Pro-Palestinian campaign seeks boycott of German company over Israeli sponsorship

By Awad al-Rujoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - A Palestinian-led campaign has called for a boycott of German sportswear company Puma over its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA).

In a statement, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement said the online campaign aims to pressure the company “to end complicity with the Israeli colonial and apartheid regime.”

The campaign is the 6th by BDS against the German company since 2018 to end its IFA sponsorship.

In past years, the campaign has succeeded to force Qatar Sports Club not to renew its contract with Puma, a Malaysian university to end a contract with the sportswear company and the British Chester F.C. not to contract it.

BDS said Puma has contracted with an Israeli distributor who conducts sale operations in Israeli settlements built in the occupied West Bank.

There was no comment from Puma on the BDS campaign.

In September 2021, BDS organized activities in more than 50 cities worldwide to pile pressure on Puma to halt its sponsorship of the IFA.

BDS is a Palestinian-led movement that works to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians.

In past years, BDS made several breakthroughs in canceling activities and partnerships with Israel.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara