A number of Dutch Muslims boycotted German supermarket groups Aldi and Lidl on Saturday in the mistaken belief that the two chains’ turnover from January 10 was destined for Israel, the Volkskrant reports on Tuesday.

Even though the supermarkets denied the rumours, calls for a boycott raced through the Muslim community by internet and mobile phone, the paper says. The retailers will not say if Saturday’s turnover was affected.
Muslims are angry at Israel’s attacks on Gaza, which are now in their third week.
‘I had doubts about its [the message’s] authenticity but better safe than sorry,’ the paper quotes one young Muslim woman in The Hague as saying. She received the message 10 times.
Yassin Elforkani, chairman of the Dutch imam’s union, says it is silly to believe these sorts of messages but that he understands people’s feelings. ‘Many feel angry and powerless about what is going on in Gaza. A boycott is the least they can do,’ he said.
Ibrahim Yerden from Amsterdam University says that there are a number of boycott lists in circulation. ‘For example, they ask if a Jew is behind European and American products,’ he said.
Muslim organisations have held a number of demonstrations in the Netherlands against the war in Gaza.