Starbucks targeted by students at universities

By Omar Ahmad

Students in two of London’s largest university colleges have targeted relations between the universities and the global coffee chain, Starbucks.

Members of the London School of Economics (LSE) Palestinian Society picketed a Starbucks in Holborn and students at the Queen Mary University of London passed a motion condemning the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the existence of a Starbucks on campus, and forged links between the union and pro-Palestinian academic institutions.

LSE Director, Howard Davies, came under criticism for what was deemed by students as his active support of organisations vocal in their justification of the occupation of Palestine. Davies, a member of the National Council of the Academic Study Group of the Friends of Israel Education Foundation, has previously refused the School’s endorsement of informal links established between LSE academics and Birzeit University in Palestine.

The Academic Study Group was founded in 1977 for the “promotion of new collaborations” with Israeli institutions. Israeli human rights groups have accused the institution as being “part and parcel of Israel’s colonial system of oppression against the Palestinians.”

On May 30, 2007 University and College Union (UCU) passed a resolution at its Annual Congress calling upon members of the Union “to consider the moral implications of existing and proposed links with Israeli academic institutions,” with a view to boycotting them.

The next day, Davies posted a statement on the LSE website condemning the resolution and by implication a free debate on the issue.

Meanwhile, Starkbucks CEO and Chairman, Howard Schultz, has also come under widespread criticism for his support of the Israeli institutions. In 1998 he was honoured by the Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah with “The Israel 50th Anniversary Friend of Zion Tribute Award” for his services to the Israeli state in “playing a key role in promoting close alliance between the United States and Israel.”

The Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah funds Israeli arms fairs and propaganda websites. Schultz’s work for Israel has been praised by the Israeli Foreign Ministry as being key to Israel’s long-term PR success.

In 2002, whilst the Israeli army was fighting Palestinians in Jenin, Nablus and Bethlehem, he made a provocative speech blaming the Palestinians for terrorism, suggesting the intifada was a manifestation of anti- Semitism, and asked people to unite behind Israel. Starbucks is criticised for its support by sponsoring fund raisers for Israel.

The picket at Holborn resulted from the LSE’s attempt to use Starbucks as a supplier of refreshments on LSE’s campus and the outgoing Chair of the LSE Palestine Society, Ziyaad Lunat stated: “LSE should be clear that we will not allow it to actively or passively support the occupation of Palestine, nor collaborate with other organisations renowned for their support of Zionist imperialism.

LSE students are becoming more and more aware of the atrocities committed by Israel, and resolutions passed by a majority of students at LSE show that they find Israel’s activities repugnant.”

UNISON activist and former LSE student, James Caspell, stated: “Students and workers in Britain should unite and show solidarity with our Palestinian comrades at every opportunity, who live in effective open air prisons and are denied of basic material security by the Israeli state.”

LSE Students’ Union is twinned with An-Najah University in the West Bank, and last year voted to divest from companies operating in Israel or providing the state with arms. Queen Mary College, University of London, was the second college to see large scale activity by its union earlier this year against the university’s support of Israel through a contract the subsidiary catering service (CCRS) possesses with Starbucks allowing the chain to operate on campus.

Over 300 students turned up at the Annual General Meeting to pass a motion which not only called for the shutdown of the Starbucks on campus, but will result in the affiliation of the Queen Mary Student Union with campaign groups and solidarity organisations such as ‘Jews for Justice for Palestinians’ and ‘the international campaign to end the siege on Gaza’. Another resolution of the motion is to lobby Queen Mary and NUS to “divest from Apartheid Israel” and companies that are linked to supporting the state in any way.

Faisal Hanjra, outgoing President of the Queen Mary Islamic Society and the current President of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), said: “I want to reinvigorate, to awaken the student voice that is potentially so powerful.

There are over 7 million students in Higher and Further education across the UK, these students historically stood against the Vietnam war, stood against the apartheid regime in South Africa and stood against injustices committed wherever they were taking place in the world.”

The Muslim News asked Starbucks for response. A spokesperson directed to a statement posted on their website: “Our primary focus is delivering the best customer experience. Starbucks is a non-political organization and does not support political causes.”