Muslims urged to avoid 'taste of apartheid' this Ramadan and boycott Israeli dates

A UK-based Palestine advocacy group has urged Muslims in Europe to boycott Israeli dates as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches.

Friends of Al-Aqsa (FoA) launched its annual #CheckThe Label campaign last week, amid ongoing Israeli raids in the occupied Palestinian territories.

"By choosing not to buy Israeli dates this Ramadan the Muslim community can send a clear and powerful message of condemnation of Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid in Palestine," said Shamiul Joarder at FoA.

Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, sees a spike in date consumption in Europe due to Muslims breaking their fast at sunset with the fruit, in accordance with Islamic traditions.

Each year, Europe sees two spikes in date consumption - during Ramadan and in winter, coinciding with Christmas, according to the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI).

Israel is the world's largest producer of Medjoul dates and exports more than 50 percent of its produce to Europe, according to FoA. A large portion of these dates are grown on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"It's time to renew our commitment to BDS this Ramadan. We must remember that as a community we are powerful – we can make our voices heard through the simple act of putting Israeli dates back on the shelf. All we need to do is #CheckTheLabel and not buy dates from apartheid Israel," Joarder said.

The campaign's launch comes as the occupied West Bank witnesses one of its bloodiest episodes in recent memory, with Israeli forces and settlers having killed at least 62 Palestinian adults and children.

FoA has marked 17 March - the last Friday before Ramadan - as a day of action to encourage Muslims to check labels on date packaging to ensure they are not from Israel.