McDonald’s Boycott
The hashtag #BoycottMcDonalds gained worldwide traction on Friday after it came to light that the globally recognized fast-food chain was providing support to Israeli military personnel by offering complimentary meals.
The fast-food chain’s decision to furnish free meals to Israeli soldiers was announced today. It is also carrying photos on its official Israel branch’s Instagram account.
McDonald’s Israel stated that they had established five branches dedicated exclusively to providing assistance and donations to the security and rescue forces. They committed to donating approximately 4,000 meals daily. Social media users announced McDonald’s boycott after learning about this development.
Israeli bombing has destroyed many buildings in Gaza. Social media users raised the slogan McDonald’s Boycott that became a top trend. This revelation stirred discontent among many individuals in the Muslim world. They promptly connected the situation to Gaza, where, as per social media reports, Palestinians were grappling with a shortage of food.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) had issued a warning just the day before, cautioning that essential supplies in the Gaza Strip were rapidly dwindling after Israel imposed a comprehensive blockade on the region.
On Monday, Israel had declared a complete blockade of Gaza, restricting the entry of food, fuel, and water into the coastal area while sealing off all border crossings.
Meanwhile, Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and Lebanon have raised serious concerns as Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported the use of white phosphorus. The HRW said it endangers civilians, based on their analysis of conflict-related videos.
HRW has confirmed that videos taken in Lebanon and Gaza on Tuesday and Wednesday illustrate the repeated deployment of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural areas along the Israel-Lebanon border.
The rights group has also conducted interviews with two individuals who recounted an attack in Gaza.
According to HRW, the utilization of white phosphorus in densely populated regions goes against Israel’s obligations under international law to take all possible precautions to prevent harm to civilians.
Lama Fakih, HRW’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, said, “Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering. White phosphorus is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians.”
The organization called for a complete ban on the use of “airburst” white phosphorus munitions in populated areas. White phosphorus, known for causing deep burns that can result in death or lifelong injuries, is used for creating smokescreens, marking targets, and incinerating enemy positions.
