Politics Why can’t we all just get along?
Shalom, and Assalamu alaikum to you. There: approximately 0.5% of this story and 0.75% of it are made in Israel and Palestine, respectively, now go ahead and burn your monitor down, whatever your views. Or never open a Tatler again, see if we care. This, readers, is an approximation of the position in which most of our major retailers find themselves, assailed for the support of one side or another by virtue of where they get their avocados or their hummus. While groups like Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) are decrying Pick n Pay and Woolworths for their perceived support of Israel in these difficult days, Woolworths point out that less than 0.1% of their product is sourced from Palestine or Israel, with Pick n Pay suggesting similar numbers on their side. As both reasonably aver, all product is labelled with its country of origin and shoppers are free to make their choices, thus informed.
Comment: The conflict in the Middle East seems characterised by a deep and petrified cynicism on both sides, and this cynicism has found a home in the protesters back home.