Date: 31 / 03 / 2009 Time: 12:55

Bethlehem – Ma”an – Israeli exporters have been forced to cut prices in part because of a worldwide boycott of Israeli products in protest of Israel”s occupation of Palestinian land, a leading industry association reported this week.

Israeli exporters have been “losing foreign markets and customers because of the global economic crisis and a growing anti-Israel boycott of locally made products following Operation Cast Lead.”

The findings were made available by the Israel Manufacturers Association on Sunday, and published in the Jerusalem Post the following day.

According to the report, 21 percent of Israeli exporters face difficulties selling abroad, particularly to the UK and “Scandinavian countries.”

The boycott and the financial crisis were cited as the issues behind a forced price cut by 66 percent of Israeli exporters.

The report emerged as boycott campaigners announced that they are stepping up their efforts in Palestine and internationally.

On Monday in Ramallah, a press conference was held by the Palestinian National Boycott Committee (BNC) in Ramallah, which urged local and international parties to continue their boycott actions. They called the boycott a “tool to realize long-denied Palestinian national rights.”

Representative of the BNC and the Palestinian NGO network Allam Jarrar called Land Day an appropriate time to call a Boycott and Divestment Day because both events shared the same goal.

“In Palestine the boycott of Israeli products, institutions and companies is once again gaining ground. Increasing numbers of students, women and ordinary people see the boycott of Israel as an effective form of resistance and are beginning to make it a part of their daily lives,” Omar Asaf, another representative of the BNC and a member of the National Higher Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return said.

“In the last month,” he continued, “regional and local committees have been formed to promote the boycott of Israeli products and an end to ties between Palestinian organizations, and their Israeli counterparts,”

According to BNC more than 75 demonstrations, protests and festivals were held in 19 countries to promote the Global BDS day of action.