PRESS RELEASE

The Arab threat to boycott Burger King is a step in the right track

Ref: 101/2000

Date: 5^th September 2000

The Arab League decided yesterday to exert pressures on Burger King Company to force it to close its franchise in Ma’ale Adomim Settlement in the West Bank. The League’s decision which was taken at the conclusion of the Arab Foreign Ministers’ meeting, called, inter alia, to threaten canceling all contracts with the above-mentioned company in Arab countries, if it insists on keeping its franchise in the Israeli settlement which was established on Palestinian occupied lands. If the threat is carried out, the American company will have to choose between its restaurant in the settlement and more than 80 restaurants it owns in the Arab countries, especially in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Jordan.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights welcomes the decision of the Arab League and proposes that a time limit be set, and that boycott procedures be carried out against Burger King if it does not close its franchise in Ma’ale Adomim. PCHR calls also for taking actions against other American companies, which have similar interests in the Israeli settlements in the Arab Occupied Territories. PCHR specially points out that the American hotel chain Days Inn has a franchise in Gush Qatif Settlement in the Gaza Strip, called Palm Beach Hotel, while it has similar economic interests in the Arab countries. Days Inn is based in the U.S. and is owned by HFS Inc., which also owns Avis Car Rental, Ramada, Howard Johnson, Century 21, Coldwell Bank and ERA.

PCHR also calls on the Palestinian National Authority to take practical actions to prevent the entrance of products of Israeli settlements into the areas under its rule, and to prevent Palestinian commercial agents from dealing with factories of settlements. The most notable product is Eden mineral water, which can be found in large amounts in Palestinian markets, and distributed by Palestinian agents. The source of this product is in the settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.