Boycott Puma for its complicity in Israeli apartheid | Op-Ed
Photo Credit: BDS Movement
Written by: Marion Kawas
Palestine solidarity groups and their supporters in Canada have come together to highlight the #BoycottPuma-Give Puma the Boot campaign. In October, activists from multiple cities participated with solidarity photos and messages; in Vancouver, there was a flash picket at the Puma outlet store. A second wave of social media actions happened the last week of November as holiday shopping went into full swing.
Global sportswear manufacturer Puma is involved in violations of international law and Palestinian human rights. Puma is the main sponsor of the Israel Football Association (IFA), which includes teams in Israel’s illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land. The Puma logo is proudly highlighted on the website of the Israel Football Association.
On December 9th, a letter was sent to Puma officials in Canada and the U.S. calling on them to end this sponsorship. The letter was endorsed by over 25 Canadian organizations, including unions like CUPW and Vancouver & District Labour Council, student clubs at various universities and a wide range of social justice groups.
Furthermore, Puma’s current exclusive licensee in Israel is Delta Galil Industries, which is listed on the United Nations database of companies that are complicit in, or profit from, illegal settlement activity. Puma, in their response to the Dec. 9th letter, stated that the contract with Delta Galil expires at the end of 2020 and there is a new distribution contract with Al Srad Ltd, that “does..not have any operations or branches in settlements”. That is encouraging, but does not change the fact that Puma is still a sponsor of the Israel Football Association IFA. An association that Puma acknowledged in their own letter includes teams from illegal settlements.
As Canada Palestine Association said in their reply: “Having the Puma logo proudly displayed on the IFA website connects your company with this egregious violation of international law. To claim that Puma does not directly put jerseys on the backs of players in those specific illegal settlement teams in no way alleviates that complicity.”
One important thing all pro-Palestine supporters can do is to refuse to buy Puma products until they end their complicity with Israeli apartheid and stop sponsoring the IFA. This holiday season, make sure to keep Puma out of your shopping cart.
Following is the original letter sent to Puma with the list of endorsing organizations.
“December 9, 2020
Mr. Maguire, Senior VP, Canada
Mr. Philion, CEO, Puma North America
People in Canada have recently come together to send the message that we should all be concerned about Puma’s involvement in violations of international law and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Folks from Vancouver to Calgary to Toronto have gone on social media to express their concerns and to say #BoycottPuma until it stops legitimizing Israeli apartheid.
Why? Because Puma is the main sponsor of the Israel Football Association (IFA), which includes teams in Israel’s illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land. In addition, Puma’s exclusive licensee in Israel is Delta Galil Industries, which has branches in those same illegal Israeli settlements.
We join with other consumers in Canada and around the world in letting you know that we will not purchase Puma products until the company stops these unethical practices, and until the Puma logo is no longer featured on the website for the Israel Football Association. The first sentence in your “Code of Conduct” is “Puma respects human rights”; we call on Puma to live up to that commitment.
Sincerely,
BDS Vancouver-Coast Salish
Canada Palestine Association”
List of Endorsers
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