BDS movement launch global boycott campaign against Intel

The Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has launched a global campaign to boycott tech company Intel due to its decision in December to invest US$25 billion in Israel despite its ongoing genocide in Gaza, it said in a statement. 

The #BoycottIntel campaign calls for a boycott of computers with Intel chips, and it urges investors to divest from Intel stock and major institutions to exclude Intel from tenders.

This comes after the International Court of Justice in January decided that Israel is plausibly committing crimes in Gaza that violate the Genocide Convention.

Don't miss: BDS Malaysia thanks McDonald's Malaysia for suing them 

"Intel has been aiding and abetting Israel’s apartheid for decades, feeding its war chest, and now it is directly feeding its war chest while it continues its unspeakable genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip," said a BDS spokesperson. "Intel is complicit in Israel’s genocide and its underlying system of apartheid. Intel’s M.O. seems to be, ‘Make Apartheid Great Again!’”

Since Israel launched its war on Gaza last October, its economy has shrunk by 20%, according to BDS. it added that there have also been major economic setbacks for Israel throughout 2023 where international investment in Israel’s hi-tech sector, for instance, plummeted in 2023 by 74%.

As a result, large Israel and US companies decided to move outside Israel and to cut their investments in it well before October, recognising a downward trend, according to BDS.

It added that Intel tried and failed to acquire Tower, an Israeli chipmaking company. However, Tower said that it will not build a new chip factory in Israel, opting for investing in India instead.

“Ethical responsibility and international law aside, by insisting on investing tens of billions of dollars in Israel, a ‘war zone,’ only miles away from occupied Gaza, Intel is putting its leaders’ fanatic ideological commitment to Israel over financial and fiduciary responsibility," said the BDS spokesperson. "Why else would Intel freeze plans to expand its chipmaking manufacturing in Ohio while throwing those billions into Israel, a state committing genocide?"

“We call for a global boycott of Intel, for divesting from it, and for excluding it from tenders until it drops its investment in genocidal Israel.” 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Intel for a statement. 

This comes shortly after BDS thanked McDonald's Malaysia for making the group famous. The remark comes from a press statement in which BDS Malaysia shared its upcoming mediation session with the fast-food brand. 

In a statement, the NGO said "BDS Malaysia also thanks McDonald's because its lawsuit against us has helped make BDS Malaysia famous not only in Malaysia but also around the world." 

The fame, added BDS Malaysia, helped to publicise its campaigns to boycott Israel and companies linked to it.

McDonald's Malaysia first sued the movement earlier this January for false and defamatory statements and for allegedly inciting the public to boycott the fast-food chain.  It claimed that the statements hurt its business and are currently seeking damages amounting to US$1.31 million. 

"McDonald's Malaysia wish to confirm that based on external legal advice, we have filed a civil suit against BDS Malaysia to protect our rights and interests in accordance with the law," said McDonald's Malaysia when MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out. 

"We have been transparent and consistent with our communications that McDonald's Malaysia does not support nor condone the current conflict in the Middle East and like all Malaysians, our utmost sympathies go out to the innocent victims in Gaza," it added. 

It reiterated that it does not channel any sales, profits, royalties or franchise fees from restaurant operations to support any political cause or conflict in any part of the world. 

Aligning itself with local sentiment, McDonald’s Malaysia said it has been very vocal of its support of the Palestinians since the war broke out. In fact, McDonald's Malaysia said that it made a contribution of RM1 million to the Palestine Humanitarian Fund which was launched by the Prime Minister's department. 

"By joining hands with the government and contributing to this fund, we hope to bring much-needed relief to Palestinians who are facing extremely difficult times," said McDonald's Malaysia in a statement on its Instagram page

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