As the Israeli war on Gaza continues since October 7, 2023, the global boycott campaign remains one of the most prominent methods to pressure the Israeli occupation and its supporters.
Despite gaining widespread international engagement, the boycott movement faces significant challenges within Gaza, where residents lack the luxury of choosing alternatives. While calls for boycotting products linked to Israel grow louder, Gazans are often forced to consume whatever is available in local markets, even if those products are subject to the boycott.
In this context, certain accounts on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, have been actively criticizing Gaza residents, accusing them of not adhering to the boycott campaigns. These accounts pose rhetorical questions about the effectiveness of the boycott, suggesting its futility if Gazans themselves do not comply.
Repetition and Mockery: Digital Tactics Undermining Boycott Campaigns
An analysis of certain accounts reveals their reliance on repetition as a strategy. These accounts frequently share videos showing some Gaza residents consuming boycotted products, such as Pepsi and Nutella.
The persistent repetition of such videos and posts creates an impression among viewers that these instances reflect a widespread reality, casting doubt on the effectiveness of boycott campaigns—particularly when they show Gazans not adhering to the movement.
In addition to repetition, these accounts use mockery in captions and comments accompanying images and videos. For instance, one account, @Quraish911, sarcastically commented: "The boycott is for the sake of Gaza, but the people of Gaza aren’t boycotting," followed by a mocking emoji.
This mockery aims to undermine the credibility of boycott campaigns and highlight the apparent contradiction between global calls for boycotts and the reality faced by Gaza residents. However, the ridicule is not limited to Gazans; it also targets other Arab populations, such as Egyptians and Jordanians, who are committed to the boycott.
For example, the account "The Egyptian Kingdom of Kemet" posted sarcastic comments about Egyptians boycotting products like Pepsi and McDonald's in solidarity with Gaza. These comments not only mock Egyptians but also aim to downplay the significance of boycott campaigns in certain Arab countries, even as these campaigns achieve notable success. In another post, the same account ridiculed Jordanians for adhering to the boycott, contrasting it with the perceived noncompliance of Gaza residents.
Another tactic used by these accounts is questioning the significance of the boycott, claiming its effects are limited to the Arab consumer, who may suffer economic harm or job losses as a result.
They also claim that neither the Israeli nor the American economy has been significantly affected by these campaigns, attempting to downplay the importance of the boycott in the eyes of their followers.
Ignoring Gaza’s Humanitarian Catastrophe
These posts overlook the humanitarian context Gaza residents are enduring. Their continued consumption of such products is not a choice but a reality imposed by the Israeli blockade since the start of the war, along with the occupation’s obstruction of humanitarian aid, leaving them with no viable alternatives.
International committees and organizations have recently warned of the potential for famine in the Gaza Strip. On November 8, the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) issued a warning of an impending famine in northern Gaza. The committee cautioned that the situation is rapidly worsening due to severe shortages of food and humanitarian aid, with additional fatalities expected without intervention in the coming days.
Similarly, the International Rescue Committee reported that humanitarian aid to Gaza has dropped by more than 80%, leading to a catastrophic rise in the number of residents experiencing food insecurity.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor called for the official declaration of famine across the Gaza Strip, particularly in the north of Gaza, following more than 50 days of the Israeli occupation blocking the entry of essential aid and supplies.
In a brief statement issued on November 27, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned of the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza. The statement read: "Hunger in Gaza has reached critical levels, with people scavenging through weeks-old waste for scraps of food." The agency called for an immediate cease-fire to prevent further escalation of the humanitarian crisis.
Israel Blocks Aid Delivery to Gaza Residents
The Israeli occupation implements a systematic starvation policy against Gaza’s population, obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid and enabling its looting by criminal elements.
In this context, a coalition of eight international relief organizations stated that Israel has not responded to demands for the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The coalition added that Israeli actions have significantly worsened the situation on the ground, particularly in the north.
Additionally, on November 27, the United Nations revealed it had attempted to reach besieged Palestinians in northern Gaza with 41 humanitarian missions over the past month. However, the Israeli occupation obstructed all of these efforts. According to Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the U.N., the Israeli military rejected 37 of the missions, while the remaining four encountered on-the-ground obstacles and were only partially successful.
In a report issued on November 12, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that Israeli restrictions on aid delivery have severely disrupted humanitarian operations in Gaza, particularly in the north. The report noted that approximately 43% of aid coordination attempts between November 1 and 11 were rejected by Israel, significantly affecting the distribution of food, medical supplies, and fuel.
Humanitarian Aid Looted With Israeli Oversight
The Israeli occupation has not only blocked and delayed humanitarian aid from entering Gaza but has also enabled its looting by armed gangs. These gangs operate freely in areas under Israeli control, while Palestinian police officers attempting to prevent the theft are targeted by Israeli forces.
The Washington Post recently cited an internal U.N. memo revealing that organized gangs are stealing humanitarian aid in Gaza with impunity in areas controlled by the Israeli military. The memo noted that these gangs "may be benefiting from leniency, if not direct protection, from the Israeli military."
In a previous statement, 29 international NGOs accused the Israeli military of encouraging the looting of aid in Gaza by attacking Palestinian police forces tasked with securing its distribution. They also noted that the military allows the looting of aid trucks and facilitates the extortion of drivers by demanding protection fees.
A report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz detailed how gangs intercept aid trucks heading toward Rafah after crossing the Kerem Shalom crossing, which has been under Israeli control since May. The gangs demand a crossing fee of $4,000 per truck, and drivers who refuse to pay face the risk of kidnapping or having their trucks hijacked and their contents stolen.
Boycott Campaigns Continue To Achieve Global Success
In response to claims and comments downplaying the effectiveness of the boycott campaigns led by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which has gained significant momentum since the outbreak of the war on Gaza, the campaign has shown tangible results. It has led to declines in sales, financial losses, and the withdrawal of investments from several Israeli companies and their supporters.
Recent reports reveal that financial data from several food companies targeted by the boycott show significant revenue declines in specific regions. One notable example is the American coffee chain Starbucks, which recently reported a 7% drop in sales from July to September compared to the same period in 2023. The company also reported revenues of approximately $9.1 billion during this period, marking a year-on-year decrease of 3.2%.
American fast-food giant McDonald’s reported a 3% decline in profits over the past nine months, with earnings reaching $6.2 billion compared to $6.43 billion during the same period last year. Similarly, Coca-Cola reported a 14% decrease in operating income in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region during the third quarter, totaling $977 million, down from $1.15 billion in the same quarter the previous year.
In the sports sector, the global boycott campaign announced on November 26 that the German company Puma will terminate its sponsorship contract with the Israeli Football Association (IFA) by December 31, 2024. This decision follows a five-year boycott campaign led by more than 215 Palestinian sports teams, calling on Puma to end its support for an association that includes teams from illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.
Previously, the Israeli national team was banned from participating in the European Frisbee Championship held in Belgium in August, a move attributed to boycott efforts, as confirmed by media outlets at the time.
The boycott movement has also achieved significant successes in the academic field. The Israeli Association of University Presidents recently recorded more than 300 instances of academic boycotts since October 7, 2023.
The forms of boycott have varied, including the refusal to publish research by Israeli academics, the cancellation of lectures, and the suspension of student exchange programs and research collaborations with international institutions. The boycott has extended across various fields, including history, law, and engineering.
Belgium recorded the highest number of boycott cases, with more than 40 instances, followed by the United States with 35 and the United Kingdom with 20. Israeli officials have described the situation as a "serious challenge," warning that the boycott poses a significant threat to the global standing of Israeli academic institutions.
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