After Israeli tourists decided to strike back at Turkey, launching a boycott of the once ally secular Muslim state, Rami Levy, who runs the popular HaShikma supermarket chain in Israel is following suit. The Mega chain is following suit.

Levy’s own “Mutag” brand items, a generic in house brand that competes with national name brands, are in some cases manufactured in Turkey, or at least they were in the past. Levy announced that he is halting all dealings with Turkey, unwilling to support Ankara in light of the mounting anti-Israel position adopted by its leaders since Operation Cast Lead, which were exacerbated following the Mavi Marama naval commando operation. The decision will impact the Mutag ketchup, paper goods and pasta products.

Levy reports that the quantity in stock will be sold out and he will not receive additional Turkish products until full normalized diplomatic relations are restored. Levy announced that pasta will be imported from Italy, paper goods from China and he is still looking for an alternative for ketchup. Levy hopes that local manufacturers will be forthcoming in light of the situation, expressing he feels this is the correct move for the consumers and the nation.

“The Turks must understand we are not just another nation and we are not a punching bag that can be targeted at will” state Levy.

He explains that most shoppers are unaware of the origin of the products, but he is aware and he has decided to act on behalf of consumers, explaining the imports from Turkey amount to hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and he is hopeful his actions will encourage other to follow, to cut off the supply train to Turkey, to send that nation’s leaders a clear message.

Mega has announced it is following the lead, and it too has cut off product supply from Turkey. It receives pasta and flour from Turkey.

ShuferSal officials’ report that are weighing their options at this time.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)