Public Reactions Explode: Does Subway Support Israel?

Editorial Team
Credit: boikotisrael

In today’s global environment, in which companies’ activities are subject to increased public attention, the issue of whether the international fast-food restaurant Subway sponsors Israel has emerged. As businesses enter political territories and social issues and become more globalised, people are becoming more interested in the political affiliations of the businesses they support. This question about Subway’s position in Israel is not straightforward and depends on many factors, including business partnerships, social media activism, and other people’s attitudes.

This article will describe how Subway can be linked to Israel regarding its stand and the public response. We shall also analyse how social media has impacted the discussion on this matter and how other business entities have been treated under the same kind of scrutiny.

Background: The Israel Debate

It is crucial to say that the performance of Israel and Palestine has become a critical issue in political and social contexts for numerous years. It remains a very sensitive matter that is bound to cause divided opinions, especially for international organisations. Any company that has dealings with Israel – in whatever manner – investing in it, donating to its philanthropic causes, or having a business stake in it – automatically becomes a target of anti-Israel campaigners who label it as being complicit in human rights abuses, as being an irresponsible corporate citizen, and as supporting the oppression of the Palestinians.

Subway, like many other huge business organisations, exists in many nations and has to work within a diverse world where even its business actions may be perceived in different ways by consumers. Critics from both ends are questioning whether Subway is actually sponsoring Israeli operations by making its business operations there or whether its association with the Israeli-owned junior operation amounts to support for the nation’s military.

Subway’s Operations in Israel

With respect to the question of whether Subway supports Israel, it is necessary to examine the company’s activities in the country first. Israel also has a relatively high number of Subway franchise restaurants, which makes it an influential market for the company. Both these Subway restaurants are owned and run by Israeli franchise partners. This has been the case for years, and in the case of Subway, its business activities in Israel are regarded primarily as overseas operations.

Subway has not publicly come out to support any political stand on the conflict between Israel and Palestine or to come out and oppose any of the two. In regards to Subway’s presence in Israel, its strategy, described above, does not seem to be political. Subway Israel also operates as a globalised fast food eateries franchiser, similar to other subway franchises worldwide in its management strategies and rules.

Public Perception and Social Media Influence

Even though the Subway actively refrains from making political statements, its activities in the Israeli territory have been noticed by the audience. People use social media platforms to discuss corporate social responsibility, and the firm has realised that it is a subject of these conversations.

This year, a campaign went viral on social media platforms asking for the boycott of businesses that operate in Israel. This was an offshoot of the larger Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, where people were encouraged to boycott certain companies mainly for their support of what was seen as the Israeli government’s wrongdoing, especially to Palestine. These boycott calls named some companies that were active in Israel, including Subway.

On social sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, users have been very flexible in coming out to show their opinions about the subway business in Israel. Some hashtags, for example, #BoycottSubway and #BoycottIsrael, have emerged occasionally, with consumers wondering whether, owing to its Israeli franchise, Subway should be boycotted too.

Sample Social Media Posts

  • “I just found out that Subway has franchises in Israel. Does anyone else feel uncomfortable supporting a company with ties to Israel? #BoycottSubway #FreePalestine” 
  • “Subway, please take a stand. We need companies to help end the injustice in Palestine. It’s time for you to choose a side. #BoycottSubway 

Such posts have fueled further online discussions about whether Subway is supporting Israel through its business operations or if it remains neutral by operating within a purely commercial framework. The larger question many consumers ask is whether business dealings in Israel equate to political endorsement or whether corporations should remain neutral on such sensitive issues.

Subway’s Response to Criticism

Similar to most companies that have experienced politically sensitive issues, Subway, for instance, has remained relatively mute on the Israel-Palestine dilemma. However, as is common with multinational firms, Subway locates itself politically dormant because getting involved in any particular issue would offend half its clientele or put the entire company in a precarious position that risks the company’s stability in the global market.

Due to criticism from both sides of the groups, namely the pro-Israel and the pro-Palestinian groups, Subway has thrived in pointing out that its focus is mainly on providing food products that are of high standards and facilitating customers all over the world. Subway has also provided official releases stating that it is an equal-opportunity business that wishes to serve everyone from all political perspectives.

For instance, when a consumer asked Subway a question on the social media platform Twitter, the company provided the following statement, which stated that the franchises “own and operate each one of their outlets and would like to create a pleasant encounter for each of the consumers they serve. One of the consistent behaviours that we do not engage in is his political behaviour,” This cannot be understood separately from Subway’s general approach to avoiding anything that could be considered political, let alone politically sensitive.

Other Companies in the Same Situation

Subway is not the only company that has experienced criticism for its activities in Israel. In recent years, different boycott campaigns have been directed to many large companies, e.g., Coca-Cola, McDonalds, and Starbucks, due to their business operations in Israel. All these companies have had different levels of criticism, and like Subway, they are more centrist and don’t affiliate with any political side of America.

These companies have been described as hostile because they operate in or have invested in Israel. Still, many of the companies’ engagements are limited to franchising and business activities, which, as with Subway, do not contain expressed support for the political decisions of the Israeli government.

The Role of Corporate Responsibility

The nature of corporate support for Israel also raises questions surrounding corporal accountability. The overall call for people to become responsible citizens has extended to the people’s expectations of the companies they support: Such companies feel compelled to take a stand on global issues. This has led to an increase in corporate activism- a situation where brands perform overt actions to communicate their views on social, political, or environmental questions.

For instance, Nike and Ben & Jerry’s have lately been more expressive about their political opinions, especially on matters related to Black Lives Matter or the climate change issue. On the other hand, international companies like Subway ensure they remain neutral so that they don’t deal with controversies that may split their target market.

Concluding Remarks 

In conclusion, the issue of whether Subway supports Israel cannot be answered in the affirmative or negative. As we have seen, subway operates through a franchise system in Israel, a fact that can mean support of Israel but without any underlying evidence that the company supports the Israeli political stance. Subway continues to consider its business aspects more than its political ones, and official statements never deviate from a moderate political stance.

Justice-wise, the choice of whether to consume Subway products is independent of the nature of the company and depends on the consumers’ perception of the conflict and corporate responsibility. The popularity of social media will keep making it easier for people to call for boycotts and to support such efforts; however, like with most other MNCs, Subway will remain committed to its mandate of feeding the world irrespective of the political demography.

It may be that there are still many businesses that aim to simply offer products and services to the public rather than actively participate in political debates. Whether or not this will be enough to help Subway avoid the increasing pressure to take a stand on social issues for corporate business is yet to be seen.

FAQS

1. Does Subway support Israel?

Currently, Subway has not come out publically and stated which side it supports in the ongoing conflict in Israel. None of the company’s policies and any donations it makes, if any at all, are associated with the geopolitical context. Speculation appears ad hoc from individual perceptions of organisational manoeuvres.

2. Has Subway been forced to answer to the public for their position on the state of Israel?

Yes, the public has reacted to perceived cross overassociations even in the absence of evidence. There are still times when campaigns, especially through social media and boycotts, are made against Subway based on assumptions and not on facts from official statements.

3. Is Subway incorporating its franchisees into providing assistance to Israel?

Subway is a company with more than 40 thousand stores, most of which are franchises with independent ownership. All such actions and endorsements would differ from one franchise owner to the other and would not necessarily represent the company’s policies.

4. What does Subway’s corporate social responsibility statement state?

Subway continues to draw attention to its position of socially responsible sourcing and environmental and community stewardship. The main areas of CSR activity are formulated as large, general, and non-partisan objectives rather than geopolitical directions.

5. Why do people believe Subway supports Israel?

Some rumours and assumptions stem from corporate donations or affiliations with broader business organisations that may engage with Israeli entities. However, such claims lack concrete evidence directly linking Subway to explicit support.

6. How has Subway responded to public reactions about this issue?

Subway has, therefore, not taken part in geopolitics mainly because it has avoided taking sides when it comes to corporate politics. The issued business-level strategy is customer-oriented and politically neutral regarding the heated issues of the world.

7. Does Subway have operations in Israel?

Yes, Subway has had franchises in Israel for a long time. Furthermore, the existence of operations in a particular country does not mean political influence; instead, it is an effort of the company’s global business diversification.

8. Are there any movements to boycott Subway over this issue?

There have been occasional calls to boycott Subway, often driven by public perceptions rather than verified actions. Such movements typically gain traction on social media but lack widespread organisation.

About Us

Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.
Share This Article
The Brussels Morning Newspaper Logo

Subscribe for Latest Updates