Sisi is facing mounting criticism over his decision to hand out McDonald’s meals amid the war on Gaza [Getty]
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been widely ridiculed and mocked after distrusting McDonald’s meals to children on the Islamic celebration of Eid al-Fitr on Monday.
Video footage shared online shows the president surrounded by crowds of children, while he hands out meals to them in Cairo’s Manara area.
The footage stirred controversy, with many noting that McDonald’s is one of the key brands listed under the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
“While Egyptians boycott McDonald’s and its American counterparts, in rejection of Israel’s supporters, President Sisi surprises us during Eid al-Fitr, by distributing McDonald’s himself. Wouldn’t it be better to distribute an Egyptian product to support the national industry instead of promoting companies that support the killing of our people in Gaza?” one person commented on X.
“Sisi personally distributes McDonald’s meals to Egyptian children – the official sponsor of occupation soldiers. This is not a coincidence. It is not unintentional…” another wrote.
Others compared Sisi’s move with citizens’ support for Palestine, adding that his decision to distribute the meals was a setback to the pro-Palestine movement.
“During Eid prayers they planned demonstrations where the Palestinian flag was raised…and they made them carry banners supporting Sisi as if he was the first defender of the Palestinian cause. Then Sisi spoiled the moment for them and exposed his treachery by distributing meals, even though the whole world is boycotting McDonald’s due to their support for Israel,” one person said.
Since Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, individuals, groups and organic grassroot campaigns started boycotting McDonald’s, after the brand’s Israeli franchise donated meals and drinks to Israeli soldiers fighting in Gaza.
Photos and videos of the distribution were shared online, which were denounced by activists globally, causing the BDS movement to endorse and encourage the boycott campaigns.
A statement on the official BDS movement website states “the actions of a McDonald’s cannot be isolated from the company’s worldwide operations”.
“Putting it simply, associating the McDonald’s brand with the Israeli army and its crimes against the Palestinian people cannot go without consequences for the company,” the statement further reads.
The boycott of McDonald’s and criticism of Sisi’s actions comes amid Israel’s continued war on Gaza, after they violated the ceasefire agreement.
The UN agency UNICEF said this week that at least 322 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces since Israel violated the ceasefire agreement on 18 March.
Israel has killed at least 61,700 Palestinians since 7 October 2023, with the overall toll expected to be much higher, according to the Gaza government media office.
