| UPDATE: 12-20-06 -
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If you have a package you want to
send to someone in Israel's Golan Heights area, one of the safest areas in
Israel, forget about calling UPS, because they may claim it is too dangerous to
deliver there, but they will deliver packages to Ramalah, the hotbed of
Palestinian suicide bomb belt making and terrorist training. While tourists
love to visit the Golan Heights wineries, not many people are picking Ramalah
for their vacations.
Debbie Schlussel broke the story that UPS is refusing to
deliver packages to parts of Yehuda and Shomron, the proper names of the areas
media likes to call the "West Bank." As such, Boycott Watch looked into the
story and we are reporting our results, starting with an email based on Debbie
Schlussel's article and thanking her:
Friends,
UPS
apparently has decided to make its own Mideast policy by refusing to deliver
packages to Jewish areas in the West Bank and Golan Heights, but not Arab
areas, even those run by terrorists. So, if you need to send a package to
Israel, don't use UPS. See below. Thanks Debbie.
Naomi
(Debbie Schlussel's story followed and is posted
here.)
To check this validity of the story, Boycott Watch
contacted UPS and was assured no such boycott exists by UPS and that UPS
delivers packages to all of Israel including Yehuda and Shomron. The UPS
spokesman also stated that UPS uses contractors to deliver to more remote
areas, a common practice by UPS in several countries, thus the Customer Service
Representative had "erroneous information." Boycott Watch respects and
understands that regardless of the color of the truck, i.e. a non-brown /
non-UPS truck, as long as UPS is making sure all packages are delivered, they
are in fact fulfilling the expected service level agreement with their
customers. Despite UPS claims, we have received several reports from people who
live in Yehuda and Shomron stating UPS is refusing to deliver packages to them.
Boycott Watch requested more information and was sent
the following official statement which raised more questions than it answered:
"UPS offers worldwide express service to and from Israel to both
residential and business addresses and a domestic service within Israel through
its authorized service contractor, O.P.S.I. International Handling Limited.
Regrettably, information provided recently by UPS customer service
representatives regarding UPS's service territory in Israel was incorrect, but
this is currently being addressed.
"Through O.P.S.I., UPS covers
99% of the population in Israel outside the West Bank except for a few remote
areas in the Golan Heights and the Negev Desert, where it would be cost
prohibitive to provide service. Only remote areas in the West Bank with very
low population density are not covered - on both the Israeli and Palestinian
sides.
"In the West Bank, UPS's service reaches over 80% of the
population and covers approximately 60% of the territory, including the Gush
EtZion area. UPS's overall coverage area is on par with or even better than our
competitors. All packages coming from abroad are delivered into all areas of
Yehuda and Shomron, including Gush EtZion. Customers residing in this area do
not have to go to Jerusalem to pick up their shipments.
"UPS
does not tolerate any type of discrimination and would not associate with any
parties who do not embrace UPS's concern for fairness and equality."
Boycott Watch finds the statement from UPS to be
confusing and we have requested a clarification, but at this point we have to
report about what we were sent. At one point, the report first states UPS
covers 80% of the population of the "West Bank" and then states "All packages
coming from abroad are delivered into all areas of Yehuda and Shomron,
including Gush EtZion." Since geographically Yehuda and Shomron are the areas
commonly called the "West Bank" in the US media, the statement clearly
contradicts itself. The UPS statement also contradicts what we were told by the
UPS representative, which is that all areas are covered either directly by UPS
or by a contractor.
It looks, therefore, as if UPS or
its contractor is dividing Israel package delivery by political zones related
to political lines, and it is also possible that a contractor is specifically
involved is furthering that delineation, with or without the blessing of UPS
corporate headquarters. What is important to note is that package delivery
appears to be specifically denied to Jews who live in Yehuda and Shomron, areas
which are biblically named as such, by people who are against the right of Jews
to live there. This is speculation, of course, but the preponderance of
evidence indicated the political explanation.
Regardless if it was either UPS or its contractor
that engaged the business in politics, UPS is responsible for all business
activities operating under its name just as an army general is responsible for
his subordinates. UPS appears to be engaged in politics, something Boycott
Watch has criticized other companies for doing, and needs to take action to end
the problem it now faces.
In the mean time, Boycott
Watch is confused by what we have read from UPS thus far. As such, we must
conclude that the initial report by Debbie Schlussel has merit. We told UPS
that we will update this report as information becomes available. |
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