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Has Israel changed the barcode number on its products due to boycotts?

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Has Israel changed the barcode number on its products due to boycotts?

On social media, calls have been increasing to stop buying goods and services from Israel. But are they based on facts?

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Multiple social media posts claim to show how to identify products coming from Israel.

These posts explain that if the barcode starts with the number 729, 841, or 871, these products have been manufactured in Israel.

Many of these posts ask their followers to avoid buying any of these items to show support for Palestine.

Another campaign on the social media platforms TikTok and also X, claims the boycott of products starting with the number 729 has caused Israel to change its barcode prefix to 871 and 841.

A prefix number does not indicate where a product has been manufactured

But GS1, a nonprofit standards organisation that provides the numbers, says on its website the prefixes cannot be used to determine a product’s country of origin.

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“The GS1 Prefix does not indicate that the product was manufactured in a specific country or by a specific manufacturer; it may have been produced anywhere in the world.”

That means the code only indicates the country from which the barcode was allocated.

And while it’s true the prefix 729 shows that a company is registered in Israel, that doesn’t mean a specific item was produced there.

When it comes to claims that Israel has changed its barcode to 871 and 841, that’s simply not true.

Barcodes starting with 841 are allocated from Spain and 871 from the Netherlands, according to GS1.

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In an interview with AFP, a GS1 spokesperson explained that “Companies around the world can choose any of the 116 GS1 Member Organisations they want to work with, regardless of where they are based or where they produce their products.”

“This means that any company no matter where it’s based can work with GS1 Israel or any of the 116 GS1 Member Organisations,” said the spokesperson.

Calls to boycott Israeli products with a barcode prefix 729 have been circulating online for several years.

They tend to resurface when there is an escalation between Israel and Palestine, according to Logically, a UK-based company specialising in fighting disinformation. 

The Israel-Hamas war has sparked numerous calls for boycotts on social media, many involving misinformation.

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The Cube has previously debunked false claims related to brands such as Starbucks and Zara, that have faced boycotts for allegedly supporting Israel.

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‘X-Men’ Star Famke Janssen Says Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Asking Her to Return as Jean Grey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

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‘X-Men’ Star Famke Janssen Says Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Asking Her to Return as Jean Grey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Famke Janssen said during a recent conversation with Nerdtropolis at Spacecon 2026 that Marvel “made a mistake” by not bringing her back as Jean Grey for December’s “Avengers: Doomsday.”

“I am so bad at keeping secrets that I always say to everyone I’m the worst actor in the world. It’s all on my face. You right away will read it,” Janssen said. “I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I’m just a little me who thinks that.”

Janssen first appeared as the telepath Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, in 2000’s “X-Men,” and then reprised the role for 2003’s “X2: X-Men United” and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand.” She also briefly appeared as Grey in 2013’s “The Wolverine” and 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”

Janssen’s absence from “Doomsday” is notable, considering Marvel is bringing back many of her “X-Men” co-stars for the film. Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) are all set to return.

In an October 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Janssen said in every interview she does, she’s asked about the future of Jean Grey in the MCU.

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“It’s interesting,” Janssen said. “I didn’t realize that was such a big part. Every interview I do, that will come up, and of everything I say, that is going to be the only thing that’s gonna be printed.”

“I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people,” she added. “It’s been so long, but it’s nice that people are still talking about her. I’m sure every single time there’s a new movie that they’re doing, like [is it] ‘Doomsday?’ … it’ll come up again.”

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Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

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Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

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Authorities are responding after two passenger trains crashed into each other Friday near Bedford, England, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 90 others.

The East of England Ambulance Service said it was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at about 5:15 p.m. local time and quickly declared a “major incident.”

One person died at the scene, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 people had minor injuries, officials said.

Bedford is roughly 60 miles north of London.

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2 TRAINS COLLIDE IN DENMARK, LEAVING 5 PEOPLE CRITICALLY INJURED

Two passenger trains collided Friday in the United Kingdom. (Fox News)

All the patients with the most serious injuries have been taken from the scene to hospital.

The ambulance service said it sent numerous resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area response teams and six air ambulances.

MULTIPLE STABBED IN UK TRAIN ATTACK NEAR CAMBRIDGE AS POLICE ARREST 2 SUSPECTS

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Emergency crews were pictured working near the scene. (Fox News)

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response,” the ambulance service wrote in a statement.

The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were also responding.

“Please avoid the area,” fire officials wrote in a statement on X.

Sources told The Telegraph the train driver was on the phone with maintenance staff discussing a safety issue at the time of the crash.

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban

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Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban
NewsFeed

As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.

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