Carrefour surrenders to BDS, refuses to open branches in Judea and Samaria

Pro-Palestinian groups pressured the supermarket chain over concerns it was supporting “illegal settlement policy in the Palestinian territories”.

By World Israel News Staff

French supermarket chain Carrefour has announced that its entry into the Israeli market will not include the opening of branches in Judea and Samaria.

Following the opening of 50 stores in Israel in May, various parties, including pro-Palestinian shareholders, activists from the anti-Israel BDS movement, and trade unions, questioned at the last shareholder meeting if the move would make the company “complicit” in what one shareholder termed “illegal settlement policy in the Palestinian territories”.

This, despite the fact that the supermarket chain operates in Iran for the past ten years.

Pro-Palestinian protesters also gathered outside the venue of the shareholder general meeting.

Carrefour General Secretary Laurent Vallée responded to the concerns by saying that no branches would be opened in Judea and Samaria.

“No Carrefour store will be present in the territories mentioned,” and that “there is no complicity, and we are taking care to prevent any risk.”

The BDS movement has long been lobbying the UN to Electra Consumer Products, with which Carrefour is partnered in Israel, to a database on companies that operate in Judea and Samaria.

Carrefour, which is headquartered in France, has become a retail industry titan thanks to its low prices and branded non-food items, such as cleaning supplies, toiletries and other household goods.

The company already operates in 50 countries, boasting some 14,000 locations across the globe.

The opening in Israel was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Economy Minister Nir Barkat.