaning products importer and distributor, is a supplier
to Lipton, one of Unilever’s brands for beverages. Golden Ryd Dyl is located in Mishor
Edomim Industrial Zone, which is a settlement in the occupied West Bank.160
Golden Ryd Dyl
56 Haruvit Street
155
BioPharmaLink, “Companies”, Website BioPharmaLink (www.biopharmalink.com), Viewed in March 2011.
156
Frutarom, “Our Company”, Website Frutarom (www.frutarom.com), Viewed in March 2011.
157
Frutarom, “Investors – Facts & Figures”, Website Frutarom (www.frutarom.com), Viewed in March 2011.
158
Frutarom, “Frutarom Revenues In 2010 Increased By 8% In Local Currency And 6.1% In Us Dollars To $Us
451.1 M”, Press release Frutarom, 24 March 2011.
159
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Adumim Food Additives”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated
4 July 2009, Viewed in March 2011; Frutarom, “Frutarom acquires Adumim Food Additives' activity”, Press
Release Frutarom, Haifa, 2 July 2007.
160
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Golden Ryd Dyl”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Update 5 March
2008, Viewed in March 2011; GRD, “About us”, Website Golden Ryd Dyl (www.grd.co.il), Viewed in March
2011.
-35-
Mishor Edomim I.Z. 98510
POB 9030
Jerusalem 91096
Israel
T: +972-2-5356060
W: www.grd.co.il
2.16
Greenkote
Greenkote (Israel) Ltd 161
Ha'odem 4
P.O. Box 87
Barkan Industrial Zone
Israel
Tel: +972-3-9368210
Fax: +972-57-7943672
E-mail: info@greenkote.com
Website: www.greenkote.com
Greenkote, formerly Summet Hi-Tech Coatings Ltd, was established in 1999 in Israel as part
of the OCS Incubators Program with the goal of developing first-quality, cost-effective
environmentally-friendly coatings. Greenkote develops, produces and distributes advanced
metal, alloy and plastics coatings. Greenkote has a R&D centre in the Barkan Industrial Zone
settlement. In this centre the Greenkote processes were developed and continue to be
refined. 162
Greenkote has factories in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, India, Mexico and
United States. Customers include Audi, Bosch, Daimler AG, Ford Motor, GE, General
Motors, Hop, Iscar, Motorola, Volkswagen, Whirlpool, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and
TCB in the UK. 163
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, with subsidiaries in UK.
2.17
Hadiklaim - Israel Date Growers’ Cooperative
6 Harutz Street
Tel Aviv 67060
Israel
T: +972-3-6389555
F: +972-3-6885999
W: www.hadiklaim.com
161
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Greenkote (Summet Hitech Coatings”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 11 June 2008, Viewed in March 2011.
162
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Greenkote (Summet Hitech Coatings”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 11 June 2008, Viewed in March 2011; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from
Settlement in the Occupied Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009; Greenkote, “About Us”, Website
Greenkote (www.greenkote.com), Viewed in March 2011.
163
Greenkote, “About Us” and “Contact Us” , Website Greenkote (www.greenkote.com), Viewed in March
2011.
-36-
Hadiklaim - Israel Date Growers’ Cooperative Ltd. exports dates from Israel and from the
occupied territories, especially Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley. In interviews
Hadiklaim’s CEO names the occupied sections of the Jordan Valley as one of the major
areas in which dates are grown.164 Besides harvesting dates from West Bank settlements,
the company is also reported to use cheap Palestinian labor, even children, under harsh
working conditions.165
The company has three brand names - Jordan River, Jordan River Bio-Top and King
Solomon - but also sells under the private labels of supermarket chains. Its main packing
houses are "Zemach Tmarim", located in Zemach near the Kineret, "Tamar Shean" in Beit
Shean and "Ardom Tmarim" in Eilat. 166
Hadiklaim's marketing is handled by Israeli export company Almog Tradex Ltd (Mr. Chezi
Almog) to clients such as Migros, Coop, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury, Tesco, Waitrose,
Safeway.167 On its website Hadiklaim states that some of its “largest customers are leading
retail chains in the UK and the US”. The main European countries selected for this research
are all amongst Hadiklaim’s destinations. 168
2.18
Keter Plastic
2 Sapir Street
Hertzliya Industrial Zone 46852
Israel
T: +972-9-9591212
E: keter@keter.co.il
W: www.keter.com
The Israeli company Keter Plastics is a large manufacturer of plastic indoor and garden
furniture, shelving systems, tool boxes and storage products for the do-it-yourself market. It
also produces household products and kitchen utensils, polyurethane insulated camping
products, refuse containers, electronic bathroom and kitchen scales, bathroom accessories,
toilet seats, juvenile products and a complete line of sanitary fittings. 169
Keter Plastics is owned by Israeli businessman Sami Sagol and his family. In 2007, sales by
Keter Group, including related companies, surpassed $1.1 billion, 90% of which derived from
overseas sales. Sales in 2008 were forecast to reach US$ 1.1 billion. Keter Plastics
contributed $450 million to the Group’s turnover. The Keter Group manufactures its products
in Israel, Europe and the USA in 29 factories with 2,500 employees and operates sales
offices and representatives in 90 countries. Keter Israel operates its own chain of retail
stores.170
164
Quotes taken from websites Ynet (www.ynet.co.il) and Anahnu (www.anahnu.com) and translated from
Hebrew by the Coalition of Women for Peace, Tel Aviv.
165
Lendman, S., "Israeli Occupation Supportive Companies to Boycott", The Palestine Chronicle, 3 February
2010.
166
Hadiklaim, “Company Overview’, Website Hadiklaim (www.hadiklaim.com), Viewed in March 2011.
167
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Hadiklaim – Israel Date Growers’ Cooperative”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 23 November 2008, Viewed in March 2011; Website Fruit Logistica Virtual
Market Place (www.virtualmarket.fruitlogistica.de), Viewed in August 2008.
168
Hadiklaim, “Company Customers”, Website Hadiklaim (www.hadiklaim.com), Viewed in March 2011.
169
Duns 100, “Company profile Keter”, Website Dun & Bradstreet Israel (duns100.dundb.co.il), Viewed in
March 2011.
170
Duns 100, “Company profile Keter”, Website Dun & Bradstreet Israel (duns100.dundb.co.il), Viewed in
March 2011.
-37-
Keter Group is the largest supplier of plastic household products to the European market,
after the acquisitions of French company Allibert and Dutch company Curver in 2004 and
2005.171 Allibert runs production facilities in France and Belgium producing bathroom
accessories, household storage containers, custom thermoformed products and garden
furniture. Curver produces plastic home and food storage, cleaning, closet organization,
laundry, bathroom- and refuse-removal products. The company runs plants in Poland and
Hungary.172
Besides Allibert and Curver, Keter Group subsidiaries are Jardin (the Netherlands),
Lotemplast (51%) and Mckit (50%). Furthermore, it is controlling shareholder of the Merhav
Group and it holds 6.67% of Israel Petrochemical Enterprises. Keter sells its products under
the brand names of these subsidiaries and also under Black and Decker.173
Figure 5.
A collection of trademarks and brands of the Keter Group
Keter Plastics and its subsidiaries have about 2,000 employees at two offices and 13
manufacturing locations in Israel. Since it has closed its storage products factory in the
Teradion Industrial Zone near Karmiel, manufacturing of storage products is now limited
solely to Keter's main plant in Karmiel.174
171
Lauzon, M., “Keter buys rival Allibert”, Plastics News. 5 January 2004; Lauzon, M. ,”Keter owners acquire
Curver”, Plastics News, 17 January 2005; Newell Rubbermaid, “Newell Rubbermaid Completes Sale of
Curver”, Press release Newell Rubbermaid, Atlanta, 1 June 2005.
172
Author unknown, “Dutch Company Information Ownership Structures. Jardin International Holding B.V.”,
LexisNexis Benelux, 18 July 2009.
173
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Keter Plastic (Keter Group)”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org),
Updated 14 July 2010, Viewed in March 2011.
174
Gross Englander, Y. (23 November 2008). Keter closes factory and fires 200. Globes Online: Israel’s
Business Arena. Retrieved August 2009 from www.globes-online.com.
-38-
Keter and its subsidiary Lipski, operate two factories in the Barkan Industrial Park
(Hashoham Street 11), located in the occupied West Bank.175 It is unclear which products are
manufactured at these locations.
2.19
Mehadrin Group
Power Center 1
Be'erot Yitzaq 60905
Israel
T: +972-3-9371371
F: +972-3-9371372
E: export@mtex.co.il
W: www.mtex.co.il
The Mehadrin Group is a large agricultural enterprise in Israel active in fruit and vegetable
cultivation, packing and cooling services, marketing, export and real estate. The Group’s
income amounted to NIS 845 million, with profits of NIS 43 million, in 2008. 176
An important subsidiary is Mehadrin Tnuport Export (MTex). With over 8,500 hectares of
agricultural holdings, MTex is Israel’s largest grower and exporter of citrus as well as other
fruits and vegetables. In Israel, MTEX markets citrus fruit under the Pri-Or brand, supplying
20% of the domestic market. Furthermore, MTEX is the leading supplier of JAFFA citrus,
handling over 200,000 tons of citrus and tropical fruit annually. The company has annual
sales of approximately US$ 200 million with over 65% of the produce exported globally to all
continents. Key destinations currently include the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan.
MTEX has branches in Sweden, France, Netherlands and United Kingdom.177
Since July 2007, MTex has exported Medjoul dates, which are grown in Israel’s Jordan
Valley.178 MTex is also one of the largest suppliers of the Jaffa brand. Grapes and dates
come from amongst others the settlement of Beqa’ot, but are labelled ‘Produce of Israel’ in
French, German and English. 179
Signs of MTex were seen on a packing house for grapes in the settlement of Beka’ot in the
Jordan Valley. The company has various subsidiaries of which Mehadrin Thnuport Marketing
UK, MTEX U.K Food Service (100%) and Topgro U.K (50%) are located in the United
Kingdom and MTEX Holland in the Netherlands. The Mehadrin Group also holds 50% of
Miriam Shoham, that owns a packing house for mangos in the Golan Heights. 180
175
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Keter Plastic (Keter Group)”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org),
Updated 14 July 2010, Viewed in March 2011; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the
Occupied Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009.
176
Duns 100, “Company profile The Mehadrin Group”, Website Dun & Bradstreet Israel (duns100.dundb.co.il),
Viewed in March 2011.
177
MTex, “Home” and “About us”, Website Mehadrin Tnuport Export Company (www.mtex.co.il), Viewed in
March 2011; Duns 100, “Company profile The Mehadrin Group”, Website Dun & Bradstreet Israel
(duns100.dundb.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
178
MTex voegt Medjoul-dadels toe aan het assortiment (MTex adds Medjoul dates to its line of products),
AGF, Tholen, 5 July 2007.
179
Corporate Watch, “Mehadrin’s business in Beqa’ot settlement – and Tesco’s Complicity”, Corporate Watch
Research Blogs, 18 May 2010
180
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Mehadrin Group”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 12
December 2010, Viewed in March 2011; Duns 100, “Company profile The Mehadrin Group”, Website Dun
& Bradstreet Israel (duns100.dundb.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
-39-
2.20
Mul-T-Lock
P.O. Box 637
81104 Yavne
Israel
Telephone: +972-8-9424333
Fax: +972-8-9424609
E-mail: hanita_b@mul-t-lock
Website: www.mul-t-lock.com
Barkan plant: 181
Ha'inbar 15
P.O. Box 36
Barkan I.Z.
Mul-T-Lock Ltd. is an Israeli producer of high-security cylinders, locks and padlocks for
institutional, commercial, industrial and residential applications. The company also develops,
manufactures and supplies a wide range of key cutting machines. Mul-T-Lock has various
subsidiaries in the United States and Europe, as well as one in the United Kingdom. Of MulT-Lock’s 690 employees, about 360 work in Israel.182
The company’s main factory was located on Ha’inbar Street in the Barkan Industrial Park in
the occupied West Bank. Barkan is part of the Israeli settlement Ariel, located 40 km east of
Tel Aviv and 10 km inside the West Bank. Mul-T-Lock’s manufacturing plant in the Barkan
Industrial Park was opened by Rav-Bariach, the company’s former owner, in 1984 and was
acquired by Assa Abloy in 2000.183
Following a report by Swedish organisations, Assa Abloy announced in October 2008 that it
will move the Mul-T-Lock plant out of the settlements.184 One year later, Mul-T-Lock came to
the conclusion that it is necessary to completely rebuild the plant at another location and
decided to move to Modi’in, within Israel but near the border with Palestine. The relocation is
expected to be fully complete in 2011.185
181
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Mul-T-Lock (formerly Rav Bariach)”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org),
Updated 10 June 2008, Viewed in March 2011.
182
Mul-T-Lock. Retrieved July 2009 from www.mul-t-lock.com. Assa Abloy. Retrieved July 2009 from
www.assaabloy.com; Wohlfeil, J. et al (October 2008). Illegal Ground - Assa Abloy’s business in occupied
Palestinian territory. SwedWatch Report No. 22. Retrieved July 2009 from
www.swedwatch.org/swedwatch/layout/set/print/content/view/full/256
183
Mul-T-Lock. Retrieved July 2009 from www.mul-t-lock.com; Assa Abloy. Retrieved July 2009 from
www.assaabloy.com; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied Territories”, Gush
Shalom, 8 March 2009; Wohlfeil, J. et al (October 2008). Illegal Ground - Assa Abloy’s business in
occupied Palestinian territory. SwedWatch Report No. 22.
184
Associated Press. (21 October 2008) Lock maker Assa Abloy to move West Bank plant. Assa Abloy. (2009)
Sustainability Report 2008. Retrieved from www.assaabloy.com/en/com/About-ASSAABLOY/Sustainability/News/Sustainability-Report-2008/
185
Telephone conversation with Ann Holmberg, Corporate Communication Manager, Assa Abloy, 10 August
2009; Assa Abloy, Sustainability Report 2009”, Assa Abloy, April 2010.
-40-
Trade and investments
Mul-T-Lock has subsidiaries in UK, USA, France, Canada, Czeck Republic, Argentina and
Turkey. 186
2.21
Oppenheimer Manufacturing and Marketing
Hamifalot Street 13
Atarot I.Z.
Jerusalem 97800
T: 972-2-6566691
Oppenheimer produces and exports chocolate products and sweets. It is owned by Ya’akov
Yakav and Shim’on Ben Simhon. Yakav is also CEO, together with David Mendel. The
company is located in the industrial zone of Atarot in the West Bank. 187
In May 2010, Oppenheimer chocolates were target of a boycott of settlement-made products
by Arab Israelis.188
2.22
Ofertex Industries
P.O. Box 30
Industrial Zone Barkan 44820
Israel
T: +972-3-9366567
F: +972-3-9068296
E: info@ofertex.com
W: www.ofertex.com
Ofertex Industries (1997) Ltd. manufactures cloths by non-woven stitch bonding (zigzag)
technology. The plant, located in the Barkan Industrial Zone in the occupied West Bank, 189
recycles textile waste into various consumer goods, with floor cloths, bathmats and variety of
innovative cleaning cloths being the company's main products. The products are packaged
and supplied to distributors and large marketing chains in various countries around the world
under the brand names of large retailers, as Ofertex attends the exhibition of the Private
Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA). The company has customers in France, Italy, the
Netherlands, and various other European countries, North America, Latin America and
Australia. 190
186
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Mul-T-Lock (formerly Rav Bariach)”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org),
Updated 10 June 2008, Viewed in March 2011
187
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Oppenheimer Manufacturing and Marketing”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 5 August 2008, Viewed in March 2011; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from
Settlement in the Occupied Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009.
188
Friedman, R., “Arab Israelis launch boycott of settlement goods. Shopkeepers to post no-buy lists * 'We are
part of the Palestinian people,' Kafr Kana leader declares”, The Jerusalem Post, 6 May 2010.
189
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Ofertex Industries”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 1
October 2009, Viewed in March 2011; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied
Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009; Israel Exporter, “Ofertex Industries”, Website Israel Exporter
(http://www.israelexporter.com/ofertex), Viewed in March 2011.
190
Ofertex, “Customers”, Website Ofertex Industries (www.ofertex.com), Viewed in March 2011; Israel
Exporter, “Ofertex Industries”, Website Israel Exporter (http://www.israelexporter.com/ofertex), Viewed in
March 2011.
-41-
2.23
Shamir Salads
E: export.deckel@shamirsalads.co.il
W: www.shamir-salads.com
Shamir Salads is a producer of ready-made salads. Its factory has the ability to produce 700
tons a month and the capacity to deliver 1800 tons of salads.191 It is located in the Barkan
Industrial Zone. It has been exposed as deliberately mislabelling their settlement produce. In
March 2001, for instance, Gush Shalom found products in the Netherlands, labelled as
‘made in Israel’. From an interview with a former Palestinian worker, Corporate Watch also
reported that people worked seven days a week, made many overtime hours and were paid
below Israeli minimum wage.192
In January 2008, 51% of Shamir Salads was bought by G. Willi-Food, Israel’s largest food
importer and a supplier of an extensive range of quality kosher food products. Willi-Food’s
current product list includes some 400 food products.193
2.24
SodaStream
Israeli Main Office
Gilboa Street
P.O. Box 280
70151 Ben-Gurion Airport
Israel
Telephone: 1-800-300-100 / +972-3-976-2451
Fax: +972-3-9736660
Website: www.sodaclub.com
SodaStream International (formerly known as Soda-Club Holdings) is engaged in developing,
manufacturing and marketing home beverage carbonation systems and related products,
such as soda makers, exchangeable carbon-dioxide (CO2) cylinders, and consumables,
consisting of CO2 refills, reusable carbonation bottles and flavors. The company claims to
control 80% of this specific world market. The company has annual sales of about $150
million (€120 million), 35,000 points of sale and 700 employees worldwide. The English
businessman Peter Wiseburgh, started the company in Israel in the 1970s.194
SodaStream products are exported to 39 countries worldwide, including the European
countries Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain,
191
Shamir Salads, “Company Profile”, Website Shamir Salads (www.shamir-salads.com/Eng), Viewed in
March 2011.
192
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Shamir Salads”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 17 June
2008, Viewed in March 2011; Indymedia, “Corporate Watch: Working for Shamir Salads in Barkan industrial
zone”, Website Indymedia, 22 May 2010; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied
Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009; Gush Shalom, “Shamir Salads' false label”, Press release Gush
Shalom, 27 March 2010.
193
Indymedia, “Corporate Watch: Working for Shamir Salads in Barkan industrial zone”, Website Indymedia,
22 May 2010; Willi-Food, “About us – Background”, Website G. Willi-Food (www.willi-food.co.il), Viewed in
March 2011.
194
Gregoor, R. (16 February 2005) Breda werkt! - Soda Club bedient vanuit Breda half Europa (Breda works! Soda Club serves half of Europe from Breda). BN/DeStem. Retrieved September 2006 from
www.lexisnexis.nl; Soda-Club. Retrieved August 2009 from www.sodaclub.com; Soda-Club Enterprises
NV. [Curacao Chamber of Commerce company registry extract, File No. 57427]. Retrieved 3 August 2009
from www.curacao-chamber.an/info/4a1_3_5.html
-42-
Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom. In Germany, its distributor Brita imports and
markets products of SodaStream. In Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, SodaStream is
distributed by Empire. Its products are sold under the SodaStream name in most countries,
and under the Soda-Club name or select other names in certain other countries. SodaStream
sells its products through more than 35,000 retail stores, including Macy’s, Bed Bath and
Beyond, Bloomingdale’s, Sears, Kmart, Coop, Carrefour, Gal and Gal, Edeka, and Migros.195
Following a financial crisis, Soda-Club was taken over by Fortissimo Capital Fund in 2007, a
fund that invests in technology companies in “special situations” and controlled by the Israeli
Yuval Cohen. The fund’s main investors are Israeli institutional investors, including Bank
Leumi Gemel provident fund. In 2008, Plenus Mezzanine Fund lent Soda Club Group NIS 33
million. Another important shareholder was Real Property Investments, a Liberian company
controlled by the British Conrad Morris. 196
As of November 2010, the company has gone public and its shares are traded on NASDAQ.
Under the name Soda-Club Enterprises, it has legal headquarters in the Netherlands Antilles.
Other major subsidiaries are Soda Club International BV (Netherlands), Soda Club Wordwide
BV (Netherlands), Soda Club GmbH (Germany) and SodaStream Industries (Israel).197
195
ABN, “Oppenheimer (NYSE: OPY) Initiates Coverage on Sodastream International (NASDAQ: SODA)”,
American Banking News, 14 December 2010; Who Profits, “SodaStream. A Case Study for Corporate
Activity in Illegal Israeli Settlements”, Who Profits / Coalition of Women for Peace, A Case Study No. 1,
January 2011.
196
Feldman, B., “Fortissimo Capital to raise new fund”, Globes – Israel’s Business Arena, 27 April 2008;
Habib-Valdhorn, S., “SodaStream files for Nasdaq IPO; The home soda company wants to raise $95 million
at a company value of $336 million”, Globes – Israel Business Arena, 19 October 2010; Shlomo, G.,
“Institutional investors invest NIS 11.5b in private equity”, Globes – Israel’s Business Arena, 12 August
2008; Who Profits, “SodaStream. A Case Study for Corporate Activity in Illegal Israeli Settlements”, Who
Profits / Coalition of Women for Peace, A Case Study No. 1, January 2011.
197
Habib-Valdhorn, S., “SodaStream files for Nasdaq IPO; The home soda company wants to raise $95 million
at a company value of $336 million”, Globes – Israel Business Arena, 19 October 2010; Who Profits,
“SodaStream. A Case Study for Corporate Activity in Illegal Israeli Settlements”, Who Profits / Coalition of
Women for Peace, A Case Study No. 1, January 2011..
-43-
Figure 6.
The structure of SodaStream
Who Profits, “SodaStream. A Case Study for Corporate Activity in Illegal Israeli
Settlements”, Who Profits / Coalition of Women for Peace, A Case Study No. 1, January
2011
Activities in settlements
Since July 1996, the main production plant of the company has been located in Ma’aleh
Adumim, an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, employing 300 people.198 But in
May 2003, the company announced it would relocate some operations to Ashkelon in Israel.
The company did this because the EU does not recognize exports from beyond the Green
Line as Israeli exports and seeks to levy full import taxes on them. The factory in Ashkelon
was opened in July 2003.199
198
Author unknown, “Soda Club Leases 13,000 SqM in Mishor Edomim for $3.25 per SqM”, Globes Online, 30
July 1996.
199
Coren, O., “Soda Club exits territories under EU pressure”, Haaretz, 4 May 2003.
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However, Soda-Club still operates the plant in Ma'aleh Adumim.200 The carbonation devices
are produced in Ma'aleh Adumim, while the production of syrup mixes takes place at the
plant in Ashkelon.201
In May 2009, Soda-Club employed 450 people in the factory in Maale Adumim, including
Israelis, recent immigrants from the Soviet Union, Ethiopians, Palestinians, Israeli Arabs, 18
Bedouins, and even 40 Darfur refugees. "We are doing the best we can to create
coexistence among different types of people who work in the factory," says CEO of the SodaClub Group Birnbaum.202
Apart from the location of the factory, poor working conditions are another problem.
According to Salwa Alenat, the West Bank coordinator for Kav LaOved, an independent
Israeli labour organisation, Palestinian workers say they are discriminated against. “They
don’t even make half the minimum wage and working conditions are poor. If they demand
their rights, they will be fired. This is the story at many factories in this area but Soda-Club’s
factory is one of the worst," Alenat said.203
Following a case study on SodaStream by WhoProfits from the Occupation?, a research
project by the Coalition of Women for Peace, some sources are stating that SodaStream will
be moving the plant to a new location within the Green Line. Again, it is unclear whether
production in the West Bank will stop, as it “depends on the political atmosphere and the
company's needs," says CEO Daniel Birnbaum.204
The Hamburg Finance Court was asked in July 2009 to decide whether Soda-Club devices
made in Ma’ale Adumim can be imported into the European Union duty-free, like all other
Israeli industrial products. The judges have been asked to reach a decision concerning
€19,155.46 for imported Soda-Club water-carbonating machines and syrup from Ma’ale
Adumim by Brita GmbH, a distributor of Soda-Club devices since 1995. The company
labelled the products as being "Made in Israel", and claimed that they should consequently
be exempt from customs duties.
200
Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009;
William, H., “CODEPINK Activists Protest AIPAC at DC Confab”, The Washington Report on Middle East
Affairs, May / June 2010.
201
Personal communication Susan Rockwell, Matttin, October 2005.
202
Snyder, T. and S. Writer, “Homemade Egg Cream, Anyone?”, The New York Jewish Week, 6 March 2009.
203
Diakonia, “Radio broadcast translation of ‘Soda Stream manufactured in West Bank’ at Ekot-National
Swedish Radio”, Diakonia Regional Office (www.business-humanrights.org), 31 October 2008.
204
Kepler, T., “SodaStream to Open Plant within Green Line, but Not Closing Settlement Operation”,
Alternative Information Center (AIC), 03 March 2011.
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The underlying question in this case is whether Germany and the EU should accept the way
Israel handles imports from the occupied territories. The Hamburg court has consulted with
the European Court of Justice about obtaining a "preliminary ruling" that would settle the
issue in a binding manner for all 27 EU member states. If the court decides that a customs
duty can be levied, it will be tantamount to handing down a decision against Israel's
settlement policy.205 A hearing took place on September 2009, before the Fourth Chamber of
the European Court of Justice. On October 29, 2009, the top legal advisor to Europe's
highest court said that preferential EU trade terms with Israel may not apply to goods and
services emanating from the Palestinian territories: "In Advocate General (Yves) Bot's
opinion, products originating from the occupied territories are not entitled to preferential
customs treatment under a European Union agreement with Israel.”206 Bot also concluded
that preferential tariffs there may apply "only if the certificates of origin necessary are issued,
in accordance with that agreement, by the Palestinian authorities."207 In October 2009,
after Advocate General Yves Bot submitted his final application, the five judges began their
deliberations. A decision is expected in spring 2010.208
Meanwhile, Soda-Club is ignoring the problem. When asked for Soda-Club's reaction to
people criticizing it for manufacturing its products in a settlement, marketing director Asaf
Snear said, "Soda-Club is an apolitical company."209
2.25
Tip Top Toys Star
15 Mendes Street
Ramat Gan 52653
Israel
T: +972 3 9364121
W: www.interstar.co.il
Tip Top Toys Star (91) Ltd is an Israeli producer of high quality educational toys. The
company was established in 1991 by Uri Barazani. Its main product line is the plastic
Interstar construction system.210
The factory of Tip Top Toys is located in the Barkan Industrial Zone in the occupied West
Bank (Sapir 28, Barkan 44820).211
Interstar toys are sold via Amazon, which has online stores in Canada, China, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan and United Kingdom. 212
205
Best, R. and Schult, C., “Will EU penalize exports from Israeli settlements?”, Spiegel Online International,
14 July 2009.
206
Court of Justice of the European Communities, “In Advocate General Bot’s opinion, products originating
from the occupied territories are not entitled to preferential customs treatment under the EC-Israel
Agreement”, Press release Court of Justice of the European Communities, 29 October 2009.
207
AFP, “EU-Israel trade terms can’t apply to occupied areas: EU advisor” EU Business, 29 October 2009.
208
Kolb, V.M., “Europäischer Gerichtshof zu Soda-Club. Ärger um Sprudler aus Nahost. (European Court
versus Soda-Club. Anger at bubbler from the Middle East)”, Suddeutsche Zeitung, 3 September 2009.
209
Best, R. And Schult, C., “Will EU penalize exports from Israeli settlements?”, Spiegel Online International,
14 July 2009.
210
Tip Top Toys Star, “About us”, Website Tip Top Toys (www.interstar.co.il), Viewed in March 2011.
211
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Ram Quality Products B.R. (Tip Top Toys Star)”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 14 September 2009, Viewed in March 2011; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from
Settlements in the Occupied Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009.
212
Amazon, “Interstar Master Builder”, Website Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk), Viewed in March 2011.
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2.26
Tishbi Estate Winery
33 Hameyasdim St.
Zichron Yaakov 30900
Israel
T: +972-4-6380434/5
F: +972-4-6380223
E: tishbi_w@netvision.net.il
W: www.tishbi.com
Tishbi Estate Winery is a family-owned medium-sized winery in Zichron Yaakov. One of the
company’s vineyards is located in Gush Etzion, a block of settlements in the occupied West
Bank. Its subsidiary, called Gush Etzion Wineries, has wineries in the settlement of Efrata.213
The wines are sold under the Jonathan Tishbi, Tishbi and Tishbi Estate brand names, in
various European countries (France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United
Kingdom), Canada and South Africa.214
2.27
Twitoplast
3 Gazit Street Segula Industrial Zone
Petach-Tikva 49279
T: +972-3-9345888
E: export@twitoplast.co.il
W: www.twitoplast.co.il
Twitoplast is a privately owned company focusing on the development and manufacture of
plastic accessories, primarily for the air conditioning market. Twitoplast is owned by Israel
Twito and Shoshana Twito. Twitoplast has a production facility in the Barkan Industrial Zone
in the occupied West Bank. It exports to 25 countries, amongst others to France, Germany,
Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom.215
2.28
Yardeni
Yardeni
2 Inbar
Industrial Zone Barkan
P.O.B. 24
Petah Tikva
44820
Israel
T: +(972)-3-9365000,
E: yardeni@yardenilocks.co.il
W: www.yardenilocks.co.il
213
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Tishbi Estate Winery (Habaron Wine Cellars)”, Website Who Profits?
(whoprofits.org), Updated 22 February 2009, Viewed in March 2011
214
Tishbi, “Wine Store” and “Distributors”, Website Tishbi Estate Winery (www.tishbi.com), Viewed in March
2011.
215
Website Twitoplast (www.twitoplast.co.il), Viewed in August 2008; Coalition of Women for Peace,
“Twitoplast”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated 21 April 2010, Viewed in March 2011; IEICI,
“Israeli Exporters Catalog”, Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute (www.export.gov.il),
Viewed in March 2011.
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Yardeni Locks Ltd. is a manufacturer of high quality locks and locking cylinder mechanisms.
The company produces a wide range of locks for practically all requirements of OEM,
contractors, locksmiths, and DIY stores. It has 120 employees and annual sales between
US$ 2.5 and 5 million. Yardeni exports about 70% of its products.216
Yardeni Locks has a factory in the Barkan Industrial Zone in the West Bank.217
216
Website Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute (www.export.gov.il), Viewed in August 2008;
Website Alibaba (www.alibaba.com), Viewed in August 2008.
217
Coalition of Women for Peace, “Yardeni Locks Holdings”, Website Who Profits? (whoprofits.org), Updated
16 April 2009, Viewed in March 2011; Gush Shalom, “List of Products from Settlement in the Occupied
Territories”, Gush Shalom, 8 March 2009; Personal communication Coalition of Women for Peace, Tel
Aviv, September 2008; Website Dun & Bradstreet Israel (duns100.dundb.co.il), Viewed in August 2008.
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