Since opening three stores in Israel in March and April 2010, H&M has been targeted by our global BDS campaign. Just like when the global BDS movement contributed to the fall of apartheid in South Africa, there are companies that choose profit in Israel over social responsibility for Palestine. Our worldwide and creative protests demand that H&M delay its investments in Israel until Israel respects international law and human rights also for Palestinians.

We continue to urge H&M to get in line with the global BDS movement to free Palestine from apartheid and ethnic cleansing. Recently the shocking and deadly attack on the Freedom Flotilla has been added to Israel”s long list of international law violations. It remains to be seen if the international outcry and disgust for this attack will help H&M to rethink their plans to open four additional stores in Israel. Until H&M reconsider, we continue to recommend consumers to boycott and disinvest from H&M.

Undoubtedly, being under fire by the BDS for Palestine movement is a serious concern for the H&M brand. Adding to the headache, H&M has now come under fire also by ultra-nationalists in Israel. Just one month ago, they were elated by the financial support and legitimative whitewashing offered by H&M”s establishment in Israel. However, following the attack on the Freedom Flotilla, these Israelis are calling for boycott of H&M because many of H&M”s products are made in Turkey. While this is in no way affiliated with our BDS campaign against H&M, we take humourous note of the unlikely crossfire that H&M has navigated into.