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CNN Live At Daybreak

Palestinians Boycott U.S. Products

Aired May 20, 2002 - 05:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: On the subject of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, one of the reactions to the just-ended five week Israeli military operation in the Middle East has been a boycott of American products.

Our Rula Amin spoke with several Palestinians about it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At Staunt's (ph) bar and coffee shop, customers are turning away from one of their favorite drinks. These high school girls go to the American Friends School. Their favorite sport is basketball, and their favorite drink used to be Coca-Cola.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because Coke is American and because Americans basically finance Israelis with all the tanks and the airplanes and all the -- so it's basically helping the Israelis with the equipment to destroy our country.

AMIN: Their new favorite drink they switched to from Coke is made with the syrup from another U.S. company, Hershey. Still, they say they're trying to make a point.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're not paying money to the Americans or the Israelis that they take in one hand and give it to the Israelis in the other hand.

AMIN: The boycott for U.S.-made products seems to be gaining momentum here, especially following Israel's latest military campaign. Then, people came face to face with the strength of the Israeli army and the value of the United States' strong support of Israel. These young men say they have stopped smoking Marlboro cigarettes and switched to these French-made ones.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): People like us feel we need to do something to contribute. I am not a fighter with a gun, but there are other ways to fight.

AMIN: At this supermarket, Marlboro cigarette sales have dropped more than 60 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Buyers put an effort to find out where their products are made. If it's the U.S., many times they won't buy it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know that every (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I would pay for the American products would be paid for Israel.

AMIN: Coke is one of the main symbols of America. But Coca-Cola is produced here in Ramallah. Coca-Cola, the mother company, owns only 15 percent of the shares; the rest is owned by Palestinian businessmen like Zahi Khoury, who also holds U.S. citizenship. He insists this factory is a national company. It provides work for about 300 Palestinians. Khoury is launching a preemptive campaign, talking to the local media.

ZAHI KHOURY, COCA-COLA RAMALLAH: Coca-Cola is a company which I'm proud to be associated with because it has helped us.

AMIN: But he acknowledges the difficulty of getting that message across.

KHOURY: People are curious of what's happening today at the policy level. And that's one to let the steam off.

AMIN: Most products on the shelves here are imported. Many are Israeli products and American. And few nationally made.

(on camera): Basically, people don't have many alternatives to Israeli and American-made products. But store owners are telling us more and more people now are demanding to have more European products. Europe is perceived here as having a more balanced policy towards this conflict.

Rula Amin, CNN, Ramallah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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