Kerala Based Apparel Takes A "Moral Decision" To Stop Delivering Uniforms To Israeli Force

An Indian apparel has decided to terminate its long-standing contract of making uniform for the Israeli police. The “moral decision” was taken under the light of the bombing at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza which claimed the life of around 500 Palestinians.

The Maryan Apparel, based in Kannur, from the southern state of Kerala has been supplying uniforms to Israeli police since 2015. The apparel claims to deliver around 100,000 uniforms so far. The company’s managing director, Thomas Olickal told AFP that “it is a moral decision”. He told that the “loss of thousands of innocent lives” in the conflict is what prompted him to take the decision. Mr. Olickal said the company is ready to deliver uniforms once the “peace is restored”.

While talking with The National, Mr. Olickal said “the hospital attack really disturbed us. Children, women, the common people are dying”. He also added that. Nobody can accept the denying of the “food, electricity and hospital treatment”. According to Mr. Olickal, fighting among the two armies is okay, “but killing common people is unacceptable. It is a moral decision”.

The company has received the order of 50,000 uniform since the “uprecidented” attack from Hamas October 7. For a week now, the 1500 workers, who are all women, has been working round the clock to complete the taken order. Mr. Olickal said, after this order, he will “inform them” about their decision to not to supply uniforms “until there is peace”.

Mr. Olickal’s company makes uniform with fire-retardant fabric which are used by the workers in petroleum refineries and hospitals. The company also supply uniforms for the National Guard and Fire Service of Kuwait, Qatar Air Force, Philippines and Saudi Arabia. The managing director of the company remarked that the company produce 250,000 pieces of uniform every month. And the Israeli force’s uniform constitute to only two or three percentage of the business.