David Jones is to become the first major retail chain targeted by the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, with protesters angry at the company’s new South African parent seeking to export the campaign to Australia.

Two campaigners from BDS South Africa will fly to Australia this month to launch the boycott against David Jones, which was acquired this year by Cape Town-based Woolworths Holdings in a $2.1 billion takeover.

Woolworths in South Africa — a food, clothing and home merchandise chain that has no ­connection to Woolworths in Australia — has been the subject of a BDS campaign because it ­imports some products from ­Israel. The pro-Palestinian BDS campaign in South Africa is ­larger and far more aggressive than the BDS movement in Australia.

“BDS South ­Africa has been in conversation with our Australian partners … and we are about to roll out the BDS #BoycottWoolworths campaign in Australia, but of course targeting David Jones,” BDS South Africa national co-­ordinator Muhammed Desai told The Australian.

“In addition to David Jones’ South African parent company … having trade relations with Israel, we have been informed by our Australian counterparts that­ David Jones itself stocks ­Israeli products.”