Supermarket chains dump U.S. goods

Supermarket chains in Bahrain have started removing U.S. goods from their shelves, and consumers have begun boycotting American products, including popular soft drinks and fast-food chains, in protest against the biased stance against Palestinians reeling under Israeli occupation.

"Well, you are not alone in this hour of trial. We are all with you," read the message in a nutshell from Bahrain to the Palestinians in the West Bank.

His Majesty Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and the Crown Prince and BDF Commander-in-Chief Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa gave a total of $4 million to the Palestinians, in addition to donations made by government and private sector establishments and individuals.

The support to the Palestinian people has been spontaneous and from all quarters. As part of the campaign to show solidarity with the Palestinians, leading Bahraini supermarket chain Al Muntazah Market, decided to spearhead a campaign to boycott American goods.

Speaking about the campaign to Gulf News, Abdul Monem Al Meer, General Manager and one of the main shareholders of Al Muntazah Market, said: "We have decided to remove all American products from all our retail outlets - be they produced in the U.S. or those produced by U.S. companies abroad."

He added: "In principal, we took a decision, before the anti-U.S. demonstrations began in Bahrain, to remove all American products from our outlets. But after what the Israelis have been doing in Jenin during the past week, and that too with the complete support of the U.S. government, we have decided to remove all American products with immediate effect.

"On the other hand, there was a demand from the customers too not to sell American products. Thus, we have started removing all these products from our shelves".

U.S. fast food outlets and soft drink companies in the island too recorded a significant drop in their businesses, especially during the past week or so.

The anger of the people is directed towards the U.S. for its support to the Israeli atrocities in the Occupied Territories.

A Bahraini youth, who saw an Asian expatriate coming out of a locally-owned fast food centre with sandwiches and a U.S. soft drink can, paid 100 fils to the expatriate and took the soft drink can to dump it in a garbage bin. "See what the Israelis are doing with American support in Jenin.

So why should we patronise American products?" the Bahraini youth asked

A spokesman for a group of American fast food companies in the Island told Gulf News yesterday that they have noted a drop in business during the past week.

"We are all simply watching the scene hoping the business would improve," he said.

He pointed out that the trend began especially after the Bahraini national, Mohammed Juma Ahmed, was killed during demonstration near the U.S. Embassy on April 5 while protesting against Ambassador Ronald Neumann's request to observe a "minute of silence for the Israeli civilians killed" in the on-going violence, at the model United Nations Conference organised by Adliya Rotary Club at the Bahrain Exhibition Centre.

Meanwhile, religious leaders, including Sheikh Abdul Amir Al Jamri, Sheikh Isa Kassim and Saeed Abdulla Oraifi, have urged the people not to damage any property but to stop buying U.S. products.