Indonesians Boycott McDonald’s, Others Over Support For Israel
The Operational Manager of the Medan branch of the humanitarian organisation Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), Ade Andrian, used to visit McDonald’s at least once a month with his family.
“My favourite order was the family meal,” Andrian said. “Or if I went to the drive-through, I would always order ice cream.”
But since last month, Andrian has heeded calls across Indonesia to boycott the Golden Arches, along with all Israeli products and goods from Israel’s allies.
“I have not been to McDonald’s since we found out that McDonald’s Israel had been providing assistance and discounts to the Israeli Military,” he said. “What is happening here?”
Indonesians began boycotting McDonald’s and other businesses in mid-October after McDonald’s Israel announced on social media that it had handed out thousands of free meals to the Israeli Military amid its war with Hamas.
The announcement prompted several Indonesian organisations, including Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS), the United People Front (FUB) and the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), to call for a boycott of McDonald’s and other businesses perceived to be pro-Israel, including Starbucks and Burger King.
The boycott comes despite McDonald’s Indonesia, which is owned by PT Rekso Nasional Food, last week announcing that it had “deployed humanitarian assistance valued at IDR [Indonesian rupiahs] 1,5 billion [$96,000]” to support Palestinians.
While McDonald’s is synonymous with the United States, most of its restaurants worldwide are locally owned, and franchisees in numerous Muslim countries have expressed support for Palestinians and pledged money to support relief efforts in Gaza.
A Starbucks located at Focal Point Mall in Medan, where staff are usually rushed off their feet, has been almost deserted in recent weeks, an employee told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.
“We have noticed that it has been much quieter than usual, although we can’t say for sure why that is,” the employee said. “It could be because of a range of factors like the fact that we don’t have any promotions on at the moment. We don’t know, but no customers have asked us about the boycott yet.”
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has long been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and does not have an Israeli embassy.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has pressed US President Joe Biden to do more to end “atrocities” in Gaza, and the enclave’s Indonesia Hospital was built in 2011 with donations from Indonesians following a funding drive by MER-C.
On Sunday, tens of thousands of Indonesians gathered at the National Monument in Jakarta to express solidarity with Palestinians and call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Last week, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Indonesia’s top Muslim clerical body, issued a fatwa making it haram to “support Israeli aggression against Palestine or parties supporting Israel, either directly or indirectly”
For Indonesians like Andrian, though, spending money on brands associated with Israel remains out of the question.
“We need to ask ourselves who businesses are supporting,” he said. “I support the freedom of Palestine and humanitarian assistance to Palestine.”
ALJAZEERA
