Since 2005, a non-governmental movement known as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign has been gaining momentum globally. The primary goal of this movement is to pressure Israel’s government by boycotting goods and services that directly or indirectly benefit from its occupation and violations of Palestinian rights. The campaign targets companies that engage in economic activities with Israel, provide financial support to its regime, or participate in the occupation of Palestinian territories.
The recent war in Gaza has led to a resurgence of the BDS campaign, which has spread rapidly across many Islamic countries. This movement has had a significant impact on Israeli businesses, causing substantial financial losses and a notable decline in sales statistics for many partner companies.
The BDS campaign has exacted a significant toll on Israeli businesses, resulting in substantial financial losses and a notable decline in sales. A notable example is the impact on Puma, which has faced a backlash after several sports teams and clubs withdrew their cooperation with the brand. In response, Puma has announced that it will terminate its contract for producing sportswear for Israel’s national and club football teams by 2024.
Additionally, McDonald’s, which had predicted a 5.5% sales growth in China, India, and the Middle East by the end of 2023, has seen its actual growth rate fall short of expectations. Despite the predicted surge, the company managed to achieve only 0.7% growth within the specified time frame.
Furthermore, Starbucks has revealed that its sales have not only declined in the Middle East, but also in the United States itself. Similarly, the Coca-Cola Company has reported a significant decline in the sales of its products, with a 22% drop in Turkey by the end of 2023.
This represents a significant portion of the financial losses that have been imposed on Israeli regime-affiliated companies in recent months. One effective strategy to counter the Israeli regime is to inflict economic harm. As Israeli regime-linked companies continue to incur financial losses, they become increasingly reluctant to maintain their ties with Israel. Consequently, the international community’s economic pressure and isolation of the Israeli regime intensify, ultimately prompting a minimum halt to the ongoing war in Gaza.