Amazon extends free shipping promotion to Palestinian territories after Israeli settlements controversy

Amazon has extended its free shipping promotion to the occupied Palestinian territories, a company spokesman confirmed to The New Arab on Wednesday, after previously offering free delivery to Israelis living in settlements while charging their Palestinian neighbours.

Last month, the Palestinian Authority announced it would take legal action against Amazon over "its discrimination policy that favours illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories over the indigenous Palestinian population".

On Tuesday, Palestine's Ministry of Telecom and Information Technology said the e-commerce giant will be offering free shipping to the Palestinian territories. Amazon spokesman Nick Caplin confirmed the policy change in an email to The New Arab.

A Financial Times investigation found the promotion applied to qualifying orders placed by customers with shipping addresses in Israel, including settlements, which are deemed illegal under international law.

Palestinian customers who selected "Palestinian Territories" as their country of residence, however, were subject to shipping and handling fees upwards of $24.

Under the previous policy, Palestinian customers would have had to change their address to "Israel" to qualify for the promotion.

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