Does Starbucks Support Israel? (Does Starbucks Fund Israel + More Information)

Many non-political organizations such as Starbucks choose a course to support as a way to show their solidarity. So, does Starbucks support Israel?

According to Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz, Starbucks does not fund Israel. This message came when calls to boycott Starbucks came all over the Middle East. I have always known that many organizations of Starbucks caliber support various courses, so why did this allegation cause so much fire? According to activists, Starbucks and any other organization supporting the Israeli army should be boycotted as their support shows their direct contribution to the Gaza War. As I found out, Starbucks opened six stores in 2001 in Tel Aviv and closed them in 2003. Some people described it as an epic failure in the Israeli market while others attributed the decision to the political atmosphere in Israel.

Does Starbucks Provide Financial Support to Israel?

The answer is no. A hoax letter forged by an Australian blogger circulated on the internet claiming that The CEO of Starbucks who has Jewish roots had funded the Israeli army. This caused quite a stir on the internet and all around the Starbucks stores. Activists vandalized Starbucks property in protest until Howard Schultz made a statement discrediting the hoax letter.

This forgery was well orchestrated to incriminate Starbucks as it was posted on the Starbucks official website. The CEO of Starbucks has time and again refuted any claims of funding the Israeli government.

What is the relationship between Starbucks and Israel?

Starbucks and Israel have only a business relationship where Starbucks invests in the country. Recently, Starbucks opened up a pop-up store in Tel Aviv after years of closure of all Starbucks stores in Israel. When Starbucks opened its doors in Israel, the coffee giant expected long queues of patrons, an expectation that was shunned by the constant emptiness of the stores. The company decided to shut down all stores and left Israel in 2003. Starbucks issued a statement saying that the Israeli market was too small for it as compared to other markets in the world.

Critics are always on Starbucks’ neck due to one issue or the other. The closure of the Israeli stores attracted the interest of many critics. Some claimed that the stores were shut due to political reasons, a claim that was quickly refuted by Starbucks’ CEO. Schultz said that Starbucks does not make decisions based on politics as it is a non-political organization.

As The Starbucks CEO explained, Starbucks is a public company that is compelled to disclose its statements of any corporate giving every year. He added that the statements are available publicly to be checked.

Conclusion

Starbucks has repeatedly denied any affiliation with the Israeli government. There is also no evidence of any financial ties. Every claim has turned out to be a vicious rumor aimed at discrediting the coffee giant. The CEO might be Jewish, but his religious and cultural roots do not in any way tie him to the Israeli government or its army.

FAQ Section

Has Starbucks sent profits to the Israeli government?

The answer is no. According to the Starbucks CEO, claims of any financial support to the Israeli government are false.

Did Starbucks close its Israeli stores for political reasons?

No, Starbucks did not close its Israeli stores due to political reasons. A statement by the CEO of Starbucks explained that the Israeli market was small and challenging for the coffee giant.