By Sadie Abramson and Jo Lorraine
On October 7th, 2023 the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, leading to approximately 1,200 Israeli casualties and 240 hostages. The next day Israel formally declared war on Palestine. Since then, over 17,000 Palestinians have died due to the relentless bombing of densely populated areas with little to no civilian warning. There are many unrecorded deaths, and even more people missing. Almost half of those killed were children (9,077 children). Israel claims their actions are “self-defense” but the disproportionate fatalities lead many to consider it a genocide of the Palestinian people. Within days, companies, celebrities, and world leaders had expressed their solidarity with either Palestine or Israel. This sparked controversy, protests, and boycotts.
A popular target of boycotting is Starbucks because of their treatment of their union and their affiliation with Israel. People began boycotting when Starbucks sued their union, Starbucks Workers United, after they posted on X (Twitter) expressing “Solidarity for Palestine.” The post was quickly removed and Sara Kelly (Starbucks’ vice president and chief partner officer) released a statement in response saying “We strongly disagree with the views expressed by Workers United” and “None of these groups speak for Starbucks Coffee Company and do not represent our company’s views, positions, or beliefs.” Since then, Starbucks has lost $11 billion in market value from widespread boycotts.
However, Starbucks isn’t the only company facing this backlash. McDonald’s made a post announcing free meals to members of the Israeli military, which angered many. Additionally, although McDonald’s is based in and is often associated with the United States, they have many locally owned locations in Muslim countries and donate to support Palestinians. McDonald’s Indonesia branch donated almost $100,000 to humanitarian assistance to Palestine. Still, McDonald’s has given the Israeli military over 100,000 free and discounted meals, but people continue to show their disapproval. Despite McDonald’s support for both countries, the boycotts and protests continue. Attempting to bring in more customers and revenue, McDonald’s has had even more holiday deals and discounts, but were ultimately unsuccessful as protests and boycotts continue.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine, exacerbated by the Hamas attack, has resulted in significant losses and a strong international response. The controversy surrounding companies such as Starbucks and McDonald’s shows the global impact of this conflict. Propaganda makes it difficult to decide what to believe, which is why speaking out against the genocide of Palestinians is so important. The right to protest, boycott, and educate others on issues like this is unfortunately a privilege. But it is a privilege you have and you must use it.
The Beacon Beat 