From Starbucks to Google, how did companies get involved in the Israel-Hamas war?

It’s been about a month since the war started after Hamas’ attack on Israel. This threw the West Asian nation into the fire of unwanted war. Thousands of people, including innocent civilians, are being killed in Israel as well as in Hamas-ruled Gaza in the war between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces. The conflict has exposed deep divisions among people globally. The corporate world is also badly entangled. He feels the need to strike a balance when reacting to war. Luxury fashion brand Dior is facing criticism on social media after reports that it replaced Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid with Israeli model May Tagar in its latest ad campaign. Neither Dior nor Hadid have denied these reports. Let’s take a look at how companies are finding themselves embroiled in the politics of the Israel-Hamas war.

Companies are facing opposition

Turkey’s parliament has reportedly dumped Coca-Cola and Nestlé products over their alleged support for Israel in the conflict. A parliamentary source told Reuters that items from these brands were removed from menus as a response to the massive public outcry against these companies for supporting Israel. Reuters reports that this is the first time a government or major organization has targeted major global brands over the Israel-Hamas war. Nestle announced last month that it had temporarily closed one of its production plants in Israel as a precaution.

Last week, UK-based retail brand Marks & Spencer (M&S) faced criticism for posting on Instagram a photo of Christmas party hats in the colors of the Palestinian flag being lit on fire, the BBC reported. After causing outrage on social media, the company apologized and removed the post, saying it was meant to show that some people don’t like wearing paper Christmas hats. M&S also said the ad was filmed in August, well before the recent tensions. However, some users alleged that the post was intentional. Shortly after the war began, Starbucks found itself in trouble when its union, Starbucks Workers United, posted a message on Twitter expressing solidarity with the Palestinians. The now-deleted post called for a boycott of Starbucks. According to ABC News, the American coffeehouse chain also sued the union over the post, while the labor union filed a counter-suit against the company. Sarah Kelly, Starbucks executive vice president and chief partner officer, said in a statement that the firm strongly disagrees with Workers United’s views, which do not represent the views, positions or beliefs of our company.

McDonald’s also faced criticism when one of its Israel-based franchises announced free meals for Israeli military personnel. McDonald’s Malaysia, on the other hand, said in a statement that it was 100 percent Muslim-owned and had donated funds to humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Corporations are under pressure

Companies, especially in the United States where corporations have close ties to Israel, are feeling pressure to respond to the conflict. More than 150 companies have condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, according to a list of public statements collected by Yale University management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. On October 9, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy called the attacks against civilians in Israel “shocking and painful to watch.” Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai publicly expressed concern for Israelis following the Hamas attack. However, Google employees have been criticized for not making public statements about Palestinians, The Washington Post reports. Employees at companies like Google and Amazon have asked their bosses to take a public stance on the Israel-Hamas war, the report said. Said to.

Reaction during the Russia-Ukraine war

After Moscow invaded Ukraine last February, hundreds of companies felt the pressure and had to flee Russia. From Adidas to Starbucks, several brands said they were suspending sales or closing operations in Russia. Western sanctions on Russia also made it difficult for corporations to move there. Giants such as Ford, Renault, McDonald’s, Ikea and Shell are among the Western businesses that have completely pulled out of Russia, according to a list compiled by Yale University. However, as Politico reports, a study in January this year found that a number of companies, including consumer goods giant Unilever, US fast food franchise Subway and Italian pasta maker Barilla, continue to operate and invest in Russia.