UK Retail Giant Bans Israeli Goods, Stocks Palestinian Beer
The Co-op's decision to stock Palestinian Sun & Stone lager from Taybeh Brewing in 1,600 UK stores starting September 10, follows a ban on Israeli products, aligning with the BDS movement and raising concerns about one-sided narratives and rising antisemitism.
Amid the troubling surge in antisemitism and the social media's push for pro-Palestinian causes, often echoing Hamas propaganda while ignoring the reality of Israels war on Hamas. This trend is exemplified by the Co-op, a major UK retailer, announcing plans to stock Sun & Stone lager from Palestine’s Taybeh Brewing in 1,600 stores starting September 10, just weeks after banning Israeli products across its 2,300 stores and 6,000 wholesale outlets. The decision, driven by a May vote where 73% of Co-op members supported ending trade with Israel, aligns with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, raising alarms about one-sided narratives.
The Co-op’s move follows its June designation of Israel as one of 17 “countries of concern” for alleged human rights abuses in Gaza. Since 2007, the retailer has avoided products from Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, but the recent blanket ban reflects growing pressure from BDS activists. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign hailed the decision as a “seismic victory,” praising Co-op’s “moral courage” in addressing Israel’s “gross human rights abuses” and urging other supermarkets to follow.
Taybeh Brewing, founded in 1994 in the West Bank village of Taybeh, partners with Scotland’s Brewgooder to produce the lager, bypassing export challenges like checkpoint delays and customs restrictions under Israeli control. James Hughes, Brewgooder’s co-founder, said, “When we first read about Taybeh, we were completely moved by their resilience. They’re incredible people who deserve to have their story told and their beer enjoyed around the world.” He added, “We see this as a chance not just to stand by a brewery we admire, but to also share a perspective of Palestine that is not often seen, while helping to support humanitarian aid in Gaza and elsewhere where the suffering is unimaginably unjust.”
Paul Gerrard, Co-op’s director of campaigns, public affairs, and policy, stated, “We have a longstanding legacy of supporting communities and know the positive impact co-operation can have in fostering long-term recovery in regions affected by conflict. The Brewgooder and Taybeh beer is such a great initiative to support economic stability, and we’re proud to be able to sell the beer in our stores and donate the profits.”
Critics argue that such actions, amplified by companies jumping on the pro-Palestinian bandwagon, often sideline Israel’s perspective and fuel antisemitism. The Board of Deputies of British Jews condemned the Co-op’s boycott, warning it undermines peace efforts. The selective focus on Palestinian narratives, without addressing Hamas’s role in violence or Israel’s security concerns, risks perpetuating a skewed view of the conflict, further creating discourse and emboldening anti-Semitic sentiments globally.