IHRC and InMinds have launched a new series of leaflets identifying companies for boycott because of their continued support for the apartheid state of Israel.

The companies have all been selected on the basis of their size and the level of support they have provided to Israel following the start of its genocidal bombardment of Gaza last October.

To date over 15,000 Palestinians have died from the Israeli onslaught. 70% of them have been women and children.

The truncated list contains 18 multinationals, most of them household brands. Top of the list is McDonalds, the world’s largest fast food chain. McDonalds has donated free meals to Israeli soldiers, introduced a 50% discount for military personnel and hired a team of lawyers to fight suggestions that they are distributing free meals to Palestinians in Gaza.

McDonalds is joined by its arch rival Burger King which is also donating free meals to Israeli forces.

Also on the list are Coca Cola and its competitor Pepsico which between them own a range of other household fast food chains such as Starbucks Costa and Lays. Coca Cola not only maintains a manufacturing plant in a West Bank settlement but it is also donating supplies to the Israeli military. Pepsico has also donated millions of dollars to unnamed Israeli organisations.

On the media front broadcaster Fox and production houses Disney and Paramount all make the list for donating to organisations that directly support Israeli forces.

The full list can be viewed here.

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement is a Palestinian-led movement that started in 2005. It targets companies that support Israel in a bid to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure the Zionist state to comply with international law.

It is inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement which ultimately led to the abolition of the white supremacist state.[ENDS]

For more information or comment please contact the Press Office on (+44) 208 904 0222  or (+44) 7958 522196 or email media@ihrc.org