*UPDATE*: UPS Uses Sub-Contractors In West Bank

(Reprinted from e-mail)

Friends,

The e-mail about UPS refusing to deliver to Gush Etzion,
Golan, and Judea and Samaria has caused quite a stir. Some
have written confirming what Debbie wrote.Others, some of
them in Gush Etzion, say it's not true. In fact, I called
the post office and spoke to the wife of Uri, who delivers
UPS packages to Gush Etzion, and she assured me that there
is no problem. In any case, it seems to me that it's not a
political problem. UPS hires subcontractors to deliver
packages. Arabs who take them to Ramallah, and Jews who go
to Judea and Samaria and the Golan. At least, that's what
appears to be the case. Below, some letters.

So I don't think a boycott is in order, although the UPS
employees quoted surely are making the problem worse with
their ignorant replies. Could it be that employees are just
unaware of the real policy? Can that be corrected?

Naomi
READ THE REST...
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Dear Naomi:

Shalom. I received a copy of the series of e-mails
regarding deliveries by UPS to Yehuda V'Shomron and the
Golan.

Since at work we use UPS, I decided to get the fact to make
sure that the ones that were given to Debbie were correct.
I spoke with the head of the Jerusalem department.

These are the facts:

1) All packages coming from abroad are delivered into
all areas of Yehuda and Shomron. For the Jewish yishuvim
they are distributed by a subcontractor utilized by UPS.
This includes Gush Etzion. The person at the yeshiva in
Alon Shvut would not have had to come to Jerusalem to pick
up the packages.

Packages to places currently under Arab control (like
Ramallah) are picked up in the nearest largest city by a
worker (probably an Arab) who has made these deliveries
into his business. He is not a subcontractor of UPS.

Although the woman I spoke with did not say so in so many
words, I am sure that security reasons govern both of these
decisions. She mentioned that it was very costly for them
to do it (I guess because they would have to provide drivers
that go into Yehuda V'Shomron with bullet-proof vans etc.
since they are responsible for their safety)

2) UPS has a branch in Ramat HaGolan and in the
Gallil and makes all deliveries there.

3) Currently, UPS does not make any local deliveries
(i.e. packages from Israel) in Yehuda V'Shomron since the
quantities of such packages would make it cost prohibitive
for them to do so. Packages sent within Israel are only
sent in the larger population areas like Jerusalem, Tel
Aviv, Haifa, etc.

I not writing in defense of UPS here but I did think that
everyone should have their facts straight. Jumping at
conclusions without examining the facts fully (and not just
checking with some " clerk ") is, in my opinion, counter
productive. Since Debbie's e-mail address was not shown nor
was Ruth's (of Baltimore), I hope that you will share this
information with them and with whoever else may have
received the e-mail with the misinformation on UPS.

Have a happy Chanukah.
With best regards,

Bella

============================================================
=========================================
Sorry to rain on your parade but the all encompassing
accusation that you made is not true.

I am a business man with interests in Israel as well as the
United States and I was - understandably - piqued at your
report - if it was totally correct. I contacted UPS Tel
Aviv and received the following information.

Correct - there are a few places in Gush Etzion that are
outside their delivery scope. HOWEVER, they DO deliver to
such places as Ariel, Maaleh Adumim, Kfar Adumim, Mizpe
Yericho. They deliver to Ramallah, Shechem (Nablus), Jenin
etc. by way of subcontractors who go into the Arab sectors.
(They do not deliver to every Arab village.)

They deliver to Hebron and also deliver to Kiryat Arba.

On the other hand, they were not able to answer my question,
"If you deliver to Arab cities via subcontractors (I assume
because of the inherent danger), why can't you use
subcontractors to deliver to the Jewish areas where delivery
is not now available?"

Perhaps there was a molehill - but I think a mountain was
made.

(By the bye, I personally am on the left wing of the
political spectrum.)
All the Best

Jay A Friedman

Technorati Tags: Israel, PA, Palestinian+Authority, Gaza, West+Bank, Judea, Shomron, Golan+Heights, UPS, DHL