Introduction
Ahava is a well-known brand that sells skincare products made from the Dead Sea minerals, claiming to offer natural and beneficial solutions for your skin. But behind the beauty lies an ugly truth that should make you reconsider buying its products. Ahava is complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation, colonization, and exploitation of Palestinian land and resources, and by supporting it, you are indirectly funding apartheid and human rights violations. Here are 6 reasons why you should boycott Ahava and choose ethical alternatives instead.
1. Ahava Steals Palestinian Land and Resources
Ahava’s main factory, visitor centre, and store are located in the Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem, which is built on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank. This settlement, along with others in the area, violates international law and Palestinian rights and is part of Israel’s ongoing colonization of Palestinian territory. Ahava also steals Palestinian natural resources, such as water and minerals, from the Dead Sea, which is partly located in the occupied West Bank. Ahava exploits these resources without paying any taxes or fees to the Palestinian Authority, and without obtaining the consent of the Palestinian people, who are denied access to their own land and water.
2. Ahava Receives EU Funding Despite its Violation of EU Law
Ahava has also been accused of receiving funding from the EU under the Horizon 2020 programme, which is the EU’s research and innovation funding programme for 2014-2020. However, according to the EU’s own guidelines, Israeli entities and their activities in the occupied Palestinian territory are not eligible for funding, as they do not respect the EU’s position on the illegality of the settlements and the need for a two-state solution. Despite this, Ahava has continued to participate in the Horizon 2020 programme, giving another street in Israel as its only address, and hiding its operations in the West Bank. To date, Ahava has received USD 4.5 million from the European programme, which is a clear violation of EU law and a betrayal of the Palestinian people. This was denounced by Neoklis Sylikiotis, a former Member of the European Parliament, who wrote in 2018:
Following allegations that the firm AHAVA, which operates in Israeli settlements, was being funded under the Horizon 2020 programme, in 2013 the Commission issued a communication with guidelines regarding the eligibility of Israeli entities and their activities for funding from the EU. The Commission’s communication states that an entity with activities in the Israeli settlements cannot be eligible for funding.
Despite the fact that, up until the present time, the cosmetics firm AHAVA has maintained its office and has been operating in an illegal Israeli settlement on the West Bank (Mitzpe Shalem), exploiting the natural resources of the Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories, it nevertheless continues to participate in the Horizon 2020 programme, giving another street in Israel as its only address. To date it has received USD 4.5 million from the European programme.
Neoklis Sylikiotis
– Former Member of the European Parlimentary
3. Ahava Faces a Global Boycott Campaign that Impacts its Sales and Reputation
Ahava has been a target of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a global campaign that aims to pressure Israel to end its violations of Palestinian rights. BDS activists have exposed Ahava’s complicity and called for a boycott of its products, resulting in a significant impact on its sales and reputation. The campaign has caused major retailers, such as The Body Shop, LUSH, and Costco, to stop selling Ahava products, and celebrities, such as Kristin Davis, to sever ties with the company. The campaign has also organized protests, demonstrations, and direct actions at Ahava stores and outlets around the world, raising awareness and mobilizing public opinion against the company.
4. Ahava is Owned by a Chinese Conglomerate that Supports Israeli Apartheid and Militarism
In 2016, Ahava was purchased by Fosun International, a Chinese conglomerate that supports Israel and its apartheid regime, for NIS 290 million ($77 million). Fosun International has invested in various Israeli sectors, such as technology, finance, and real estate, and has expressed its interest in expanding its presence and influence in the Israeli market. Fosun International has also praised Israel’s innovation and entrepreneurship and has partnered with Israeli institutions and organizations that are complicit in Israel’s crimes, such as the Technion, Israel’s leading academic institution that develops weapons and technologies for the Israeli military. By buying Ahava, you are not only supporting Ahava but also Fosun International and its complicity in Israel’s crimes.
5. Ahava is Part of a Network of Companies that Promote Israeli Propaganda and Whitewash its Violations
Ahava is not the only company that tries to present itself as a socially responsible and environmentally friendly business while hiding its role in Israel’s oppression of Palestinians. There are many other companies, such as SodaStream, Sabra, and Teva, that use similar tactics to divert attention from their occupation ties and human rights abuses. These companies are part of a larger effort by Israel and its supporters to improve its image and reputation in the world, through a strategy known as “Brand Israel”. This strategy aims to portray Israel as a modern, democratic, and innovative country, and to distract from its brutal occupation, apartheid, and colonialism. By boycotting Ahava and other Israeli products, you are resisting this propaganda and exposing the dirty secrets behind the beauty.
6. Ahava Misleads Consumers and Violates EU Law
Ahava labels its products as “Made in Israel”, even though they are produced in an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. This label is misleading and deceptive, as it conceals the true origin and nature of the products, and prevents consumers from making informed and ethical choices. This label also violates EU law, which requires that products from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory be clearly marked as such, and not as “Made in Israel”. Ahava’s false labelling has been challenged and exposed by various campaigns and lawsuits in several countries, such as the UK, France, the Netherlands, and South Africa.
Conclusion: Boycott Ahava and Stand with Palestine
Ahava is a company that profits from and supports Israel’s occupation, apartheid, and militarism, and that lies to its customers and the public about its impact and values. There is nothing natural, beneficial, or ethical about Ahava, and there are plenty of alternatives that do not harm Palestinians or violate their rights. By boycotting Ahava, you are joining a global movement of people who are committed to justice, freedom, and equality for all. You are sending a clear message to Ahava and other complicit companies that they cannot get away with their crimes, and that they will face consequences for their actions. You are also showing solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are resisting Israel’s oppression and striving for their liberation. Boycott Ahava—let your voice be heard and your actions count.
References
(1) Horizon 2020 – European Commission – Research and Innovation. https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-2020_en.
(2) AGA – Annotated Model Grant Agreement – Die Europäische Kommission. https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/grants_manual/amga/h2020-amga_v4.1_en.pdf.
(3) Participation of the firm AHAVA in the Horizon 2020 programme. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-8-2018-004770_EN.html.
(4) Act Now Against These Companies Profiting from the Genocide of the …. https://bdsmovement.net/Act-Now-Against-These-Companies-Profiting-From-Genocide.
(5) Boycott of Ahava Dead Sea products makes an impact. https://electronicintifada.net/content/boycott-ahava-dead-sea-products-makes-impact/8563.
(6) Fosun Acquires Entire Stake in Israel’s Dead Sea Mineral Skincare Brand AHAVA https://en.fosun.com/content/details74_6410.html