Amazon charges Palestinians for the same service
Palestinians get free delivery if they submit to entering their address as Israel, despite being Palestinian territories recognised under international law.
Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) is aware that the US global retail giant Amazon is providing free shipping to illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian territories such as the West Bank. In a move that clearly fails to acknowledge that such settlements are illegal under international law.
AOHR UK notes that Amazon began operating in Israel from November 2019, and since then has ran a free delivery promotion.
AOHR UK has found that Amazon are offering the promotion of free delivery to illegal Israeli settlements outside of internationally recognised borders of Israel, such as the occupied West Bank, whilst charging Palestinians for the same service.
AOHR UK draws attention to the fact that Amazon is charging Palestinians up to $24 for the exact same service, which gives a message of clear support of Zionist settler colonialism, whilst denying the fact that the Palestinian territories are not a part of the state of Israel.
AOHR UK notes that if you select “Palestinian Territories” as your country for delivery then Amazon will apply delivery charges, were as, if you select Israel as the country for delivery, and with the same address in an occupied territory, then it removes any delivery charges.
AOHR UK notes the Amazon justifies this decision by proclaiming that delivering to the occupied territories requires a greater degree of security and checks.
Yet Amazon fails to acknowledge that it is offering the same service to the same areas for free, simply for listing the address as Israel, demonstrating the inherently political nature of their decision, which has no basis in the logistics of providing the delivery service, but clearly is a move that seeks to legitimise the illegal land seizers, and settlements on occupied land, both of which are considered war crimes under international law.
AOHR UK notes that the United Nations and the United States State Department considers the West Bank and Gaza as under Israeli Occupation. Furthermore the International Criminal Court is currently compiling a formal investigation into war crimes committed in the occupied territories, listing illegal settlements and land seizers as clear and repeated violations of international law. Therefore Amazon is in full understanding of the nature of what it is supporting and promoting, which is the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and its people.
AOHR UK calls on the international community to boycott Amazon, as part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel (BDS), which seeks to raise awareness of war crimes committed by the Israeli occupation.
AOHR UK demands that Amazon issue a response that acknowledges the seriousness of its selective delivery service in supporting settlements that amount to war crimes.
