Protesters worldwide mobilized in response to Israel’s airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, simultaneously launching boycotts against businesses backing the Jewish state. Notably, Starbucks found itself among the targeted companies. Recently, a news anchor lost her job for featuring one of the coffee chain’s cups on air.
On the 24th of December, officials from the Turkish television station TGRT revealed the termination of anchor Meltem Günay and a news director. The announcement, made on X (previously Twitter), stated that the dismissals were a result of an incident earlier that day when Günay presented the news with a Starbucks cup placed on her desk. The officials justified the firings, citing a breach of policy that prohibits covert advertising for any company.
The statement further expressed the network’s recognition of the sensitivities among the Turkish people concerning Gaza. It emphasized the commitment to support and stand by them until the conclusion.
KAMUOYUNA DUYURU
— TGRT HABER (@tgrthabertv) December 24, 2023
TGRT Haber TV’nin 24.12.2023 tarihli haber yayınında spikerlik yapan Meltem Günay‘ın önünde Starbucks’a ait bir fincan ile haber sunduğu görülmüştür.
Kurumumuzun ilkeleri gereği spikerin TGRT Haber TV’de herhangi bir firmanın örtülü reklamını yapacak şekilde…
Starbucks differs from some major corporations by not having operations in Israel or making any donations to the country or its causes. Nevertheless, it took legal action against Starbucks Workers United for utilizing the company’s logo in a statement expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and refraining from condemning a terrorist attack in Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties and initiated a conflict.
The lawsuit subsequently prompted a boycott of the company by pro-Palestinian activists.
Türkiye, akin to fellow Muslim-majority nations in the Middle East, stands in solidarity with Palestine in its conflict with Israel. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently drew a parallel between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler, asserting that his treatment of the people in Gaza mirrors the historical mistreatment of Jews during World War II.
In response to the Turkish president’s remarks, Netanyahu accused him of perpetrating genocide against the Kurds and imprisoning journalists. Meanwhile, Günay and the news director, who were terminated, have refrained from making public statements regarding their dismissals.
