JEDDAH, 1 July— American Homes Furniture (AHF) on Madinah Road, for so long a landmark store in the city, has suddenly removed the word “American” from both the Arabic and English signs on the front of its shop.

The dramatic move comes in the wake of the growing boycott against US goods here in the Kingdom in response to the US-backed Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.

In recent weeks, the House of Donuts removed the “American” from its “American Pastry” logo, and the “Americana” brand advertised on Arab TVs across the Middle East has suddenly added a sentence to its commercials: “Americana is one hundred percent Arab owned.”

AHF Manager Mohsen Al-Sabban told Arab News: “What we’re doing has nothing to do with the so-called boycott call. Our company has been dealing in American furniture for the past 28 years and there have been political ups and downs, at times calling for boycott.

“At no time did we think of giving up the American tag or dealing in American furniture. We are replacing the word ‘American’ with a global name to our chain of home furniture showrooms. This is because we’ve started sourcing furniture from many other countries, especially Europe and the Far East.”

However, a source who has spoken to a senior manager at AHF, told Arab News on condition that he not be identified further that the move by AHF is at least indirectly related to poor sales in the light of the boycott on US goods.

Asked what had been the impact of the post Sept. 11 events on the furniture business, Al-Sabban confirmed: “Our business has been affected by five to seven percent.”

The boycott of US goods by Saudis angered by Washington’s Middle East policies has led to a sharp fall in American exports to Saudi Arabia, diplomats and economists said.

Official US figures show exports plunged 33 percent to $2.8 billion between September and March. In the first quarter of 2002, exports fell 43 percent to $986 million from $1.74 billion a year earlier.

Many Saudi consumers have shifted to European and Japanese products, encouraged by campaigners wearing Palestinian checkered headscarves who have distributed leaflets at mosques, schools and shopping malls, residents said.

They urge Saudis to boycott US household items, vehicles, food and beverages, fast-food restaurants and tobacco in protest at Washington’s pro-Israel bias and anti-Saudi campaigns by some US senators and media following the Sept. 11 attacks.