The war in the Middle East not only has political consequences but also economic ones. Now Turkey is also affected: The parliament in Ankara has decided to ban products from the Western brands Coca-Cola and Nestlé from their canteens. The reason for this is allegedly these companies' support of Israel during the Gaza conflict.

The decision was confirmed by the people's representation in Ankara, without explicitly naming the companies. Speaker of the Parliament, Numan Kurtulmuş stated that it should support public sensitivity towards boycotting companies that support Israel. It was a response to the support of Israel's war crimes and the killing of innocent people in Gaza.

A parliament insider named Coca-Cola drinks and Nestlé instant coffee as the only brands affected so far. This decision is a reaction to public outcry against these companies due to their support for Israel. However, it is unclear how exactly Coca-Cola and Nestlé are supposed to have supported Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. It is even possible that the opposite is the case: Nestlé has already announced that one of its production facilities in Israel was temporarily closed as a precautionary measure.

In Turkey, calls for boycotts against foreign companies due to foreign policy conflicts are not uncommon. Previously, there have already been boycott actions against US smartphones and Italian goods. Pro-government media also published lists of companies and products that were classified as pro-Israeli. This includes textile manufacturer Levi’s and German sports goods manufacturer Adidas.

Resistance against the Middle East war also exists in Western Europe. Dock workers in Barcelona refused to load or unload military material. Belgian transport unions declined to transport aircraft with military equipment to Israel.

Activists in Turkey called for a boycott of Israeli goods and Western companies that they believe support Israel in social media. The ongoing protests against Israel's operations in Gaza have already brought hundreds of thousands of Turks onto the streets.

The decision of the Turkish Parliament is one of the first official steps of a government targeting major global brands due to the war in the Middle East. Trade between Israel and Turkey has dropped by more than 50 percent compared to the same period last year, following the Hamas assault on Israel, as announced by Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat during a visit to Kuwait.