Indonesians calls for boycott of pro-Israeli products
2 Min Read
Targeted companies include Coca-Cola, Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, Nestle and IBM.
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Indonesian activists hold posters during a rally supporting the Palestinian people, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023 (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Indonesian-based media outlet Republik reported on Saturday that Indonesian advocates are calling for a boycott of Israeli-linked products due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The call for a boycott was initially launched by human rights groups in both Indonesia and Malaysia and gradually grew to garner support from various political parties, the outlet said.
The list reportedly includes companies such as Coca-Cola, Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, Nestle and IBM.
"We in the House of Representatives encourage this boycott movement of Israeli products to become the official stance of the Indonesian government to be followed by all businesses and society," a member of the country’s parliament, Amin Ak, told Republika on Wednesday.
Advocates of the boycott are urging individuals to opt for locally-made products over Israeli-linked ones.
"That would be a good moment to strengthen the tightening of the flow of imported goods, especially imports of some products," said a senior official at the Indonesian Industry Ministry, Putu Juli Ardika.
As per local media accounts, global fast-food giants like McDonald’s, Starbucks, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Burger King, alongside the ride-hailing service Grab, have reportedly observed a decline in both customer numbers and profits.
Read more: Turkey's parliament partially bans Coca-Cola, Nestlé products
Since the genocide began, several countries have opted to boycott Israeli-linked products and services. Some have also opted to expell Israeli ambassadors.
Last month, McDonald's "Israel" franchise announced it was providing free meals to the Israeli occupational forces (IOF), which sparked outrage in the region.
McDonald's Kuwait branch took to social media to say it "stands with Palestine" and pledged more than $160,000 to relief efforts in Gaza, while McDonald's Qatar also pledged $275,000 to relief efforts in Gaza, announcing it has nothing to do with the Israeli branch.
Starbucks has also taken a hit, as many groups and individuals in Lebanon have called to boycott it.
"I don't think that me boycotting these brands would affect them."
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 30, 2023
Think again.#PalestineGenocide #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/rGkj8vVwKt
