I have a friend who's daughter became a peace activist. She was sending emails back from Palestine, and this focused my mind on what was happening there.
When she returned she start ed selling Zaytoun products with the Olive Coop in Manchester. They were distributing Palestinian olive oil, soap, knickknacks, and organising tours to visit the producers.
I started using their olive oil as a way of positively supporting communities under threat. The sales help to sustain the communities, and some of the money goes to schools and supporting the next generation. I feel that protest is good, but that this is also useful as an on the ground project.
I was prompted to also sell oil in small quantities when I came in contact with my local peace group, Hastings Against War. To get a whole shipment was too expensive for me, so I went in with a local business, Visionary Soap, that uses Palestinian olive oil, and sells at our farmers market . I bought 100 pounds worth of oil to sell locally. This widened the net of supply. I've met lovely people through doing this such as a local nun, Sister Veronica, who got the asian food shop to stock Zaytoun oil.
I haven't had time to sell on a big scale, but the response has been very good. People want to do something, and an increased awareness of the Palestinian sit uation arises out of feeling that positive action is possible at a very local level.