AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories

Additional Details

AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories is a cosmetics and skincare company founded in 1988, known for manufacturing products primarily based on mineral ingredients extracted from the Dead Sea. Its current headquarters are located in the occupied Palestinian city of Lod. Their products are distributed throughout Israel, Europe, and North America, with their export revenue accounting for the majority of the profit Human rights organizations have accused the company of illegally and commercially extracting mud and precious minerals from the Dead Sea shores located within the occupied territories, without any benefit to the Palestinian population from these natural resources. The company's profits and taxes directly support settlement municipalities and contribute to the continued expansion of settlements in the area, which constitutes direct participation in entrenching the occupation. (The settlements of Mitzpe Shalem and Kalia, located in the West Bank, held a major and direct share in the company. This means, legally and economically, that the company's profits went as direct financial returns to the settlers and settlement local councils.) The company received substantial tax exemptions and benefits from the Israeli government under laws granted to companies that support the economy within the settlements. The government record shows that the company received millions of shekels under the heading "מענקים לפי החוק לעידוד השקעות הון" (grants under the Capital Investments Encouragement Law).