Funding Palestine against American Zionism

[samarm]

Mecca Cola is a recently released new brand of cola, which promises that 10% of the profits made will go to Palestinian causes. The drink was launched near the end of last year. I haven’t been able to find any debates about this on SDMB, so thought I would put down my thoughts in this thread.

The drink is being marketed mainly in Europe, and is hoping to lure muslims away from Coke. As many muslims see Coke as a symbol of American imperialism, the option of buying the cleverly named Mecca Cole should be very appealing. “No more drinking stupid. Drink with commitment” says the label.

Commitment to what, exactly? The creater of the drink, a French Tunisian political activist says “We don’t like this America, very dangerous and very strong against others.”. Another quote: “America’s imperialism and Zionism by providing a substitute for American goods and increasing the blockade of countries boycotting American goods.”. Fair comment?

I think this kind of talk only serves to stoke the flames of the already tense relations in the middle east, especially in the light of the looming war in that area. Although the drink’s creator claims that none of the profits will be used to fund terrorism, I wonder if there aren’t other causes outside of Palestine, which are not equally worthy of this aid.

If a Jewish company started manufacturing a new cola in Europe, and promised 10% to Jewish only causes, wouldn’t there be serious questions asked?

Maybe I am reading more into this than I should, so I ask you: innocent cola drink, or is there more to it than that? The wider issue of Israel / Palestine is also up for debate.

Links:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2640259.stm

http://mecca-cola.com (in French, unfortunately)

Many other sources can be found by googling “mecca cola”.

[boyohboy17]

Anti-semetism has been rising lately in Europe. This is just one manifestation.

[Brutus]

I suppose when Mecca stops being a Muslims-only club, I would gladly try some Mecca-Cola. Until then, nah. Although I do admire the entrepreneurship here, they are limiting their market.

[cainxinth]

*Originally posted by samarm *
**
I think this kind of talk only serves to stoke the flames of the already tense relations in the middle east, especially in the light of the looming war in that area. **

Yeah I agree, marketing an alternative soda brand is definately an act of war. To hell with “material breach,” when you mess with Coke you’ve gone too far.

On a serious note, this is a step in the right direction for Arabists. Bloodshed has done little to foward their cause.

P.S. ** boyohboy17**, don’t confuse anti-semetism with anti-zionism.

[Jackmannii]

I’m just stumped at what the advertising slogans are going to be.

“Go to Mecca better with Mecca-Cola”?

“I’d like to teach the world to oppose the Evil Zionist Imperialists”?
A remake of one of those Britney Spears Pepsi ads starring Hanan Ashrawi, singing and dancing?

The mind boggles.

[Hail_Ants]

And when sales of Mecca Cola begin to slump they’ll introduce New Mecca® and then when muslim terrorists fly an airliner into their corporate headquarters in protest they’ll bring back Mecca Classic®.

[jjimm]

*Originally posted by boyohboy17 *
**Anti-semetism has been rising lately in Europe. This is just one manifestation. **

How many times does it have to be pointed out that supporting the Palestinian people != anti-semitism???

It should be pointed out that the donations are towards aid, not political or terrorist organizations. From the BBC article:

10% of the profits go to charities operating in Palestinian territories and 10% to European NGOs.

Personally, I agree that the wording on the bottle is divisive, but I’d rather see this than a suicide bomber.

[CyberPundit]

“If a Jewish company started manufacturing a new cola in Europe, and promised 10% to Jewish only causes, wouldn’t there be serious questions asked?”
Well I , for one, wouldn’t have any problems with it. It’s just another fund-raising tactic.

“Anti-semetism has been rising lately in Europe. This is just one manifestation.”
So supporting the Palestinian cause becomes anti-Semitism? Nonsense. Such statements about “European anti-Semitism” are so ludicrous that they almost become a form of bigotry themselves.

BTW I think this is a smart marketing tactic which might well take off in the US with ,say, Christian groups starting their own colas or similiar products. I wouldn’t have any problem with that either.

[C_K_Dexter_Haven]

<< 10% of the profits go to charities operating in Palestinian territories >>

There is, as we have seen in the past, a significant problem with contributions to “charities” operating in Palestinian territories. The administration, as often as not, goes through the terrorist organizations, and very little (sadly) get to the Palestinian poor.

If the oil-rich Arab states would actually contribute money to the Palestinian poor, that GOT to the Palestinian poor, a lot of the difficulties – the abject poverty, for instance – could be relieved.

[MC_Master_of_Ceremonies]

Well the charities are Palestinian childrens charities. The best way to help the Palestinian poor would be if Israel stopped it’s systematic destruction of the Palestinian economy

http://www.btselem.org/Download/Policy_of_Destruction_Eng.zip

news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/ newsid_1076000/1076190.stm

washingtontimes.com/world/20021218-15990914.htm

www.arts.mcgill.ca/mepp/unsco/oct00/report_oct00.html

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2688385.stm - 46k - 25 Jan 2003

[MC_Master_of_Ceremonies]

On another note, I’m not sure if boycotting coca-cola really helps the Palestinians as there is a large bottling plant there and coca-cola is a major contributer to the economy.

[cainxinth]

*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven *
**<< 10% of the profits go to charities operating in Palestinian territories >>

There is, as we have seen in the past, a significant problem with contributions to “charities” operating in Palestinian territories. The administration, as often as not, goes through the terrorist organizations, and very little (sadly) get to the Palestinian poor.

If the oil-rich Arab states would actually contribute money to the Palestinian poor, that GOT to the Palestinian poor, a lot of the difficulties – the abject poverty, for instance – could be relieved. **

Respectfully, I have to disagree. It’s a sad fact, but it’s terror organizations like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad that are responsible for providing basic social services like healthcare, welfare, and education in many Arab states. The billionaire autocrats who dine with Western dignitaries don’t much have to worry about keeping the public happy, they get reelected whether or not people starve.

[samarm]

Originally posted by MC Master of Cermonies
On another note, I’m not sure if boycotting coca-cola really helps the Palestinians as there is a large bottling plant there and coca-cola is a major contributer to the economy.

Quite correct, of course. The plant employs many Palestinians, and most of the consumers are Palestinian. I have read an interview with the boss of Coca-Cola Palestine, and he is actually against the idea of Mecca-Cola.

Another thing to remember is that boycotting of a product works through depriving the consumer of that product. Mecca-Cola make the point that consumers can help Palestine, and still drink cola. They have attempted to make it taste as close to “the real thing” as possible.

Originally posted by cainxinth
Respectfully, I have to disagree. It’s a sad fact, but it’s terror organizations like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad that are responsible for providing basic social services like healthcare, welfare, and education in many Arab states.

Do you have a cite for this? I thought that the Palestinian state provided these kind of services.

If terror organizations are responsible for basic public services, I would imagine that the terrorists would be able to find ways of laundering money intended for children’s charities, and (indirectly) use it to spill more Jewish blood.

[C_K_Dexter_Haven]

<< The billionaire autocrats who dine with Western dignitaries don’t much have to worry about keeping the public happy, they get reelected whether or not people starve. >>

We’re not in disagreement, cainxinth, I agree with you entirely. That was the point I was trying to make.

[cainxinth]

samarm,
http://www.terrorismanswers.com/groups/hamas3.html

In addition to its military wing, the so-called Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade, Hamas also devotes much of its estimated $70-million annual budget to an extensive social services network, which includes schools, orphanages, mosques, health care clinics, soup kitchens, and sports leagues. “Approximately 90 percent of its work is in social, welfare, cultural, and educational activities,” writes the Israeli scholar Reuven Paz. Since the Palestinian Authority often fails to provide such services, Hamas’ efforts in this area explain much of its popularity.

P.S. My mistake C K

[Jackmannii]

Now it would be interesting to see authoritative figures on Hamas’ budget, and to know just who has audited it lately to see where the money goes.

Just as it it would be to hear what efforts have been made to provide homes for Palestinians in other Arab nations, so that they would not have to remain in refugee camps.

[samarm]

From the (very enlightening) link provided by cainxinth:

In addition to its military wing, the so-called Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade, Hamas also devotes much of its estimated $70-million annual budget to an extensive social services network, which includes schools, orphanages, mosques, health care clinics, soup kitchens, and sports leagues.

I’m still reading browsing this site, as it has a lot of information about the terror groups operating out of Palestine.

[Jackmannii]

Authoritative as in, for example, defining what “much of” the $70 million budget is defined as…and what independent authority might have verified these figures.

[cainxinth]

*Originally posted by Jackmannii *
**Just as it it would be to hear what efforts have been made to provide homes for Palestinians in other Arab nations, so that they would not have to remain in refugee camps. **

Alternatively, it would be interesting to hear what efforts have been made by Israel to provide homes for Palestinians in their homeland, so that they would not have to remain in refugee camps.

[MC_Master_of_Ceremonies]

What people forget is that before Hamas started to launch their wave of terror, most of their work was confined to humanitarian and social work.

Jackmannii, surely it be Israel who is providing the homes as they are primarily responsible for the destruction or loss of those homes and they should be within Palestine or Israel (though I’m not holding my breath on Israel allowing the re-entry of the refugees who it forced out, but some reparitions should be made for the large amounts of land that were stolen).