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Does Starbucks support Israel?

Posted on January 15th, 2009 by Azeem

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Starbucks logo
Image via Wikipedia

The Muslim community is not new to receiving mass e-mails containing all sorts of claims starting from sneaker designs looking like the word Allah to Starbucks allegedly supporting Israel. Recently Adidas put out some sneakers with a paragraph of writing on it. One of the words “cool” (with unclosed o’s) looked similar to the word “Allah” in arabic.  My mom showed it to me, and I had to explain to her that its a total coincidence. Other popular Muslim e-mails include the one about the janitor seeing the prophet Muhammad (S) in his dream asking him to send out this e-mail to 10 others he knew. Then there’s my personal favorite rumor that Dunkin Donuts have human hair in them (which I found posted on a mosque bulletin board).

In the last few weeks since the situation in Gaza has intensified with fighting, Muslim rumor e-mails about Starbucks and McDonalds have been floating around. I remember around the year 2002 when the second Intifada was heating up. A rumor spread in the Muslim community stating that Starbucks supports (read: sends money to) Israel. Therefore it was suggested that Muslims should boycott. I didn’t pay too much attention at the time. Now that this rumor has resurfaced I decided to look into this claim.

So what happened was in 2001 (during the second intifada) Starbucks put up a recognition page on their site. One of the items was a Friend of Israel award which was given to Howard Shultz the chairman of Starbucks [see screenshot]. Howard Shultz is a known zionist. Pro-palestinians picked up on it, and this spurned off a boycott Starbucks to boycott Israel campaign. Since then Starbucks has removed the award from their site. They have even gone as far as stating that his views on Israel (and Palestine: implied) are his own personal views and do not reflect that of the company.

I have looked all over the web for any proof that McDonalds and Starbucks will be donating their profits from these weeks to Israel and have not found anything. If you believe this rumor please provide some proof. Until I am convinced I will not hesitate to get coffee from there (Which I don’t usually do, I prefer Dunkin Donuts human hair).

Let’s act like the educated people we are. Divestment campaigns make much more sense than these rumor based random boycotts. Divestment campaigns helped end the apartheid in South Africa.

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    5 Responses to “Does Starbucks support Israel?”

    1. Muslim in America, on January 17th, 2009 at 5:09 pm Said:

      It helps that I never liked coffee, and I too prefer Dunkin Donuts :)

      - Muslim in America
      http://www.musliminamerica.org

    2. anonymous, on May 5th, 2009 at 10:16 pm Said:

      read this article.

      http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-starbucks.html

    3. anastacia, on May 25th, 2009 at 11:32 am Said:

      why u guys are spreading rumors abot the islams dats really rude of u people so u wouldnt like if someone talks about ur country would u so if u guys have something 2 say commet me back luiserssss.

      LOL :)

      BYE BYE
      LUISERSSS.

    4. Abu William, on February 28th, 2010 at 2:02 am Said:

      Hey here’s the proof.
      but before i state the proof, let me ask you a question to the writer of this article or any person who thinks the same way as the writer. If there is a rumor saying that a there is a crazy man who is killing children in your neighborhood, would you let your children out at night? NO, you wouldnt, but there is no proof that this man exists, you still wouldnt let your children out, so please think of Palestine the same way, because anyone of us couldve been in their place, and it is the holy land.

      Now the proof, ill keep it simple

      On November 9, 2003 ,Starbucks started a campaign fundraiser called a bowl 4 Israel, and all the money that was collected went to an organisation that helps israel and that organisation is called the Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund.

      Thank you

    5. Palizboy, on March 24th, 2010 at 1:21 am Said:

      To the publisher of this article,
      As you haven’t replied to the proof other brothers provided, I take it that you are either, hopefully, convinced or your a st***ucks advocate and you failed. Most likely you are paid to save face for the baby killing nation. I personally am doing an essay on this wretched company, and what I found is more than convincing that it supports the cursed occupying country, facts that made my gut turn. I’m glad I came upon this article, it shows that no matter how bad it gets, there are always people to stop your kind dead in your tracks.
      Yours truly, Palizboy
      Peace Out
      FREE PALI

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