The Jordanian boomerang: Since the beginning of the war against Hamas in Gaza, local initiatives have been implemented in the kingdom to boycott brands of companies from the United States and the West in general, claiming that they help finance Israel's ammunition. Now, Arab media reports, some companies have been forced to reduce production and working hours, with a significant number of branches on the verge of closing.
Alaa Dirania, a member of the Amman Chamber of Commerce, told the Qatari newspaper Al Arabi Al Jadid that businesses in the boycott have been significantly affected as a result of the decline in demand. These are mainly branches of the coffee chain Starbucks and McDonald's. A chamber member estimated that some branches are expected to close. However, there are still no estimates of the extent of the damage.
Against this background, many companies are forced to lay off employees. The head of the Jordanian Labor Center, Ahmed Awad, estimated that more than 15,<> workers in various sectors in Jordan are now at risk of dismissal or reduction in their wages as a result of the boycott. Local companies offered to hire laid-off workers. However, many of these companies are not really committed to this and actually offer lower wages than Western brand companies.
The boycott also included companies operating in the fuel, electricity, and food sectors. Sources in the business sector told the Arab press that some of the boycotted companies actually belong to the Jordanians and constitute an important layer in the kingdom's overall existence. These officials warned that the companies employ tens of thousands of workers and that harming them would have negative consequences for the economy.
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