JERUSALEM (JTA) — Starbucks issued a statement saying the company and its CEO do not provide any financial support to Israel or its army. The company updated a 4-year-old statement on its website after the spread of false “rumors that Starbucks or Howard provides financial support to the Israeli government and/or the Israeli Army,” the statement said, referring to Howard Schultz, Starbuck’s CEO, who is Jewish. The statement, a fact sheet in Q and A form, was updated on Aug. 5.

“Starbucks has been and remains a non-political organization. We do not support any political or religious cause. Additionally, neither Starbucks nor the company’s chairman, president and CEO Howard Schultz, provide financial support to the Israeli government and/or the Israeli Army in any way,” the statement said.

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The company said in its statement that it closed its Starbucks stores in Israel in 2003 due to “on-going operational challenges that we experienced in that market.”

Starbucks has stores in 65 countries, including nearly 600 in 12 Middle Eastern and North African countries such as Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

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173 COMMENTS

  2. I can see that this is all about money. Pressure from the Arabs forced them to close down their stores in Israel. That is the bottom line. So in essence, they are political. Why doesn’t Starbuck stand up for the Israelis?

  4. I won’t buy his coffee for 5 bucks a cup as he stated he does not support our troops and the war in Iraq or Afghanistan. Nice little diddy of true colors for patronage. They need to stand up for right not the right to make a buck Jewish or not as I am Catholic and go to Port City Java who does support both our troops and Israel.

  8. Everyone needs to share and boycott Starbucks. In this political climate any negative statement against Israel is portrayed as pro Hamas, pro antisemitic. Schwartz and Starbucks made a big mistake opening their trap without thinking it out better. Boycott

  9. Everyone needs to share and boycott Starbucks. In this political climate any negative statement against Israel is portrayed as pro Hamas, pro antisemitic. Schwartz and Starbucks made a big mistake opening their trap without thinking it out better. Boycott

  25. I stopped going to Charbucks (they over-roast their beans) a year ago. Jan Manuel put it so well, not only will I not set foot in their stores again, but I will not accept any item a person or company may want to give me, whether personally, or promotionally. Let their friends in ISIS support them. Of course these same people with whom they are so cozy will ultimately give them the choice to convert to islam or die. The global jihad is already underway, and everyone thinks that if they just make one more appeasement, then everything will be okay, and then another, and then another, etc. And this worked so well for Neville Chamberlain in the 1930s.

  39. I will never set foot in a Starbucks again; nor go to the drive-thru; nor purchase any of their products; nor will I accept a Starbucks anything from another person—–ever again. I will encourage my friends to drop this bad habit also. There are plenty of other places to go. Israel is forever; Starbucks is not.

  40. I will never set foot in a Starbucks again; nor go to the drive-thru; nor purchase any of their products; nor will I accept a Starbucks anything from another person—–ever again. I will encourage my friends to drop this bad habit also. There are plenty of other places to go. Israel is forever; Starbucks is not.

  42. I wish I could boycott them, but they have an inferior product, with scads of better choices from numerous competitors, so I never go there. If you ask me, their market share is down and they want to tap into the anti-semitic crowd.

  61. Reading articles of Starbucks not doing business in Israel is very shameful to your company and us who side and defend this tiny country and its democracy. Oh well we do not need you . Dunkin Donuts coffee is the best followed by Tim Hortons. Besides they are half price too. Who needs you . I will make sure the Jewish community and supporters will boycott Starbucks.

  66. And turn in your computer (processor and OS were developed in Israel). Cut off your electricity as CA is using Israeli solar technology to power the grid. Turn in your cell as that tech was developed in Israel. Don’t use Google Maps as that tech was designed in Israel. The list goes on. Now go live in your cave with the rest of the BDS’rs.

  67. And turn in your computer (processor and OS were developed in Israel). Cut off your electricity as CA is using Israeli solar technology to power the grid. Turn in your cell as that tech was developed in Israel. Don’t use Google Maps as that tech was designed in Israel. The list goes on. Now go live in your cave with the rest of the BDS’rs.

  71. Ali Haider, you are a delusional hater. Tjete has never been a Sovereign State called Palestine. That was a new name given by the Romans as pary of their efforts to sever the Jewish People’s connection to Israel.

  72. Ali Haider, you are a delusional hater. Tjete has never been a Sovereign State called Palestine. That was a new name given by the Romans as pary of their efforts to sever the Jewish People’s connection to Israel.

  87. They have more important places to spend their money..ha! 40% of Starbuck’s benefit goes to support the gay rights and abortion…that’s why! Those who bless israel will be blessed. We accept God’s word over the nonesense of these big companies.

  92. I worked there for 2weeks and quit.i will always regret not walking out during orientation when they said they don’t support our troops, so they won’t send them coffee. Plus their coffee is nasty and they are pompous. I miss barneys.go back to Seattle and leave everyone else alone.

  126. We don’t need your filthy money produced by perverts! Actually God and us are enough to stand on front of any nation and believe or not. Out Lord will cause all the nations to be against us, our Lord will bring them thinking that they will wipe us out, to their surprise our Messiah will destroy you, all to his glory alone. It’s written so it will happen nobody will be able to stop his anger cause he is coming as a Lyon yes the Lyon of Judah is coming!!!!!

  135. It’s not so much that you Don’t Provide Financial Support to Israel, but it’s that you Didn’t Report Whether you Give Financial Support to Hamas! If this is a Neglect, it should be Corrected! Isn’t this Politically Incorrect? Won’t be buying Starbucks until I see that Report!
    So Sick of the Term, “Politically Correct!”

  159. Seriously? Saying you do not support Israel because you are nonpolitical IS a political statement in favor of terrorists and bowing to Arab pressure. Fashionable cowards!

  162. Well I won’t support Starbucks either .what you worried people won’t buy their anymore ,what about your Jewish customers .think twice before making an unnecessary comment Starbucks .well down digging yourselves an hole .just bury yourselves now why don’t you.

  163. I’ve been to Israel and I’m not trying to defend Starbucks but actually the reason they closed their stores in Israel is that Israel’s Aroma coffee stores are so much better that Starbucks couldn’t get a foothold. Aroma’s is the best coffee I’ve tasted. They’ve opened 2 stores in The USA. One is in New York and one is in LA.

  168. Sheila Knoll Aroma has 2 locations in NYC ;-). And I agree. Starbucks culture and Israeli culture and very far apart lol. I don’t think this was an “anti-Israel” move on their part, I think they did what good businesses do: tried a new market, and unfortunately it failed.

  170. Schultz is a self hating Jew from Brooklyn. He is as involved in Judaism as my dog. He proves a point that I have made for a long time–you can be very successful, and still be a total .

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