Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) pays Orange NIS 15 million a year for the use of its brand name, communications industry sources today estimated. Following the controversy about the anti-Israeli remarks by Orange International CEO Stephane Richard, Partner is expected to submit a request today for compensation.
Partner workers today began a demonstration at the company, with dozens of workers waving Israeli flags, following the tempest raging since yesterday, when the Orange CEO announced his support for boycotting Israel.
The workers condemned the boycott and Richard, while covering up the Orange logo with a giant Israeli flag.
Partner is also receiving unexpected support today from a competitor. 018 Xfone CEO Itzik Ben-Eliezer called on the Israeli public not to take revenge against Partner, saying, "I want to express my support for Partner's employees and managers, who have been serving millions of Israeli customers for many years.
"Partner is a competitor, but is above all Israeli in every sense. I call on Partner's customers not to abandon the company because of what the Orange International CEO said."
The Knesset Economics Committee will convene next week to discuss the matter. Committee chairman MK Eitan Cabel wrote on Facebook, "Orange is a brand name, and nothing more. Partner is an Israeli company employing thousands of workers giving many Israelis daily service. These are our workers, and we won't let any foreign party threaten our place of work. I spoke today with Partner Israel workers committee chairperson Keren Ofek, and told her that I planned to convene the Knesset Economics Committee for the purpose of issuing a clear call of solidarity with the workers and the company.
"We won't be a partner to the corrupt threats of a foreign brand. Anyone who leaves Partner now because of the statement by the CEO of Orange International becomes a tool of people who hate Israel, against his own interest and without his knowledge. In its great impotence, the government is unfortunately not succeeding in forming a broad international front to forestall the new emerging war against us, a war of boycotts."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 3, 2015
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2015