The Arab world threatened Monday to break its contracts with US fast food chain Burger King and boycott the company if it continues to operate a branch at a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. The Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo decided to "pressure the company by threatening to end contracts for branches spread out across the Arab world."
Burger King has 84 branches in the Arab world: 40 in Saudi Arabia, 31 in Kuwait, six in the United Arab Emirates, four in Oman and three in Qatar. All would be forced to close if the Arab League adopted a boycott.
The US fast food chain announced over a year ago that it was closing its franchise in the Ma'ale Adumim Jewish settlement in the West Bank in response to earlier Arab boycott threats. But a number of Palestinian leaders insist the outlet is still operating.
A statement from the Arab ministers said they would "review a boycott of the firm if it insists on holding on to its branch in the settlement."
Said Kamal, the Arab League's assistant secretary general for Palestinian affairs, said in July the League was "sure" the branch has not been closed.
Burger King has 8,020 restaurants in the United States, operating directly or under franchise, and 2,506 abroad.
These include 46 in Israel or Israeli-controlled land. The Ma'ale Adumim restaurant is located on land seized by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. – (AFP)
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
