IKEA delivers goods to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.
IKEA”s answer to the critique is that “IKEA stores have existed in Israel for the many
people since 2001” and that “IKEA”s vision is to contribute to a better everyday life for
the many people.”
They are certainly many, the settlers. Half a million more exactly, who live on stolen
Palestinian land. And certainly the many settlers have a better everyday life when they
can get furniture home-delivered.
IKEA goes on: “We of course welcome everyone to our stores and treat everyone equally,
regardless of ethnic background, religion, gender, political affiliation or residential area.”
IKEA welcomes everyone, regardless of whether they are involved in occupation,
apartheid and oppression. Regardless of whether their residential area is illegal and the
land they built their houses on is stolen from expelled Palestinians. IKEA does more than
that; IKEA delivers furniture to the settlers” homes, on roads that have also been built on
occupied Palestinian land and that only Israeli Jews can use.
IKEA”s direct assistance to settlements violates both international law, UN resolutions,
the EU”s and the Swedish government”s guidelines. UN Security Council Resolution 465
obligates states not to provide assistance to settlements on occupied land [1]. The
International Court of Justice in its Advisory Opinion of 2004 clarified that the wall on
occupied land, along with its associated system and the settlements, are illegal and that all
states are obliged not to recognize and not render aid or assistance in maintaining this
illegal situation [2].
Furthermore, IKEA makes itself complicit in Israel”s apartheid system. The fact that the
majority of Palestinians lack freedom of movement and thus cannot visit IKEA stores nor
are offered home deliveries by IKEA, is a piece in the puzzle of segregated areas,
segregated judicial systems, and segregated economic conditions. The system is
manifested in walls, roadblocks, confiscated water resources and agricultural lands, home
demolitions, Israeli control over the Palestinian economy, arbitrary arrests, curfews, etc.
Judging by IKEA”s answer, the company has not yet understood the seriousness of the
situation. It is time that we consumers make it clear to IKEA that we do not accept their
actions. It is also high time that our politicians act forcefully to ensure that IKEA
immediately ceases a conduct that violates international law.
Statement of the campaign IKEA, Don’t buy into occupation!
[1] http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/5AA254A1C8F8B1CB852560E50075D7D5
[2] http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=4&code=mwp&case=131&k=5a
