While fans of US singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams have reacted with excitement to news of his collaboration with Woolworths, pro-Palestine supporters have been left fuming. The platinum selling music artist broke the news on Twitter on Thursday, shortly after Woolworths CEO Ian Moir made the announcement at a press conference in Cape Town.

“Proud to collab with retailer @Woolworths_SA. Are you with us, South Africa? See you in September! #PharrellWithWoolies,” Williams tweeted.

But Palestine solidarity activists who form part of the #BoycottWoolworths campaign quickly took to the social network to air their views, urging him not to collaborate with Woolworths till it divests from Israel. Since Thursday, many activists have been tweeting the star directly to inform him of the ongoing boycott campaign.

Adri Neiwhof (@steketeh) said: “Hey @PharelI Palestinian led @BDSmovement may not be ‘happy’ about your cooperation with #Woolworths”

ANC Youth League in Sophiatown (@ANCYLZone6) said: “No chief not on this one, not with a company [Woolworths] that supports Apartheid [Israel]”

Philly Seheri (@The_Separatist) said: “Dead children can’t be Happy @Pharrell, that’s why we’d like you to postpone your collab with @WOOLWORTHS_SA until they divest from Israel.”

BDS South Africa spokesperson Kwara Kekana told VOC News that the movement will be formally writing to Williams, requesting that he postpones his Woolworths collaboration until the company divests from Israel. Members of the solidarity movement would continue to use social media to pressure the musician to cut ties with the retail company.

“The BDS #BoycottWoolworths campaign is inspired by the anti-apartheid boycott movement of the 1980s against companies that traded with Apartheid South Africa. Given our history, as South Africans, we call for the boycott of companies, such as Woolworths, who continue to trade with Apartheid Israel. We trust that Pharrell Williams will heed our call,” she said.

In August 2014 a call for the complete boycott of Woolworths until it ends its Israeli trade links was made by BDS South Africa, COSATU, ANC Youth League, MJC, SACP, YCL, EEF and various others including the National Coalition 4 Palestine (a coalition consisting of more than 30 organizations, trade unions and other groups).

An independent #BoycottWoolworths impact report by a Wits University researcher has found that Woolworths is losing over R30 million (close to R8 million per month) since the start of the #BoycottWoolworths campaign. According to the report, which was based on a survey of over 3000 participants, the actual impact “could be in the hundreds of millions”. VOC