On Thursday, August 5th, several Islamic organizations called for a worldwide boycott ofBurger King restaurants.
A few weeks ago, Burger King opened a restaurant in the West Bank settlement of Ma'ale Adumim, five miles east of Jerusalem's Old City. In a letter to Burger King, the boycott organizers state that this settlement "is part of a series of Israeli projects generally viewed as an attempt by Israel to consolidate control over territory it seized in 1967. Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories are a clear violation of international law. The construction of the settlement violates the Fourth Geneva Convention's articles prohibiting an occupying power from transferring its civilian population onto occupied land."
Burger King is reported to have said that their policy is to "take the Burger King brand to our customers and give them the opportunity to enjoy the Burger King experience." However, this particular restaurant is located in an area which is exclusive to members of the Jewish faith. Members of other faiths and ethnic groups are excluded.
Other companies have chosen to respect international law, and have refused to open business in the occupied territories.
occupied territory. McDonalds has refused to open any restaurants beyond Israel's pre-1967 borders. In 1998, Ben & Jerry's cancelled a contract for water with a settlement in the Golan Heights when they recognized that the settlement was on occupied land.
This boycott could have large implications in the international market. Burger King has nearly 2,500 locations worldwide, including in Muslim-dominated countries such as Malaysia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
If you are interested in taking action on this boycott, please contact these online boycott organizers for suggestions:
American Muslims for Jerusalem
American Muslim Alliance
The Council on American-Islamic Relations
Muslim Public Affairs Council
National Association of Arab...