Following the announcement that Brussel’s Airlines has stopped distributing Israeli halva on flights because it is manufactured in the Shomron, MK (Bayit Yehudi) Nissim Slomiansky is calling for a boycott of Brussel’s Airlines.

Slomiansky, who chairs the Knesset Law Committee, feels the airline’s decision to acquiesce to pro-Palestinian pressure should be met with a Jewish boycott. “A boycott should be met with a boycott” he exclaims, calling on the general public to follow his call.

One of the owners of Achva halva, Yaakov Malach, told Ynet it is interesting for in fact, the factory employs many Palestinians, Israeli Arabs and Jews from inside and over the Green Line and everyone works in a harmonious atmosphere. He appears perplexed over the airline’s decision despite the ideal dual-existence existing in the factory. He added he is pleased that Brussels Airlines is a small company and he hopes other airlines will not follow suit.

He concludes “We will learn to live with those who do not wish to buy from us any longer. Even with all the boycotts in Europe, when people try the product and realize how good it is they buy it anyway. When they see our product in a supermarket they buy it. The fact is that 20% of our turnover is export and sold for a competitive price”.

Slomiansky explains 100-gram vanilla halva bars were removed from the airline’s dessert menu after Palestinian activists complained of using a product manufactured in the “occupied West Bank”. The airline responded by removing the product, explaining that it is compelled to “offer products that please all”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)