Boycotting of Israeli products grows in Germany, across Europe, and Japan

In addition to boycotts already underway across much of Europe, shifting political views in Germany are now leading towards increased calls to boycott Israeli products, despite Germany’s consistent support for Israel in the past few decades.

“There’s been a major shift in sentiment against us in Germany in recent weeks, driven by public opinion around the Gaza war,” Israeli agriculture exporter Ofer Levin told Ynet News.

“We’re nearing the end of our sales season there, and we’ve been subtly told that Aldi won’t carry us anymore,” he said. “Officially, they say it's because there’s fresh local produce now, but when you dig deeper, it’s political. Aldi has decided to stop selling Israeli goods on its shelves.”

One farmer told Ynet News that the accusation of “genocide” is leading people to avoid Israeli products:

“One of my German packers told me, ‘I love you guys, I need your product, I’ve known the Israeli farmers for years – but the retailer's buyer told me it’s hard to place Produce of Israel on the shelf when the newspaper headline reads genocide. It’s weighing on us.’ I understand them. Still, the Germans have stuck to their purchasing schedules – so far.”

Other countries with strong boycott movements against Israel include France, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium and others.

Levin said that views on Israel in Japan are also causing problems for those selling Israeli products there.

“A Japanese customer told us we should be cautious about shipping Israeli produce there – the perception of Israeli goods in Japanese society is becoming problematic,” he said.

Co-Op, a UK grocery store chain, has also officially boycotted Israeli products, putting Israel on a list of boycotted countries that includes North Korea and Somalia.

“We are committed, where we can, to removing products and ingredients that come from countries where there is an international consensus that their values are incompatible with ours,” the company said.

In America, boycotts against Israel are also not uncommon, with the Democratic candidate for mayor of NYC Zohran Mamdani openly supporting the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

“My support for BDS is consistent with the core of my politics, which is nonviolence, and I think that it is a legitimate movement when you are seeking to find compliance with international law,” Mamdani has said.