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The SodaStream company has decided to feature an Israeli flag on all its products. The company manufactures sparkling water makers for home use. Along with supplemental products to use with the device, they are currently sold in 45 countries around the world.

"Company management wants to send a message of national pride, particularly in days when many of us hide our Israeli identity from the world," Sodastream said in a statement this week.

The Israeli flag is accompanied by an English message that reads, "This product is made by Arabs and Jews working side by side in peace and harmony."

SodaStream International CEO Daniel Birnbaum said that "as a proud Israeli company, we have always taken care to keep our Israeli profile high, even if that means fighting for our place in the face of the European Union and economic terrorism from the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement - also known as BDS.

"In recent years, we Israelis have found ourselves under attack, apologizing and boycotted all over the world. We may not be perfect, but we have a lot to be proud of, and we decided to show that to ourselves and to the world.

"I'm proud to be Israeli, so I'm putting my flag on 50 million products manufactured in Israel and bringing an unusual message of innovation and social responsibility. I wish every Israeli exporter would put the flag on its products, and I wish every one of us who goes abroad would feel confident in being a proud ambassador for the State of Israel," he said.

Asked if the company was concerned that the move might hurt its sales, Birnbaum said: "We are not motivated by fear. SodaStream is a proud global Israeli company, and we believe that our flag and our values as Israelis are a source of pride."

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This is a lightly edited version of the original article published by Israel Hayom at http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=40135