Amazon reverses shipping policy on Palestine: Ministry

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – The e-commerce giant Amazon is now delivering free to the Palestinian territories, the Palestinian Economy Ministry said on Wednesday.

Last month, a Financial Times report revealed that Amazon was delivering free to Israeli settlements while charging Palestinian customers for its services.

The report said that Palestinians who select their address as being in Israel get free shipping from the company.

Palestinians who select their address as being in the “Palestinian territories” when placing orders can expect to pay $24 or more, the newspaper said.

A ministry statement said the American company has reversed its policy on charging items for customers in the Palestinian territories.

It attributed the policy reversal by the company to "a series of Palestinian measures aiming at halting disregard to the Palestinian identity and recognizing settlements."

There was no comment from Amazon on the report.

Last month, the ministry threatened to sue Amazon for conducting business in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

International law views both the West Bank and East Jerusalem as occupied territories and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity there illegal.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara