A Chinese multinational conglomerate that owns AHAVA, which excavates minerals in the occupied West Bank and operates a processing center and visitor center in an illegal Israeli settlement, despite moving its factory 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. Its dozens of subsidiaries worldwide include Club Med resorts and skincare company Wei. In 2022, the company reported $25 billion in revenue.
Fosun owns AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories, an Israeli company that makes skincare products using minerals extracted from the occupied West Bank. AHAVA has been excavating, processing, and commercializing Dead Sea mud in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1988. Its main facility, which includes its production site, visitor center, and factory outlet, was located in the illegal Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem in the occupied Jordan Valley until 2022.
Following a seven-year boycott campaign over its illegal operations and while negotiating with Fosun over its acquisition, the company announced in 2016 that it would relocate its factory to Ein Gedi, a few miles south of its previous location and outside of the occupied Palestinian territory. A Fosun spokesperson stated that this move was "critical for getting the company on the right road, so that no problems ... will arise concerning the company's business." Construction of the new facility started in 2016, and the facility opened in 2022.
The original visitor center in Mitzpe Shalem, however, is concurrently operational and open to the public. Furthermore, a 2023 site visit confirmed that AHAVA still excavates the mud that it uses from its original site in the occupied Palestinian territory. The mud is processed at the Mitzpe Shalem facility. All raw materials are stored at the illegal settlement site, weighed, and then transferred to the new facility at Ein Gedi for packaging outside of the occupied Palestinian territory. This enables the company to label its products as "Made in Israel," according to a company worker.
Fosun's activities are in direct violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the use of land and other natural resources in an occupied territory for the non-military purposes of the occupier. It is also at odds with the Chinese government's longtime policy against Israel's illegal settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.
- 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.