WELLINGTON PALESTINE GROUP

News Media Statement - Saturday February 25th

For immediate release

The Wellington Palestine Group will hold a stunt alongside a SodaStream promotion this weekend – because SodaStream’s products come from an Israeli settlement on the occupied West Bank.

SodaStream is an Israeli based company which manufactures devices for carbonating drinks. It has been promoting itself during weekends at a series of Mitre 10 stores throughout New Zealand. The promotion features plastic bottles in a cage , WPG will also be utilizing a cage as part of their stunt also to highlight Sodastreams role in the oppression of Palestinians.

Group Spokesperson Murray Parker says Mitre 10 should not be lending its stores to help market imports from the Mishor Edomim settlement near Jerusalem.

“SodaStream is running these publicity displays at Mitre 10, all about how SodaStream is better for the environment than people buying pre-packaged fizzy drinks. But SodaStream’s production is part of the illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine.”

Mr Parker says the Group has written to Mitre 10 expressing its concerns that Mitre 10 is being used by SodaStream to advertise products which are made directly out of Palestinian misery and dispossession.

“There are half a million illegal Israeli settlers who occupy or control most of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. They live on land stolen from Palestinians. It is an Israeli apartheid system.”

Mr Parker also says that the Group has written to the Foreign Minister Murray McCully to request the government act on its United Nation’s and international obligations by preventing any such products from the occupied Palestinian land entering New Zealand.

“The International Court of Justice in 2004 made it quite clear that countries which have signed on to the Geneva Convention rules on humanitarian law are obligated to do what they can to end the Israeli occupation. It would not be a major step to block these imports. New Zealand has done precious little else to fulfill these international obligations. It could start with keeping SodaStream out.”

Ends

Details of the location of the action:

Airport Retail Centre in Kilbirnie (this is the big industrial shopping zone containing Briscoes, The Warehouse etc) - 10am to 2pm on Saturday 25th Feb

AND

Mitre 10 Mega Petone - 10am to 2pm on Sunday 26th Feb

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