From: "Zahi Damuni" <zdamuni-AT-email.msn.com>
Subject: BURGER KING--E-mail Day of Action
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 18:21:12 -0400


From: Ali Abunimah <ahabunim-AT-midway.uchicago.edu>

EMAIL COORDINATED DAY OF ACTION:
PLEASE WRITE BURGER KING ON FRIDAY JULY 30 FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT.

Don't Let Burger King "Have it Their Way"
Oppose Burger King's Decision to Open a Restaurant at the Israeli Ma'ale
Adumim  Settlement

Visit Burger King's website (www.burgerking.com)  and you might be
impressed by their "Corporate Diversity Statement"  that says Burger King
"values and respects differences in employees, consumers, franchises and
business partners."  They say they want to make Burger King the "fast food
restaurant choice for all consumers."  We say, "Does opening a restaurant
on land confiscated from Palestinians and the Jahalin Bedouin tribe  for
the exclusive use by Israeli Jewish settlers fulfill these diversity
goals?"

Burger King states that, "we expect our franchisees and suppliers to adopt
our position when it comes to our values."  BK's franchisee, Rikamor Ltd.
must not have known about Burger King's top management's commitment to
"diversity initiatives."

By opening a restaurant on property illegally seized  (or "spontaneously
created", according to Ma'ale Adumim founders) for the exclusive use by
Israeli Jews, Burger King sends us the message that the corporation has no
respect for international  law, much less its commitment to diversity.
Does Burger King intend to endorse the policies of the Israeli settler
movement  whose aim is to confiscate as much land as possible in order to
prevent the self-determination  of Palestinians living in the area?

McDonalds doesn't.

In fact, McDonalds-Israel  owner and general manager, Omri Padan, said in
an interview published in Ha'aretz (1/15/98) that, "McDonald's-Israel
neither did nor will open a branch at any Israeli settlement beyond the
Green Line [the 1967 borders]S. Already when I was the general manager of
Kitan Textiles I told the board I would resign immediately if they move to
open a plant on the West BankS. I have the privilege of not needing to
compromise on my principles."

Burger King shouldn't compromise its principles either.  With over 10,000
restaurants worldwide and serving 11.8 million  customers daily, Burger
King is a powerful corporation that can send an important message to its
franchises: support international law; don't open restaurants on occupied
territory.

Let the CEO at Burger King, Mr. Dennis Malamatinas, know your views.  Tell
him how consumers want their whoppers "our way" --- not served in Israeli
settlements , which even the US government believes are an "obstacle to
peace."

Tell BK to show some corporate responsibility.  (Like the Israeli McDonalds
franchise.)

Write to: Mr. Dennis Malamatinas, Burger King Corporation, 1777 Old Cutler
Road, Miami, FL  33157, USA. (emails to Malamatinas c/o Marion Hoffman,
Manager of Community Relations, mhoffman-AT-whopper.com)

This email is prepared and distributed by:
Ali Abunimah, Arab-American Action Network &
Jennifer Bing-Canar, Chicago AFSC













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