AMMAN – Boycott calls have gained significant momentum across the
Arab world since October 7, 2023, with the death toll now surpassing 10,000, as
reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health. People in the region are actively
seeking alternatives to international companies listed on the
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
اضافة اعلان
The BDS
movement's mission is to end international support for Israel's oppression of
Palestinians and exert pressure on Israel to adhere to international law. Among
the listed companies are McDonald's, Burger King, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, and
WIX, which are grassroots organic boycott targets. These grassroots campaigns
aim to boycott these companies due to their involvement in or support for
Israel, its branches, or franchises that have provided generous in-kind
donations to the Israeli military.
On October
20, an Instagram post featured videos of a woman expressing concerns about the
blue and white packaging in a fast-food order, which she believed indicated a
new political stance in favor of Israel. Meanwhile, there were claims that the
Israeli Occupation Army received free McDonald's. However, fact-checking
revealed that the blue-and-white packaging was used before October 7.
McDonald’s branches in several Arab countries are disassociating
themselves from the actions of IsraelMcDonald's
branches in several Arab countries released a statement on behalf of
"McDonald's Global," disassociating themselves from the actions of
the Israeli agency. They emphasized that they neither fund nor support any
parties involved in the conflict.
McDonald's
Kuwait, operating as a separate franchise, announced via social media a
donation of "50,000 Kuwaiti Dinars (over 160,000 dollars) for our people
in Gaza," expressing solidarity with Palestine. McDonald's Qatar also
donated one million Qatari Riyals (about 275,000 dollars) to contribute to the
relief efforts for Gaza residents, Al Mamlaka TV reported.
The boycott campaign is coupled with calls for Arab countries to
sever their ties with IsraelIn
response to Israeli airstrikes, the boycott campaign is coupled with calls for
Arab countries to sever their ties with Israel. Jordan and Turkey recalled
their ambassadors to Tel Aviv, while Saudi Arabia suspended normalization
negotiations. South Africa summoned its diplomats for consultations. In
Bahrain, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020, the parliament
announced "the suspension" of economic ties with Israel, although the
government did not confirm this.
Tech-savvy
youth are actively promoting boycotts through specialized websites and
smartphone apps that identify products to avoid. An add-on for the "Google Chrome" browser, known as "Palestine Pact," conceals online ads
for products marked for boycott.
Traditional
methods are also employed, with Kuwait featuring giant billboards on a
four-lane highway displaying images of bloodied children alongside a striking
logo that questions, "Have you killed a Palestinian today?" alongside
the hashtag #Boycott, aimed at encouraging consumers to join the boycott
campaign.
In Qatar,
Western companies faced closures after their management published content
supporting Israel on social networks. The American café "Pura Vida
Miami" and the French pastry store "Maitre Choux" closed their
doors in Doha last month.
Some companies are having a comeback
In Egypt,
the Egyptian Beverage Company "Spira Spats," which was previously
less popular, saw a significant increase in demand as an alternative to the
well-known "Pepsi" and "Coca-Cola." The company drew
attention due to its Israel branch providing thousands of free meals to the
Israeli army last month, causing outrage in the Arab world.
The
General Union of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce cautioned that boycott campaigns
could significantly impact the Egyptian economy. While these campaigns may not
affect the main companies, as local branches operate as franchises, they will
impact Egyptian investors and workers.
Amid these
developments, jokes and sarcastic comments have become prevalent. A user
commented on a local juice product, saying, "This boycott made us discover
products we never wanted to know." In Jordan, social media posts call for
boycotting brands accused of supporting Israel. Some people
have shared that this is the least they can do for Gaza.
Read more Region and World
Jordan News
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