CAMPAIGNERS urged the government today to take stronger action against supermarkets selling products from illegal Israeli settlements.

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) wrote to the Department for Energy, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) asking it to table legislation and implement robust guidelines prohibiting the imports.

ICJP says that firms such as Mehadrin, Miriam, Shoham, Galilee, Hadiklaim and Achdut-Achva continue to export goods from the illegal settlements. 

Dates, mangos, avocados, tahini, halva and bakery products are among the goods that end up on supermarket shelves.

The action comes after the ICJP wrote to Asda, Aldi, Lidl GB, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose in October.

The organisation demanded transparency from supermarkets on which of their products hailed from illegal settlements, and the steps they were taking to stop selling them.

Individual directors and executives of supermarkets were warned that they may be individually liable for enabling criminal offences under domestic law.

ICJP legal officer Mira Naseer said: “Supermarkets are set to make record profits in the coming weeks and want the public to focus on polished Christmas adverts rather than the origins of the products they are selling.

“Illegal Israeli settlement goods have no place on the shelves of British supermarkets and the British public has the right to transparency about the origins of their groceries. 

“If supermarkets cannot be trusted to implement their human rights obligations, Defra must step in with clear, robust and enforceable guidelines to ensure that supermarkets do not sell products from illegal settlements.”

On Saturday with many people out Christmas shopping, a rally is scheduled for 2.45pm in Parliament Square, London, calling for an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Protests will also be held in cities including Birmingham, Plymouth and Carlisle. For more details visit: palestinecampaign.org/events/national-day-of-action-for-palestine/