The retailer says while it is neither pro-Palestinian nor anti-Israel, it must put the wellbeing and safety of its staff and customers first.

Woolworths has been forced to withdraw its popular Israeli pearl couscous from its shelves after it received "credible" threats about protests and a consumer boycott, which it feared could have put staff and customers at risk.

The threats to #BoycottWoolworths emanated from the Africa4Palestine movement, which had launched the campaign to force Woolworths to stop selling Israeli products.

It said it would target other retailers to follow suit.

On Friday, the retailer issued a statement titled "Setting the record straight" in which it affirmed that it was neither pro-Palestinian nor anti-Israeli and that media articles claiming that it supports an Israeli boycott were false.

"Despite reports commending us for taking a pro-Palestinian or anti-Israeli position -- we have not. Woolworths would like to explicitly affirm that we neither support nor boycott anyone.

"Woolworths has no political affiliations and does not support any political party, organisation or country."

It said that in a polarised world where misinformation, misunderstanding and suffering were fuelling heightened emotion, it refused to add to the division and divisiveness.

"Many of us have been deeply affected in various ways by the atrocities and death of innocent people we are witnessing on our screens. Intolerance is on...