A Chinese multinational conglomerate that owns AHAVA, which has a production site and visitor center in an illegal Israeli settlement, despite moving its operations outside of the occupied Palestinian territory.
Fosun International is a Chinese investment conglomerate that operates in the real estate, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceutical, and tourism industries. Among its many subsidiaries, Fosun owns AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories, an Israeli company that makes skincare products using minerals extracted from the Dead Sea.
AHAVA was founded in 1988 in the illegal Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem in the occupied West Bank. For decades, is was excavating mud from the area, in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), and had its main production site and visitor center in the settlement. This led to a global boycott campaign against the company.
In 2016, while AHAVA was negotiating with Fosun over its acquisition, the company announced that it would relocate its factory to Ein Gedi, a few miles south of its previous location and outside of the oPt. A Fosun spokesperson stated at the time: "I know that there are organizations [in Europe] operating against Israel, and we'll take it into account in expanding our business. Where the plant is concerned, we have been aware of it since the negotiations began. We're in the process of signing a contract with Kibbutz Ein Gedi, and we plan to move the plant there. All these measures are critical for getting the company on the right road, so that no problems like this will arise concerning the company's business."
Construction of the Ein Gedi plant and visitor center started in 2016, and the facility opened in 2022. The original visitor center in Mitzpe Shalem has been closed since 2020, but it is still leased to AHAVA. It is unclear where the mud is currently excavated. A 2023 site visit indicated that mud was being excavated at the Mitzpe Shalem illegal settlement. However, local company employees later claimed that the mud is no longer excavated in oPt.
- On May 23, 2018, the student senate at the University of Oregon passed a divestment resolution to divest from companies including the Strauss Group, the Osem Group, Hewlett-Packard Company, Ahava, General Electric, Eden Springs, Motorola, G4S, Elbit Systems. The resolution also prohibited the purchase of products from Sabra, Tribe, Sodastream, and the companies listed above.
- On March 9, 2016, Palestinian activists led by Bassem Al-Tamimi filed a $34.5 billion civil lawsuit in D.C. against individuals and companies that have been "funding violent settlement activities in occupied Palestine." The lawsuit names several defendants, including G4S, RE/MAX, Africa Israel Investments, Motorola, Volvo, Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories, Oracle Corp., and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
- In October 2014, luxury online retailer GILT stopped carrying Ahava products.
- In July 2012, the U.S. Presbyterian Church voted to boycott Ahava and all other Israeli settlement products.
- In May 2012, the Minister of Trade and Industry of South Africa announced new labeling rules for Israeli products that originate in occupied Palestinian territories, including Ahava.
- In May 2012, the United Methodist Church voted to boycott products made in illegal settlements, including Ahava.
- In February 2012, Norwegian retailer Vita stopped selling Ahava products.
- In January 2012, Daito Crea the Ahava representative in Japan, announced that it would stop distributing Ahava products.
- In November 2011, the UK National Union of Students (NUS) and the King's College Student Council both condemned the university's collaboration with Ahava as a part of a research project funded by the European Union.
- In September 2011, Ahava’s flagship store in London was forced to close down after two years of weekly protests at the site.
- In January 2011, UK retailer John Lewis and Canadian retailer The Bay dropped Ahava products from their sales inventory.
- In November 2010, the South African Police Commercial Crimes Unit opened an investigation against retailers SDV Pharmaceuticals and Wellness Warehouse for carrying Ahava products.
- In November 2010, the Russell Tribunal on Palestine London Session finds Ahava to be to be complicit in Israel's violations of international law.
- In October 2010, the Israel/Palestine Mission Network (IPMN) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted to boycott Ahava products.
- In March 2010, a lawsuit was filed in France against cosmetics retailer Sephora for carrying Ahava products.
- In January 2010, Costco agreed to stop carrying Ahava products in their stores.
- In November 2009, the Dutch Foreign Ministry launched an investigation into Ahava’s manufacturing and mis-labeling practices.
- In August 2009, Oxfam International announced that it would stop using actress Kristin Davis as a spokesperson for the organization, because of Davis’ contract to endorse Ahava products.