Kappa cancels it plans to establish factory in Jewish colony in Occupied Palestine

After extensive co-ordination ADC, Gush Shalom and others, Hanthala Palestine succeeded over the last couple of days to have the Italian Basic Group assuring us that neither his company, nor its Israeli licensee, will source or manufacture any of their products in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Gruppo Basic is the owner of the Kappa sportswear brand, and Gruppo Basic is partly owned by Benetton S.p.A..

Through concerted effort by various Arab-American, Palestinian and other organisations, notably ADC and Gush Shalom, networks, such as Hanthala Palestine and individuals to urge Benetton, Kappa, and Basic Group asking them not to become involved in Israeli colonisation activities in Palestine.

In a telephone conversation, Marco Boglione, President of Basic Group said that he clearly understood the concerns of the thousands of people who had written to him and affirmed that "We will pay maximum attention to assure that our products are not sourced in settlements in the occupied territories." Boglione assured additionally that Mr. Eyal Fishman, head of Kappa-Israel, was "categorical ... in his support for the peace process including the precaution not to source directly or indirectly Kappa garments in the [occupied Palestinian] territories." Boglione also acknowledged his acceptance of European Union (EU) law which excludes products exported from Israeli settlements from preferential treatment under the 1995 EU-Israel Association Agreement, because the EU does not recognize any of the occupied territories, including the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as part of Israel.

Hanthala Palestine would like to thank all those thousands of activists from all over the world who have written to Benetton and Basic to express their concern about the reports. Most notably we would like to thank representatives from the European Co-ordinating Committee of NGOs on the Question of Palestine (ECCP) and the Union Juive Francaise pour la Paix (French Jewish Peace Union), among many others.

see on this ACTNOW! and the previous Unofficial News