April 07, 2003
An e-mail message claims that the recent decision by Starbucks to close its operations in Israel was the result of “caving in” to anti-Israel pressure. There is no evidence that this was the case.
In announcing the move on April 1, Starbucks made clear that the closing was due to business considerations only. ADL has been in touch with contacts in Israel and the United States on this matter and is confident that the Starbucks move was purely a business decision. There is no evidence that more nefarious considerations contributed to this decision.
Update
ADL’s effort to combat this rumor was cited in the New York Times:
“Perhaps the most effective of the company’s weapons used to combat the rumor, experts said, came from the Anti-Defamation League, which lent its support. Starbucks, which is based in Seattle, did not place any messages refuting the rumor on its Web site. But the Anti-Defamation League contacted the company to investigate the matter and later circulated the company’s message to interested parties on its Web site and in telephone calls.”
“New Economy” by Sherri Day
Monday, June 2, 2003