Israeli Products Popular world wide

[Kurska]

Itamar Eichner Published: 04.09.09, 08:16 / Israel Money

The Israeli product's image abroad appears to particularly positive: A comprehensive study conducted by the Foreign Ministry in the world's 13 biggest markets revealed that 59% of consumers in those countries hold a positive attitude towards products made in Israel.

Thirty-one percent of the respondents said that knowing a product is Israeli would make them purchase it. Only 2% said they would not purchase a product because it was made in Israel.

Eight percent said they would be encouraged not to purchase a product if they knew it was made in Israel, and 31% said this fact would not influence their decision on whether to buy the product or not.



The study was held among 5,215 people in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Russia, China, India and Japan.



The survey showed that Israeli products in the high-tech, software, food and medicine industries are considered products of high-quality and that the attitude towards them is significantly positive.



Foreign Ministry officials said that the findings of the survey, conducted in the last quarter of 2008 by the international TNS company, show that despite the calls for a boycott, Israeli products will be perceived as high-quality products and that this stance is not influenced by ideological views.


The study also revealed that the desire to visit Israel exists among 42% of the respondents, including in countries like Mexico, Italy, Poland, Russia, China and India.

In the United Kingdom, however, the desire to visit Israel is particularly low, with 61% of the British not expressing any interest in visiting the Holy Land.


The study was conducted as part of the Brand Israel project, which is aimed at examining Israel's status in the world's most important markets.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3697973,00.html

Also from the same study

From India with love

Study on behalf of Foreign Ministry ranks India, US as most pro-Israel countries

Itamar Eichner Published: 04.03.09, 23:18 / Israel News




The greatest level of sympathy towards Israel can be found in India, according to international study on behalf of the Foreign Ministry, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday.



According to the study, which was unprecedented in scope and was undertaken by an international market research company, 58% of Indian respondents showed sympathy to the Jewish State. The United States came in second, with 56% of American respondents sympathizing with Israel.



The study was undertaken as part of the "Branding Israel" project and aimed at looking into Israel's international stature at what researchers characterized as the world's 13 most important countries, including the US, Canada, Britain, France, China, and Russia. A total of 5,215 people took part in the study.



Other countries that showed significant sympathy to Israel included Russia (52%) Mexico (52%) and China (50%). At the bottom of the list, the study ranked Britain (34%) France (27%) and Spain (23%) as the least sympathetic countries towards Israel.



Videos make a difference
As part of the study, participants were asked a series of questions and were instructed to grade their level of sympathy of Israel on a 1-10 scale. Later, participants were presented with several branding videos on Israel, before being asked more questions in order to see whether their opinions changed after watching the clips.




The videos showed many aspects of life in Israel, including the beaches, landscape, culture, food, technology, and religious sites.



After watching the videos, a total of 51% of all respondents said their views on Israel changed for the better. The percentage of respondents who perceived Israel as an aggressive state subsequently dropped from 35% to 21%. Meanwhile, the percentage of respondents who perceived Israel as a creative country rose from 24% to 40% after watching the clips.

[here_is_to_hope]

1. So, propoganda works? n/t

[rucky]

2. I'd rather they promote trade than the other crap they're trying to sell.

[Vegasaurus]

8. Guess you don't need electronics or medical advances

or the other crap you use everyday in your phone and computer or at the doctor;s office.

That crap, like the Intel processor or AIM.

Why not give up that Israeli crap then?

[Ken Burch]

28. None of those things DEPEND upon Operation Cast Lead or the continuing Occupation

of the West Bank.

The people of Israel don't benefit from the bombing or the Occupation either.

[shaayecanaan]

51. nobody uses AIM anymore...

and I called you out on this crap argument when you last tried to make it. It doesnt get any better with time.

There are quite a lot of Jews here who boycott German products. Are they hypocritical if they use an x-ray machine?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x555743

[oberliner]

58. Nobody uses AIM anymore?

There are quite a lot of Jews here who boycott Germany products?

What are you talking about?

[shaayecanaan]

65. Try clicking on the link...

its a discussion between presumably Jewish people discussing whether or not they boycott Mercedes Benz, Bayer, Volkswagen and other German products.

[oberliner]

66. Clicked the link, read the posts, nothing about AIM

Everyone I know uses it.

[shaayecanaan]

67. everyone you know is at least 80 years old...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_messaging#User_base

While I may have been exaggerating for effect, AOL has about 53 million active users, as compared with more than 500 million for MSN and Yahoo, 300 million for Skype, etc etc.

But I would say that my more important point was the inconsistency re boycotts against German and Israeli products. Most Jews that I have known have been at least sympathetic to the premise of a boycott against German products, either generally or against the companies (Bayer, Volkswagen, etc) that were associated with the Nazis. This is despite the fact that Germany is a critical military supplier for Israel (Israel's second-strike nuclear capability is dependent upon German-supplied submarines).

German engineering accomplishments of the last 150 years are clearly more profound than a crap IM client, so if an Israeli boycott is untenable, a German boycott is clearly much more so.

Iran (Persians) invented chess, backgammon and wine, amongst other things. Does that mean one would have to give those up in order to have truly consistent sanctions on Iran?

It is a crap argument, made only by the relatively pea-brained posters on this board.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

3. Surely the Israelis run an effective PR machine.

The videos should show the other side of Israel... checkpoints... apartheid walls... apartheid roads in the WB... bread lines in Gaza... demolished homes in Gaza... dead and maimed civilians in Gaza... Israeli political prisoners...

Quite an achievement indeed.

[azurnoir]

6. More like attempted psyops see comment #5 n/t

[Howardx]

4. too bad israel itself isnt popular

worldwide.

[azurnoir]

5. Ah so the message here is

Why bother with a boycott no one else is doing it but one important piece about the study not included in the OP snippets

Foreign Ministry officials said that the findings of the survey, conducted in the last quarter of 2008 by the international TNS company, show that despite the calls for a boycott, Israeli products will be perceived as high-quality products and that this stance is not influenced by ideological views.

the study was done prior to Cast Lead

[GoesTo11]

7. I'd rather have Syrian medical equipment than Israeli

[Tripmann]

9. Good old ynetnews

Personally, I don't know of any close friends buying products from Israel anymore.

[Vegasaurus]

10. Good luck to them (hope they aren't depressed, in need of medical advances, or technology)

http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-03-19/article/32485?headline=If-You-re-Going-to-Boycott-

[here_is_to_hope]

11. If those things come with Palestinian blood all over them...

No fucking thank you.

[Vegasaurus]

12. No blood on life saving medicines

and technological advances, but your choice.

[azurnoir]

13. Every drug mentioned has non-Israeli alternatives

something else it has been pointed out that a boycott does not have to total to be effective, targeted industries, targeted companies and if Israeli medicine is oh so advanced why are Israeli cancer patients brought to the US for treatment of certain rare cancers, perhaps because American medicine is more advanced? [

[Kurska]

14. What "Effect" are you hoping to have on the israeli economy with boycotts?

Thats what I don't get about the boycotts, the boycotts of south africa isolated a weak economy with a majority population under thrall not at all eager to resist such boycotts and work against them.. Why do people think they can do the same thing to a economy entangled In the world's Industrial, Medical and arms trading? Do any people really expect companies to use nonisraeli alternatives that are of lesser quality (or people to use drugs, or nations to use guns)?

Would you as a doctor find it moral to recommend someone use a less effective product, if only because the more effective one is Israeli?

[azurnoir]

15. That is not really up to the Doctor

at least if the patient is smart and has done their homework and who is to say that the most effective products are the Israeli ones?
BTW I do not think you really know how MD's prescribe meds

As far as isolating a weak economy Israel has been hit quite hard by the global recession too and they do not have quite as lucrative an export as diamonds

[Kurska]

16. "quite as lucrative an export as diamonds"

You've got to be kidding me...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_industry_in_Israel (Israeli is one of the world's largest diamond cutters and trades very heavily in diamonds).

And if the most effective product is Israeli (Often times it isn't), would you consider it moral for a doctor not to prescribe them?

All economies were hit quite hard by the global recession and for any of Israel's major trading partner to cut ties with israel would hurt not only israel, but of the allying western world that Israel mostly trades with.

[azurnoir]

17. When it comes to diamonds Israel is the middle man

but thanks for establishing the quite possible Israeli connection to the blood diamond trade

[Kurska]

18. Do you know nothing of israel's diamond industry?

Israel was the first nation to sign onto the kimberly process used to keep blood diamonds out of circulations (Now the global standard for ensuring that blood diamonds remain out of the international market ). Also diamond cutting requires extremely expensive equipment and the money required to setup a facility is huge, israel is not a "Middleman" you can just cut out.

But thanks for exemplify exactly how Israel's opponents operate on facts, they play fast and loose, do little research and make outlandish demonstrably false claims.

http://tinyurl.com/yog6dx

[azurnoir]

23. And before the Kimberly Process

blood diamonds are not quite thew issue they were any more are they and oh what about SpearHead Lmt

But thanks I knew the self righteous denial was quick in coming as far as cutting out Israel I think Antwerop would be surprised and yes I do know about Antwerp

[Kurska]

24. Would you please explain or even source half of what you're saying?

Israel spearheaded the effort to address blood diamonds in any serious manner, cutting off trade with nations that were in the process of conflicts that were fueled by diamonds and refusing to deal in diamonds that's source couldn't be identified as being conflict free. I mean do you hear yourself? You're faulting israel for dealing with a commodity in the way everyone else delt with it and then curse them for being the first to address the problems being caused by that commodity.

It just comes off as blind misguided rage, being flung at anything the jewish state does (good or bad), as if you're a 5 yearold on the playground with a grudge.

[azurnoir]

33. So Israel spearheaded a UN Process?

I asked a question, the rage here is your own, quite frankly I find foaming humorous

[Kurska]

36. Yes being the first person to sign onto something after you encouraged it's creation in the first

place is indeed spearheading.
Frankly, you're being clearly false. You wanted to trash Israeli industries with titles you know they don't deserve and someone got in your way with pesky facts. These same industries have aggressively worked to solve the very problem you seem to care about, you seem to know this but still don't care.

So Play with semantics and bait bulls with your mocking tone, very well.

[azurnoir]

37. The Kimberly Process

The Kimberley process started when Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, in May 2000, to discuss ways to stop the trade in ‘conflict diamonds’ and ensure that diamond purchases were not funding violence.

In December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution supporting the creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. By November 2002, negotiations between governments, the international diamond industry and civil society organisations resulted in the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) . The KPCS document sets out the requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade. The KPCS entered into force in 2003, when participating countries started to implement its rules.

http://www.kimberleyprocess.com/background/index_en.html

[Kurska]

40. And israel (the source of 50% of the world's cut diamonds) was the first one to agree to it.

Did I say the idea was totally Israeli? Or that Israel was the sole inspirer of the Kimberly process? All I said was that Israel spearheaded it by being the first one to sign on to it.

How to explains this... You see it's called spearheading because at the tip of the spear is the spearhead, so the first thing to go into, accept or take part in something is spearheading it.

SO the first person to sign onto a united nations initiative is spearheading the way for other nations to sign onto it.

Basic english for a simple DU I suppose...

(The 50% comment was in accordance of the state of the diamond trade at the time israel signed, not sure what it is now. )

[shira]

22. but what are you hoping to gain from singling out and boycotting Israel?

[Vegasaurus]

19. Go ahead and avoid buying Israeli hummus

but if you need a life saving medication, developed in Israel, would you give up your life to make a political statement?

That's pretty stupid.

In fact, why are you typing on your computer with your Windows operating system?

Get rid of it.

And your cell phone.

Your life will be much better without any Israeli products or innovation.

Go ahead and boycott all of them.

You may have to live in a cave, but it's better than supporting those awful Israelis!

[Kurska]

20. But they might have a mac!

Using Intel processors developed in israel, woops.

The only Israel free pc I can think of is A AMD processor and a linux variant operating system (nothing against linux though, I'm posting on a Unbuntu as we speak, but I'm playing games on my vista computer.)

[Vegasaurus]

21. I'd like to see all these people with their boycott frenzy

actually practice what they preach.

They would see that they cannot give up all the commodities, advances and technology that were developed in Israel.

So, their talk is just that. Talk.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[varelse]

26. Implying that the age of a poster's DU account, their donor status, or their number of posts

is related in any way to their fitness to post on DU, is a violation of DU's rules. So is making negative "broad brush" statements about any group. So yeah, my guess is that this is at least flirting with rule violation.

But, I'm not a mod, just answering your question.

[Violet_Crumble]

35. There's a real irony in yr post....

I had to snicker a bit at you saying making negative "broad brush" statements about any group is a violation of DU's rules, seeing one or two folk in this thread (not the one you replied to who btw didn't do that at all) have done that on an ongoing basis since they first arrived at DU, and have also in the case of one of them publicly said they want to see me tombstoned....

[Violet_Crumble]

27. I'm doing my little bit to boycott products made in Israel. How is that a frenzy?

On the other hand, I do find yr persistant hostility at the mere thought that anyone dare boycott Israeli products to be a tad frenzied. What does it matter to you what I do or don't buy when I do my grocery shopping? More importantly, who the fuck are you to tell anyone what they can or can't buy? I've noticed in each thread which discusses boycotting, you vanish as soon as anyone rightly points out that the idea of individuals boycotting isn't to boycott ideas, but to take a personal stand and decide to avoid buying products from a country (I've also done the same when it comes to the US). When it comes to groceries, it's an easy matter of checking to see where the product's made (over here information on where a product is produced comes on the packaging, so it's very easy), and when it came to my recent purchase of a laptop, it wasn't made in Israel...

As for yr constant cries that anyone who does boycott Israeli products MUST turn down medical treatment - I'd find that attitude of yrs to be very dangerous and life-threatening to someone who's critically ill and desperately needs medical treatment, except anyone who's so fucking stupid to believe yr rubbish where Israel is portrayed as the only country who contributes to medicine probably is too stupid to have gone to see a doctor in the first place...

Oh yeah, just to get a few more head explosions going, while I'm boycotting Israeli products when I do my shopping, I'm still the proud owner of more than a few books by Israeli writers, like Ilan Pappe, Benny Morris and Tom Segev. Have you got the ability to understand why this Boycotting Must Be Absolute crap yr peddling is more than ridiculous?

[Kurska]

30. I've always thought of you as a very sensible poster, even if I disagree with you

So, I really want to know. Why do people think attempts to economically ruin a country will bring about peace? It seems like some people really do want to destroy israeli industry and it's world competitiveness. When have economic depressions ever lead to periods of racial reconciliation and peace?

It seems to me like wounding the Israeli economy would just contribute to the cycle of violence, not end it.

[Violet_Crumble]

31. Thanks. I can only speak on behalf of myself when it comes to boycotting...

..though I suspect very strongly that I'm in no way alone in my reasoning....

Why do people think attempts to economically ruin a country will bring about peace?

For me it's not about economically ruining a country. While as an Australian it's really easy for me to avoid purchasing Israeli products, as they're not a big trading partner with us and there's not much Made in Israel stuff on the supermarket shelves, and my personal decision to consciously avoid those products isn't going to have an effect on anything economically, I think the bigger picture is that boycotting is an attempt to change the policies of a govt or company. For example, over here there's a boycott going on of Pacific Brands (iconic Australian labels like Bond and King Gee) because it sacked hundreds of workers and moved the jobs offshore. It pisses me off that this company has taken millions in subsidies from the govt over the past few years and given their executives obscenely huge paypackets. Would I buy any Bond or King Gee clothing? No way in the world, as I support the boycott. Do I want to see those labels economically ruined? No, coz they're both brands that are an important part of this country. What I want is for Pacific Brands to reverse its decision and reinstate those workers, and in the case of Israel I want it to stop doing things that result in the deaths of so many innocent Palestinians...

When has economic depressions ever lead to periods of racial reconciliation and peace?

Given the current state of the world economically, I'd hazard a guess that pretty much everything else will take a backseat to the global financial crisis/recession/depression...

[Kurska]

32. I still don't get it

Many of these "made in israel" products were actually made in the west bank via Palestinians payed a good wage.
I can understand wanting to wash your hands of the conflict in regard to patronage, would you buy a product made in gaza?

[Violet_Crumble]

34. If it was made in the West Bank, then it wouldn't have Made in Israel on it...

I'm pretty sure that my govt is like the British govt and insists that products from the West Bank aren't marked Made in Israel. And though I'm not too knowledgable on it, I doubt very much that Palestinians in the West Bank are paid a good wage at all unless their employer is Palestinian....

Would I buy a product made in Gaza? If it was on the shelves here, and it was something I was going to buy, then yes, I'd definately buy it...

[Kurska]

38. So do you believe the government of gaza (hamas) is better then the government of israel?

Which one would you rather live under?

[Violet_Crumble]

39. I think they're both as bad as each other...

And I wouldn't want to live under either, which thankfully I'll never have to do...

[Kurska]

41. Really?

You think the government of israel is the equal of hamas in something like freedom of speech, the rights of women and respect of Democracy?

[Violet_Crumble]

42. Yep, really...

They're both as bad as each other when it comes to the belief that they're entitled to Israel and the Occupied Territories in their entirety. Both use ugly language that indicates that neither would be the slightest bit upset to see *the other* (meaning the ethnic group they're not part of) expelled from Israel and the Occupied Territories, and both have a terrible habit of ignoring the suffering of civilians on the *other side* and making out they're the only victims in this conflict. That's why they're both as bad as each other...

[Dick Dastardly]

46. So even though as you say they are both as bad as each other and admittedly only as bad when it

comes to the things you mention, you will buy Gaza products but not Israeli. Why is that?

[Violet_Crumble]

48. I wasn't boycotting Israeli products before OCL happened...

*That's* the reason why I chose to boycott Israeli products, not any other reason...

[Dick Dastardly]

53. Yes but you said

Violet_Crumble (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-29-07 06:40 PM
Response to Reply #7
11. In my case you doubted wrong...
I do my own little personal boycott by not purchasing goods made in the US, Israel and a few other countries that have appalling human rights records...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=183089&mesg_id=183142



Notice the date. This is a year and a half before Cast Lead

[azurnoir]

56. Wow you must have Googled forever to find that tidbit

or had the help of someone who is a donor and has a history of doing that sort of thing, gosh who ever could that be?

[Violet_Crumble]

61. I find it sweet that someone cares that much about what I say about anything...

Well, after finding out that one or two folk have a habit of saving my posts and dragging them out years later on another forum that's devoted to whining about DU, it tends to be sweet in a pretty creepy way. I don't really think much of what I say about anything is particularly interesting, so I don't really get what the attention's about. In Mr Dastardly's case, I've got no problem with him pointing out something I said here in the past, and I'm sure now he'll be satisfied...

[Violet_Crumble]

60. So? That was half-hearted and didn't last long...

Very much like my attempts to give up smoking. Since OCL I've got a lot more motivation to do it...

[Vegasaurus]

62. And you go right ahead Violet

but since you are still posting here on DU all day and night, it looks like you didn't give up your computer.

You are inadvertently supporting Israeli products, whether you want to or not.

[azurnoir]

63. So what does Israel control?

you make these claims and then wail like a baby when the obvious is pointed out BTW ever hear of AMD?

[Violet_Crumble]

68. Do you ever bother reading other people's posts?

See, yr still going on with some nonsense about computers when several people have already explained to you that individuals choices to boycotts (another thing you don't seem to grasp is that I don't need yr approval or disapproval to boycott things) has got nothing to do with using their computers or phones or turning down life-saving medical treatment....

I'm finding the blatant hostility displayed by some Americans in this forum when it comes to individuals boycotting Israel to be extremely bizarre behaviour. Hell, if someone informed me they were boycotting Australian products, I'd sit there and not care what they did, but I'd find it a bit creepy if some American came along and had a head-explosion over someone else boycotting Australian products...

btw, this rather strange fixation with me is getting to the stage where it's entering fantasy land as even a complete twit would be able to see that I don't post on DU all day and night. I guess we can put the fantasy stuff down to a bit of head-exploding happening....

[Tripmann]

43. The principle of the boycott is simple.

You hit the pockets of the individuals who grease the wheels of the political parties vis political donations. Party donors lobby for a change of party policy or their party coffers dry up from lack of donations and they can't fight an effective campaign next election. As well as of course hitting their export revenue overall.

[Dick Dastardly]

47. So the BDS movement is is OK and is not illegal collective punishment as a tool to force change

when used on Israel but when Israel does such things to reign in Hamas and other terror groups then its illegal collective punishment?

[azurnoir]

54. There is a bit of a difference

the boycott of companies that do business in Israel is voluntary and is sponsored or enforced by a government nor does it effect most Israeli's in their day to day lives, unlike the blockade of Gaza which is expressly intended to create suffering among the civilian population.

[Idealism]

57. Calling divestment collective punishment is hyperbolic, at best.

Ludicrous at worst.

[azurnoir]

59. This should have read

the boycott of companies that do business in Israel is voluntary and is NOT sponsored or enforced by a government

[Tripmann]

69. That comparison is beyond a stretch, its a futile clutch at

straws. Nobody in Israel is without food or medical supplies tonight because I've stopped buying Israeli products.

[varelse]

45. There's quite a difference between voluntary boycotting or divestment

and actual economic sanctions against a country. A boycott or divestment movement will not "ruin" a country's economy, nor is it intended to do so.

It's intended to send a message to the government of Israel, that its policies with regard to the land and the people of Palestine (what little remnants are left of it) are unjust and unacceptable.

If our government were to initiate economic sanctions against Israel, that would be ruinious - but you know very well that neither the United States nor any European country will do such a thing.

[Vegasaurus]

44. YR right, as usual cuz YR the boss!!

Boycott to YR heart's content.

Just don't use YR computer, telephone, and hope you don't need any of Israel's life saving medical techniques.

I never said Israel was the ONLY country to make these contributions, only an advance that they have developed, your silly little boycott won't be going very far.

Yr so smart tho, so I know U know that.

[Violet_Crumble]

49. I wish you'd try reading and comprehending my post before doing a knee-jerk reply...

That's what being in a frenzy does to folk, I guess. Makes them come out with gibberish that makes no sense when people read what they're replying to...

Boycott to YR heart's content.

Already am. Don't need yr approval or disapproval to do it, btw. But I must say that causing head-explosions amongst some hardline 'pro-Israel' types is an added bonus to boycotting...


Just don't use YR computer, telephone, and hope you don't need any of Israel's life saving medical techniques.

*sigh*. Go back and read the post yr replying to and this time don't ignore what I said in favour of trotting out the same bullshit as you did before...


I never said Israel was the ONLY country to make these contributions, only an advance that they have developed, your silly little boycott won't be going very far.

I never said you said it. I said you make out like it is, which is what yr still making out. Also, as more than a few people have already pointed out to you, you have absolutely no clue as to what individuals boycotting things is about. It's about avoiding purchasing products from whoever yr boycotting, not avoiding *ideas* or *contributions*. Though seeing as how I'm under no illusions that me as an individual will have any effect, I'm kind of impressed that yr getting yrself so worked up and annoyed over it.


Yr so smart tho, so I know U know that.

Ah, but yr not at all, so you should stop projecting yr own inability to comprehend what a boycott is onto others who do understand how they work...

[azurnoir]

50. If Israel is so impervious to a boycott

and the whole thing is as futile as is being made out here why all the fuss?

[Kurska]

55. We're just worried you'll miss out on all the amazing humus n/t

[azurnoir]

64. So Israel makes superior compost too? n/t

[Vegasaurus]

52. Yr gonna be the best boycotter!

Go for it, Violet.

Yr a star!

[Ken Burch]

29. None of which REQUIRES the IDF to do what it's doing.

You don't need Operation Cast lead to have the advances in medical technology. Nor do you need the Occupation. All of that is done entirely in pre-1967 Israel.