Corporate Silence on Israel-Hamas Conflict After Uproar About Ukraine

 

Apple CEO Tim Cook

When Russia commenced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the corporate landscape resonated with a resounding response, reverberating across the business domain.

Gargantuan corporations like Adidas, Disney, Bank of America, and Toyota, among others, took a robust stand, pledging not only their unwavering financial support but also their moral allegiance to Ukraine and its people. A remarkable display of solidarity was witnessed as prominent CEOs like Apple's Tim Cook and Citi Group's Jane Fraser sported Ukrainian flag lapels in a symbolic show of unity, according to Aljazeera.

Many corporate entities, including the colossal ExxonMobil and the household name Unilever, vociferously condemned Moscow's actions in unequivocal terms. Over a thousand companies pledged to either halt or significantly curtail their business dealings with Russia as global perceptions of Moscow soured dramatically.

However, in stark contrast, the response of corporate titans to the Israel-Hamas conflict has been marked by a distinct hush, akin to a whisper in a vast chamber. Numerous household names that had boldly voiced their stance on the Ukrainian conundrum now opt to maintain a stoic silence on the Middle East imbroglio.

Among the rare voices that did emerge from the corporate milieu, we find names like Microsoft, Google, Hewlett Packard, JP Morgan, and Goldman Sachs. They chose to express their support for Israel while strongly denouncing Hamas, following the latter's multifaceted offensive that tragically claimed the lives of at least 1,400 individuals, leaving around 3,500 injured.

In contrast, the significant corporate entities have seemingly refrained from commenting on Israel's retaliatory air raids in Gaza, which have thus far resulted in the loss of at least 1,800 Palestinian lives and injuries to more than 6,400.

The United Nations and various humanitarian aid organizations have sounded the alarm, forewarning of an impending humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, especially after Israel issued an order for 1.1 million Palestinians, entrapped within the enclave, to relocate to the southern regions within a mere 24-hour window, in anticipation of an imminent ground offensive.

For companies that often pride themselves on promoting social justice, the Israel-Palestine conflict presents an intricate and intricate quandary. Marketing experts point out that the historical intricacies and nuances entwined within this enduring conflict make it a formidable issue for companies to venture into, for fear of their involvement resulting in undue "brandification."

Rahat Kapur, editor of the industry publication Campaign Asia, underscores the challenges, noting, "There's a temptation to issue binary points of view to demonstrate fervor and strength, which frequently backfires when their discerning following or consumer base sees through these efforts."

Kapur tells Aljazeera, "Likewise, performative brand postures in the realm of social issues often lead to backlash, unforeseen damage to reputation, and a sudden erosion of customer sentiment and loyalty, all of which are incredibly arduous, time-consuming, and costly to recover from."

Furthermore, openly expressing support for Palestine proves to be a high-stakes gamble for companies in Western nations, many of which classify Hamas as a "terrorist" organization. Solidarity for the Palestinian cause has largely been the domain of smaller organizations like student associations and the Green Brigade of the Celtic Football Club supporters in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Pro-Palestinian rallies in the U.S. have faced vehement opposition from critics who accuse the organizers of condoning Hamas violence. France has taken an uncompromising stance by banning all pro-Palestinian demonstrations on the grounds of public order. Similarly, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, and the UK have either cautioned or placed restrictions on pro-Palestine groups, alleging support for Hamas or the propagation of anti-Jewish sentiments.

Despite the significant human toll resulting from Israel's Operation Swords of Iron, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, including children, Western corporations have remained conspicuously mute, leading to perceptions that their actions are politically motivated rather than genuinely humanitarian.

The conspicuous absence of a more emphatic denunciation from corporate America has drawn severe criticism. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, described in an interview to CNN the response of corporate America as "disappointing at best, disastrous at worst."

Public opinion on whether companies should delve into social and political issues remains ambivalent. A 2019 survey by Sprout Social indicated that over two-thirds of American consumers consider it "important for brands to take a public stance on social and political issues." However, slightly more than half expressed a willingness to boycott brands that did not align with their personal views, while 34 percent claimed they would reduce their spending on such brands.

In a 2020 poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, 55 percent of American social media users admitted to feeling "worn out" by political posts in general. Felipe Thomaz, an associate professor of marketing at Oxford's Said Business School, asserts that perceptions of a company's social justice campaigns often hinge on the individual's personal beliefs and values.

Thomaz explains, "We use brands as a means to communicate aspects of our own identity, so it's natural to want brands to mirror our worldview." In times of conflict, brands typically opt for general statements condemning violence or, in many cases, prefer to remain completely silent, recognizing the high stakes involved.

"When brands adopt a stance that contradicts the beliefs of the majority of their users, their statement becomes an assault on the user's identity, leading to backlash and revolt. Hence, it's a precarious endeavor," Thomaz concludes.

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