Hamas War

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Finally, Consumer Protection and Warnings for Israeli Citizens Over "Green Line"

Israeli citizens like myself, who live over the "Green Line" in communities that are boycotted by some Israeli businesses are getting some legal protection.

I had to buy my washing machine from a repairman who was
an agent for a company in order to get full service coverage.
To explain how we're effectively second class citizens, it has happened to me and many others, that after choosing to purchase something, a store will suddenly announce:
"We don't deliver to ___"
At best they will give the number of someone who charges a lot more than the distance from store to location would normally cost. And then if the appliance or piece of furniture requires some installation or assembly, we have to pay privately and won't get serviced unless we deliver the malfunctioning appliance/furnishings etc. I have also discovered that the standard service renewal offers haven't been sent to me by many companies. That means that after the required/promised service contract, I have to pay privately. I have no other option. After living in Jerusalem over a decade before our move to Shiloh, I found that to be an unpleasant, unexpected and potentially expensive surprise.

Luckily the Jerusalem furniture where
I bought my couch set a number of years ago
delivered to Shiloh without any problems.
Finally, the Knesset has passed a law that requires businesses to at least warn us in advance.
Knesset passes ban on discrimination against settlers
Now, businesses that do not provide services or ship goods to residents of Jewish settlements in the West Bank will be required to clearly state and display that policy. This makes it different from race, gender, etc. The legislation will prevent a business from deliberately misleading customers about where goods or services will be available.
Businesses that fail to properly warn about their policy — for example with a sign of at least A4 size by the cash register — could be fined up to NIS 10,000 ($2,690).
OK the "advance" is at the checkout counter, but that is still better than nothing. And it must be a properly legible size. The best part is that a business that doesn't comply will be fined.

Many of my neighbors have discovered some excellent appliance shops nearby, in Jewish communities, which offer very competitive prices along with excellent service. We plan on patronizing one of them when we redo our kitchen, Gd willing. We were warned that IKEA doesn't deliver full-service assembly to Shiloh, so I'm not even checking them out. 

A half a century after the 1967 Six Days War, there are many Jewish Israeli citizens living here. The distance isn't great nor is the danger when traveling.

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