Standing in solidarity: How boycotts can help the Palestinian cause

In the past two months, ever since Starbucks’ corporate office announced it would sue its union for posting a pro-Palestine statement, a strong boycott has left the company with a loss of nearly $12 billion.

According to some reports, business is particularly suffering in Morocco, and many locations in Arab countries and across the US have also seen declining sales. This indicates one thing: boycotts work.

Since 2005, the official BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions) Movement has run a coordinated boycott effort to help Palestine. This international group selects consumer boycott targets such as SodaStream as well as divestment targets against companies that perpetuate the occupation of Palestinian land by Israel.

For nearly two decades, BDS has been pushing this strategy as a way of cutting off the resources that fund the occupation and to exact change for liberation and freedom. Around the United States, many college campuses have passed resolutions to divest from these companies, bringing boycotts to a new, younger, more energetic generation.

Since October, campaigns urging Palestinian advocates to boycott companies such as McDonald’s, Disney, Starbucks, Coca Cola and others have gone viral around the world. In some countries, restaurants have removed Coca Cola and Pepsi products.

Elsewhere, people have cancelled their Disney+ subscriptions, and young children have been heard saying they won’t eat McDonald’s because it kills children in Gaza - and we all know how much children love Happy Meals! With each coordinated action, we have seen the results in dwindling sales and revenues.

Some boycotts have extended beyond corporations, as more people are becoming conscious of where they spend their money. In many large cities, activists have published lists of Israeli businesses to boycott, while also sharing Palestinian business to patronise.

Businesses whose owners are allies of the Palestinian cause are also receiving extra support, as they have been targeted for speaking up. In Western countries, makeup artists, content creators, and influencers have faced backlash for advocating for a ceasefire and to end the occupation.

In turn, many pro-Palestinian supporters have moved to bolster them, even if they don’t necessarily align with them on their usual content. Even I, with a modest but impactful Instagram following, have seen ten times the new followers as those unfollowing me. The message is clear- to speak with integrity is to be on the right side of history.

What does all this mean for Israel? For too long, the Israeli government has controlled the public narrative and painted itself as the victim. However, with the influence of social media and the dispersion of information being delivered in seconds to our phones, it has become easier to dispel the government’s lies. More people are speaking up in public forums, and with growing support, it feels easier to take action.

No one likes to be the only one speaking out, but boycotting is a much easier way to show support because the person becomes part of a collective. We encourage each other, hold each other accountable, and congratulate the small and large wins.

The conscience of the public is waking up. After over 75 years of brutal occupation of the Palestinian people, they are breaking through the walls that have been built around them. Capitalism has made us feel that without certain amenities, we are less than. That if we decide to cut convenience from our lives, we will seem extreme or radical in our activism.

But to cut these ties is a form of love and a form of resilience in the face of consumerism. One of the largest tests of this was a campaign to boycott all Black Friday shopping. Palestinian organisers and activists in the US discussed this action heavily. Ultimately, it was easy to frame that day as a distraction tactic from all that is happening in Gaza and the West Bank.

Do we really need another electronic device? Do we really need more clothes? To divest from consumerism is to essentially free ourselves.

Where do we go from here? As the conflict continues and our actions start to feel less impactful, and as people burn out and get distracted with the upcoming holiday season, will we be able to keep up the momentum we have built?

I would like to say yes, we will, as we have seen very positive results for our efforts. The ongoing slaughter of our Palestinian brothers and sisters has shown us that resilience is our only answer. What is the minor inconvenience of choosing another soda brand, watching shows on a different streaming service, or purchasing coffee from a better, more local café in the face of an ongoing genocide?

As long as we continue to consume with consciousness, we can feel confident we are doing all we can in this moment. The freedom of the Palestinian people depends on it.