Hamzah Rifaat

In 2024, consumers in the Muslim world have boycotted brands such as Pepsi and Coke as a protest against the genocide of Gaza. It has had an impact where in the first half of 2024, western beverages (and potential taxpayers' money to fuel Israel's genocide) suffered a 7% decline in sales across the Middle East. Beyond the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are consumers in countries such as Pakistan where local beverage brands such as Cola Next and Pakola witnessed their sales soar to 12% of the beverage market in a country that is struggling economically. The boycotts also demonstrate that public sentiment in the Muslim world is directed at all brands, entities, and institutions that are alleged to have or established links with the genocidal regime in "Israel" through revenue generation. Overall, the global market share for Western soft drinks fell by 4% in 2024 which is significant as it is being spearheaded by a youth population that had previously played a key role in some of the soda industry's fastest growth in years since 2008.

Talks are incomplete without a comprehensive, blanket and universal upending of Israel's settlement enterprise - which too many nations financially support.

On its 42nd anniversary, the Sabra and Shatila massacre should remain part of global collective consciousness, as "Israel's" actions in 2024 are putting innocent Palestinian and Lebanese lives at risk.

There are clear double standards as far as diplomatic responses to the aggression on Lebanon are concerned. This can be contrasted with the Western reaction to Russia's operation in Ukraine for example, with the United States and its allies consistently calling for sanctions on the Putin regime and seeking to diplomatically isolate Moscow. However, when "Israel" attacks Lebanon (a sovereign UN member state) and massacres innocent citizens, the same United States, along with its allies, remains largely indifferent to the plight of Lebanese citizens. Had such air raids taken place against "Israel", the response would have been extremely different, where calls to sanction, diplomatically isolate and prosecute those responsible would be the standard modus operandi of Western governments. There would have been a pronounced Western outcry and complete boycott of Lebanon, which is already reeling from multiple security and economic quagmires.

The pro-Marxist official faces the daunting task of addressing a severe economic crisis while uniting a divided nation.

Similar movements have gained traction in France, the Netherlands and Germany, with far-right parties capitalising on economic anxieties and immigration fears to promote xenophobic agendas.

What The Jerusalem Post wrote and cannot hide, is that "Israel's" motives in Lebanon, Gaza, and the Middle East are based on a distorted interpretation of religion, God, and Jewish law.

Amid rising costs, an ageing population, and geopolitical tensions, the president' focus on nationalism may overshadow necessary domestic reforms.

The talk and rhetoric on "Israel's" "right to self-defense" or Arabs in "Israel" having more freedom and the need for Palestinians to integrate into a civilized society is simply cosmetic.

The Netherlands' colonial past has not served any lessons, and the duplicity with which Amsterdam has handled the 2024 pro-Palestine protests is indicative of this fact.