Boycott Israel Effort Leads to Increased Sales for An Israeli Shoemaker
- Posted on November 28, 2011 at 6:27am by
Sharona Schwartz
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A months’ long effort by pro-Palestinian activists to convince Canadian shoppers to boycott a successful Israeli shoe company unleashed a sort of boomerang effect and ended up causing a surge in sales.
For more than half a year, the protesters have been picketing the Israeli comfort shoe store Naot in Montreal. According to the CEO of the Israeli company, between half a dozen and twenty protesters arrive every weekend and stand outside the shop for about two hours telling potential customers not to patronize the Israeli company and hold signs that call for a boycott of “Israeli apartheid.”
In a telephone interview with The Blaze, Teva Naot (as the company is known in Israel) CEO Michael Illouz says though the protest isn’t big, it is bothersome. Surprisingly, he’s seen a:
“7% increase in sales since the protests started. The protesters announced that there’s a new Naot store in Montreal and it got the word out about our store.”
“Jews and other Canadians are against the protest and buy even more. On the one hand, it’s not pleasant that a group arrives to our stores and protests the product, but on the other hand there are many other people who are against the protest and are for Israel.”
“When the protesters stand outside the store, people don’t like to go in or to even walk on that street. It bothers both Naot and other neighboring businesses.”
Protesters from PAJU Montreal say their “boycott vigil” aims to create an “Apartheid free zone” on St. Denis Street in Montreal where Naot is located. Ynet reports:
According to the protestors, “Naot’s soles come from the industrial zone of Gush Etzion, which is an illegal settlement located in the heart of the West Bank on occupied territory.”
If the protesters had checked the facts before raising their placards, they’d know that claim is false. The CEO Illouz says Teva Naot shoe soles are made in Germany and Spain. What’s more, for 20 years, the company has employed hundreds of Palestinian workers – whom the activists purportedly support — in Hebron and Jerusalem who do sewing work via Palestinian subcontractors. The rest of the shoes are constructed on the Israeli kibbutz Neot Mordechai which is not located in the West Bank. Therefore, if the boycotters were successful, a sales decline could potentially place in jeopardy the jobs of hundreds of Palestinians.
This isn’t the first time pro-Palestinian protesters have either by design or mistake presented false facts in the name of promoting their cause. Earlier this month, activists trying to prove “Israeli apartheid” sent multiple propaganda messages via Twitter falsely reporting their treatment by Israeli police as brutality when their own video showed a respectful approach by the cops to what was clearly an organized provocation.
In September, The Blaze reported on the Israeli Dead Sea skin care company, Ahava, which was forced to shut its flagship London store at Covent Garden after a two-year harassment campaign by activists from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign (BDS) spearheaded by Code Pink and pro-Palestinian activists who demonstrated on weekends outside the shop.
After Glenn Beck devoted a segment of his radio show to the story, Ahava recorded a 750% spike in sales and a surge of social media messages from Beck fans wanting to show their support for the company.
The outpouring from listeners was so overwhelming, Ahava’s American website crashed twice “due to the unexpected amount of traffic flooding the site,” its U.S. assistant manager of marketing Leslie Derderian told The Blaze.
The anti-Israel boycott activists say they aim to “cleanse” Britain, Canada and the U.S. of Israeli businesses.
It appears that opposite them stands a no less determined public. To counter Palestinian boycott calls, Jewish newspapers and organizations including Conference of Presidents and Stand With Us announced a marketing campaign “Buy Israel Week” from November 28th to December 4th to encourage Israel supporters to counter the boycott campaign and buy Israeli products.
H/T: Ynet/Yediot Ahronoth
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Searchingforthelight
Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:52amGod Bless them. Good for them.
Report Post »Blazerilla
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 6:41pmWell, dang. I just bought shoes this morning at a store that sells NAOT. If I’d known, I would have bought a pair.
Report Post »The Frumious Falafel
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:34pmGood for you! :-) It’s the thought that counts (perhaps another pair for someone else?) Or you could return your current pair for store credit and buy a pair of Teva’s — they’re incredibly well constructed!
Report Post »colorado243
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 6:37pmLiberals have an inability to learn. Everyone of their pathetic boycotts fail.
Report Post »kyrealtor
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 4:12pmJerusalem was a Jewish city for thousands of years. Then in 1948, the Arab Brigade sacked Old Jerusalem. They expelled ALL Jews, some of which had family in the city for over 3,000 years. They burned all of the synagogues. Yes, there is apartheit, imposed by the Arabs, not just in Old Jerusalem, but in dozens of Arab and Muslim countries that do not even allow a single Jew to live there.
Report Post »bellbook
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 2:33pmGood for them! I’ve been buying AHAVA products from Israel and now daughter who tried them will be ordering also. Just love the mineral body lotion:)
Report Post »texanpatriot
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 2:14pmAhhhh Capitalism. I just purchased this product for my wife for Christmas. These are God’s people and He will protect them but it does help when an old Texan gets involved.
Happy Merry Hanukkah…
Report Post »The Frumious Falafel
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:38pmIndeed, there’s a little known addition to “G-d helps those who help themselves” — it actually is “G-d helps those who help themselves and especially those whom Texans help” — so your help is MUCH appreciated SIr!
Report Post »kalayaan
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 1:25pmThe world knows that the people of Israel are good, honest and peace-loving people…
Report Post »dinadp
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 1:06pmThe pro-palestine people show up in & around Montreal on a regular basis. Sometimes, they’re on one side of the street with their stupid signs while, across the street, Jewish people gather in counter protest. Naturally, the Jewish “protesters” are better behaved. Often, they’re older people while the palestinians are young, screeching a-holes.
Report Post »Texas Chris
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 12:34pmAhhh, capitalism.
Report Post »Hiswill
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 11:51amThese protesters are cattle and they go where they are told to go without even knowing the reason why they are there. We have seen plenty examples of these cattle out there protesting on OW.
Report Post »ambrosia
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 9:34amGOOD people will always make the right choices for the right reasons.
In the case of boycotts,
they will always protect & support those who have been targeted
for no other reason but sheer hate & evil.
In this case, the boycott backfires and deservedly so…..power to the people-
Report Post »the GOOD people !
smackdown33
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 11:38amJust click on the name Sharona Schwartz above, and it becomes blatantly obvious that Sharona is nothing more than a pro-Israeli propagandist. Look at the stories. It’s very Goebbels-esque.
lel2007
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 8:33amThe next time I buy shoes I’ll be looking at NAOT (some great looking models available online).
Report Post »There’s also some interesting stuff at http://www.israeli-t.com – I’ve purchased a number of unique T-shirts from them (i.e. Coke-a-Cola logo in Hebrew). Great prices and excellent service. One time I mistakenly ordered a womans size T-shirt (discovered when I received it). I emailed Israeli-T telling them of my error and ordered the same T-shirt in Men’s size – Israeli-T sent another shirt in proper size at no charge and free delivery. I ordered two more shirts in return for the favor.
MidWestMom
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 8:55amlel2007
Thanks for your info about israeli-t. Will be shopping their site later today.
Selling a quality product at a reasonable price and providing excellent customer service is the way to do business. Companies who follow that equation have a much higher success rate. I’m happy to shop with them even if it means paying a bit more.
I’m glad the shoe company is benefitting from the protests. Unfortunately more success will only infuriate the protesters and could cause them to ramp up their activities.
Report Post »thegrassroots
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 9:30amAnother interesting backlash is — I wonder how many folks out there, other than myself, had never heard of these fine Israeli shoes and will now be taking a look at them and buying, thanks to the pro-Palestianian protestors?
They’re getting spattered by their own mud! Which is what happens when low-life-swamp-dwellers sling mud into the public fan. Too Funny!
Report Post »Faith1029
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 10:15pmLEL2007: Wow. I didn’t even know this site existed. I just added it to my favorites bar. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Report Post »The Frumious Falafel
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:56pmHere’s another great site that I use for all my Israel-Military shirts that I give to friends. This site has every possible Israeli Special Forces logo, and of course the classic “IDF” army-green shirt as well. I would recommend to order one size larger — although I do that for just about all tee-shirts. So what I’m saying is nothing special about them. The first site is the home site, the second, the t-shirt area. Oh and I have zero connection to them, I just like their large selection and that all their stuff comes straight from Israel
Report Post »http://www.zahal.org/?a=278160
http://www.zahal.org/groups/idf-israeli-apparel-t-shirts
Striker
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 8:20amThe protesters do not understand that the majority of the people are not antisemetic. Very few people will support their cause. “Forgive them father for they know not what they do”
Report Post »Joyce D
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 7:50amWe should all boycott the sales of the Zionist Entity that are directly related to the illegal occupation of Palestinian land. No person of conscience should buy the product currently being advertised on Right Wing Radio. Soda Stream benefits from the exploitation of Palestinians and must be rejected.
Report Post »Crazyotto
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 7:57ammindless anti semite troll … please crawl back your smelly OW tent
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 8:12amWhat court declared this ‘illegal occupation’ ? Anyway, why not take you tent and silly behind and occupy Israel?
Report Post »guntotinsquaw
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 10:24am@Joyce D…Sorry Isreal won that territory by war… fair and square…let me put it simple for you…I wouldn’t care what product was sold by what company, if code PINKY is boycotting…send me 2 cases of the best of what ever that business is selling!! Guess I can add it to my stockpile.
One If By Land
Report Post »TEA 2012
mzk1
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 12:25pmJews were in Gush Etzion BEFORE the state, you idiot. The Arabs invaded and murdered them. (According to the version I heard, the men of Kibbutz Har Etzion were shot after surrendering, but it is hard ot be sure.)
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 4:31pmSo, you should boycott and leave the United States of America as it is occupying land once held by the American Indians – get real. The Arabs attacked Israel and I see no reason Israel should give an inch of that ground back. Matter of fact – the next rocket launch from Gaza would be cause for attack and occupation for real. The precious United Nations, Great Britain, France, the United States and other European countries returned the “palestinian” land to the Israeli’s. The “Palestinian’s had no state, no government, they just wandered across the land, living a miserable life. The Israeli’s have made the land to blossom and be productive. Where do the Palestinians go to work – in Israeli businesses. Why don’t they have prosperous farms and businesses of their own – they are too busy determined to drive Israel out – and since 1948, all it has done is cause them grief on top of more grief. If they behaved like a civilized nation – they might get recognized – as long as they behave like terrorists and savages – few will even recognize their right to be considered a state.
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 11:18pmSTFU you misinformed palestinian loving moron
Report Post »The Frumious Falafel
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:00pmJoyce, that “Zionist Entity” has a name, and you‘d better get used to it because she’s gonna be around for the rest of *your* lifetime at the very least: I S R A E L whose capital is, and has been for almost 3,000 years: J E R U S A L E M !
Report Post »Thundermeister
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 7:27amPAJU makes me embarrassed to be a Canadian.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 7:11am“The anti-Israel boycott activists say they aim to “cleanse” Britain, Canada and the U.S. of Israeli businesses.”
Report Post »That language is identical to the language the Germans were using before they came up with “the final solution”.
thegrassroots
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 8:06amSickening!
However, the public response speaks louder than the pro-Palestinian protesters and it’s great to see. The anti-Israel BHO should sit up and take notice and realize how far out of the loop he is. God knows America supports Israel, so that leaves BHO out on a limb where he shouldn’t want to be.
“I will bless those who bless you [Israel],
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
~ God Speaking ~~ Genesis 12:3
It’s just not smart to be on the wrong-side of Israel, which means being on the wrong-side of Almighty God.
Report Post »Johnny916
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 6:46amThis is great news! Shows you how the Jews are back in business.
Report Post »Jews for Judaism!
DagneyT
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 6:43amI bought a pair of NAOT’s before I went to Israel, not realizing that was where they were made, but because they are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn! I love love love my NAOT shoes!
Report Post »The Frumious Falafel
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:07pmThat’s COOL! The Good L-rd must have guided you to them :-)
Report Post »