IN RESPONSE to recent protests by supporters of Palestine outside King Street store Kedem, supporters of Israel and members of Manchester's Jewish community have taken to standing guard outside the business over the past two days.
"The ingredients are taken from an area of Israel which is Israeli owned and not on disputed territories. Our factory is in Caesarea North of Tel Aviv, which again is an Israeli owned territory and not on disputed territory."
Cosmetic store Kedem, which stocks products imported from around the Dead Sea in Israel, has drawn protesters as the Middle East peace process lays in tatters and casualties rise in Gaza.
One Palestinian sympathiser told Confidential at the protest on Wednesday 23 July: "We believe that any money sent to the Israel is a penny against peace in Palestine. That's why we're here today."
Supporters of Palestine held up signs outside the store reading: 'Boycott Kedem. Stolen Goods. Stolen Land', as chants of 'Free, free Palestine" rang out along King Street.
Speaking with a member of the Manchester Jewish community (who wished to remain anonymous) outside the store, Confidential was told that their retaliation was in order to protect an innocent business:
"Our reaction is not supposed to stoke the fire. This is supposed to be a peaceful protest, we're here to protect the interests of an innocent business, a British business in Britain being unfairly targeted."
Supporters of Israel and Kedem then broke out into God Save The Queen, in an attempt to broadcast the British credentials of the business.
Peaceful discussion at the Kedem protest
On Wednesday 23 July at around 10am, Kedem Cosmetics of King Street released this statement on their Facebook page to rally support:
'Dear Friends,
Thank you all so much to our Jewish and Israeli friends for all your support yesterday outside our shop on King Street.
The protesters will again be there today from 11am and we would appreciate your support once again.
עם ישראל חי'
The Hebrew 'עם ישראל חי' translates to 'Life to Israel'.
We asked a spokesperson for Kedem to comment on the recent protests, they sent Confidential this statement at 5.30pm on Wednesday 23 July:
'We believe that we have been targeted because we sell products which are manufactured in Israel.
The ingredients are taken from an area of Israel which is Israeli owned and not on disputed territories. Our factory is in Caesarea North of Tel Aviv, which again is an Israeli owned territory and not on disputed territory.
We are a British limited company employing British and European people.
Thank you.'
There have been small incidents of heated conflict, but the protests outside Kedem up to this point have remained largely peaceful, with up to fifteen police officers present and a number stood between the two chanting factions.
THE RANT STREAM HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS ARTICLE BECAUSE OF THE SAD DESCENT INTO NAME CALLING. AND ALSO THE TERRIBLE GRAMMAR BEING USED. PATHETIC REALLY.
Israeli supporters at Kedem protest
Kedem protest
