PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged Malaysians to continue boycotting products made by companies linked to Israel.
“As we can’t send our military, apart from providing aid, we should continue to boycott products like Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and other ‘products of Israel’.
“We have about 1.7 billion Muslims around the world. If just a quarter of us were to boycott products (made by firms believed linked to) Israel, I’m sure they would then understand the power of Islam,“ he said during an Aid4Palestine event here today.
The former Langkawi MP said he has tried coffee from local shops that “tastes even better” than Starbucks’.
Mahathir, who was joined by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang at the event, also said those who are unsure about which products are linked to Israel may look it up online.
Israel launched a military offensive against the Gaza Strip after Hamas attacked towns in Israel on Oct 7. More than 13,000 people have been killed on both sides since.
United Nations data shows that at least one million people have been forced to flee their homes, and at least 400,000 displaced persons are now in UN schools and buildings, most of which are not equipped as emergency shelters.
Various groups and individuals have been campaigning for the public to boycott companies allegedly aligned with Israel.
Lists of businesses with alleged links to the Jewish state have been circulating widely, with social media users also posting photos which appear to show the empty storefronts of “pro-Israel” companies.
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