Dates from Israel are the latest goods to fall foul of a consumer boycott across Muslim nations in Southeast Asia, after Malaysian customs arrested a man for allegedly mislabelling the fruit for local sale, while Indonesia’s highest Muslim authority reminded the public to snub Israeli imports of the sweet snack during the holy month of Ramadan.
Muslims across the region have observed a months-long boycott of Israeli goods and companies in protest against the brutal assault on Gaza, which has killed over 30,000 Palestinians so far, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, the overwhelming majority of them civilians. Israel says 1,200 of its citizens were killed by the October 7 attack on its territory by Hamas militants, who took scores more hostage into Gaza.
The boycott, amped up by social media, has hit the bottom line of some companies in Malaysia over apparent links to Israel, prompting a plea from the wealthy owner of the local unit of Starbucks for consumers to ease up on his firm, and legal action by McDonald’s for damages.
Now Israeli dates, a sweet fruit eaten to break fast during Ramadan, are in the cross hairs of a consumer campaign which is flying across Malaysian and Indonesian chat groups over fears Israeli dates are being sold to unwitting buyers in the Muslim nations.
A Malaysian minister on Thursday warned “strict action” would be taken against people who “mislead consumers” after a man was detained in a raid on a warehouse in Klang Port, Selangor.
“During the raid, officers confiscated 73 packs of jumbo medjool dates believed to have come from Israel,” Armizan Mohd Ali, minister in charge of domestic trade and cost of living told parliament on Thursday, responding to questions.
“We view this issue seriously and will take strict action against those who mislead consumers,” he said.
Customs officials on Wednesday said the dates were bulk-imported along with other food items from European countries in 2022, according to local news reports.
The dates were declared as “foodstuff” and later repackaged for sale on the local market, customs deputy director general Datuk Sazali Mohamad said.
Malaysia has long maintained strict trade sanctions on Israel. Any import or export between the two countries can only be carried out with a special permit from the ministry of investment, trade and industry.
Last December, Malaysia announced an immediate ban on vessels owned by Israeli shipping giant Zim from docking and unloading cargo at its ports, along with any ship bearing the Israeli flag.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this week said he made “no apologies” for maintaining diplomatic links with Hamas despite Western pressure to denounce the militant group.
Anwar, who is seeking the approval of an increasingly vocal Muslim electorate, has been among the loudest critics of Israel’s assault on Gaza.
Malaysia’s public has also led Southeast Asia’s boycott drive.
A day before the start of the Ramadan fasting month, Malaysia’s national newswire released a graphic on its social media accounts on the various types of dates that were popular among Malaysians, which included a brief reminder to avoid buying boycotted goods such as dates from Israel, the West Bank and Jordan Valley.
In the weeks ahead of Ramadan, Malaysian social media was awash with posts urging Muslims to be wary of unknowingly buying dates from Israel, listing 32 brands which have allegedly flooded the local market.
“Be careful, everyone! Pay attention to everything we buy in our daily lives, continue the boycott of products from companies that are enriching Israel,” read a Facebook post by one Hairul Nizam, who shared a video claiming that Israel grows its dates for export on Palestinian land.
“Starbucks, McD, and all brands that fatten them up, we maintain a boycott. Replace them with local brands or companies that support the Palestinian struggle.”
Many of the posts included long lists of brands that allegedly sourced the mildly-sweet fruit from Israel, with some even accusing local Chinese businesses of ignoring Muslim sensitivities by selling repackaged Israeli dates on the local market.
Fatwa on fruit
In neighbouring Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, the boycott has also resonated with dates getting a call-out by religious authorities.
The country’s highest clerical body the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) and Nadhatul Ulema, the largest Muslim mass organisation, issued separate injunctions against consuming dates imported from Israel or those grown in the West Bank.
“We wish to remind Indonesians, Muslim or otherwise, to be on the side of humanity and refrain from buying Israeli dates during Ramadan,” said Sudarnoto, MUI chair for international relations on Wednesday, adding emphatically the boycott of products by “corporations affiliated with Israel” must continue.
Separately, Nadhatul Ulema chairman Ahmd Fahrur Rozi, said his organisation, representing 40 million Indonesian Muslims, supported MUI’s fatwa on declaring Israeli dates “haram” or forbidden.
“This is the most peaceful way for us to show solidarity with the Palestinian people,” he said.
Indonesian media has released a host of brand names for Israeli dates.
A wholesale seller of dates based in southern Surabaya, who asked to remain anonymous, said it was possible some of the non-label dates sold in bulk had Israeli origin.
“But we can’t tell for sure because they arrived from importers with no label whatsoever,” she explained, adding unlabelled dates were typically cheaper.
According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, in 2023 Indonesia’s import of dates amounted to US$80.5 million, almost 30 per cent of which originated from Egypt. There is no specific data on dates imported from Israel.
Hasan Johnny Widjaya, chairman of the Indonesian Importers of Fruit and Vegetables claimed his members had no business links with Israeli companies. “No dealing with Israel at all, so no imported dates from them!”
Despite the assurances, Surabaya homemaker Amirah Purborekso, 35, admitted she was still worried about unknowingly buying Israeli dates.
“Logically, sellers, after knowing about the fatwa, would probably conceal the origin of their dates if they came from Israel.”
She said she had taken part in the ongoing boycott of Israeli-affiliated products for months now and was determined to carry on.
“So, for dates, I’ll just buy those that come in boxes with clear labels and information on where they came from.” – SCMP
Hadi Azmi covers Malaysian politics and current affairs.
