After 30 years: Why is McDonald's Israel being sold?

• Published date: 09 April 2024
• Author: DR. KOBI BARDA
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

After 30 years, it was reported last week about the deal to sell the franchise back to the American corporation. The Israeli branch owns 225 restaurants with 5,000 employees. The amount of the transaction was not published, but estimates are that it exceeds NIS 2.5 billion. Some also estimate that it could reach much more. The activity generates a turnover of about NIS 2 billion and a profit of NIS 160-140 million

The circumstances of the sale of the chain were not disclosed in the laconic announcement of the chain and the franchisee, when what was disclosed was: "Aloniel Ltd. is proud to operate McDonald's in Israel and serve its millions of customers. McDonald's Israel is the leading and most successful restaurant chain in Israel and for that we sincerely thank the management, employees, suppliers and customers who made this possible. We are confident in the company's future success. McDonald's remains committed to the Israeli market and to a positive experience for customers and employees."

I will try to review the meanings from visible sources only and connect the missing pieces of the puzzle. After the seventh of October, the McDonald's Israel chain went out with several significant social actions. One: increasing the fixed discount of 15% for soldiers in uniform to 50%, a significant benefit by all accounts. The second benefit included the distribution of rations to the soldiers as a gift, as part of the DNA of a patriotic Israeli society during a war, which unites around its heroes.

The third reference was the projection of abductees on giant screens inside the restaurants, with the words on the screen: "We do not forget and will not forget the abductees. We will continue to project their images on the screens, until they are released." At the bottom of the screen on the right side, there is the signature of the headquarters of families for the return of the abducted and missing persons and on the left side is the McDonald's logo.

This issue has become the target of a BDS campaign for supporting "genocide", meaning that McDonald's Israel's compliance with discounts for soldiers is equivalent to active support of the entire corporation for the purpose of "genocide" in Gaza. Franchisees of the McDonald's chain in other places in the Middle East, including Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey, were quick to deny any connection to the publications in Israel, issued statements stating that it did not concern them, and some even donated money to Gaza as a sign of...