by Duvi Honig
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani recently called on his followers to boycott Starbucks, framing it as an act of support for striking workers. However, this move represents something far more dangerous: an abuse of commerce as a political tool to promote anti-Israel extremism by rewarding a union that openly aligned itself with Hamas. This must be called out clearly, forcefully, and immediately.
It is important to clarify at the outset: Starbucks corporate leadership never took a pro-Hamas stance. Rather, it was certain unionized Starbucks stores and union activists who pushed extremist, pro-Hamas messaging in the days following the October 7th massacre. They tore down hostage posters-even images of kidnapped babies and elderly Holocaust survivors-and created environments where Jewish customers and employees felt unsafe and intimidated.
In response to this alarming situation, the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce initiated a national boycott of Starbucks. The boycott was not directed at the company itself, but at the union workers and union-controlled stores that had weaponized their positions to promote terror-aligned rhetoric and hatred. The message was simple: commerce cannot be used as a shield for political extremism.
The boycott went viral across the United States and around the world. It attracted enormous attention-so much so that Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, personally contacted me as the Founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce. During our discussion, Starbucks acknowledged the depth of the abuse taking place within union-run stores and how dangerous it was for both the brand and the broader public. Schultz and Starbucks leadership recognized that the union was misrepresenting the company and abusing its authority to promote hate and terror.
Following this conversation, Starbucks leadership agreed to take action in the way raised by the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce: to file a lawsuit against its unions due to their actions. This step was contingent on the Chamber’s removal of its boycott, ensuring that the company was reclaiming control over its brand and standing firmly against extremist messaging infiltrating its stores.
Once the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce announced the removal of its boycott, the post immediately received over 18 million views on X, capturing global attention and demonstrating massive public support for standing up against terror-aligned activism.
In response, however, certain union chapters doubled down-publishing public posts reaffirming their support for Hamas while simultaneously attempting to portray themselves as victims. Their behavior revealed the truth: they were not workers seeking fairness, but aggressors using the language of labor to shield extremist politics.
This cannot be allowed to happen again.
And this is why Mamdani’s call for a boycott must be exposed for what it truly is.
Mamdani has attempted to portray his position as a defense of labor rights, but the context makes his motive unmistakable. By calling for a boycott now, he is not standing with workers-he is standing with the same union activists who supported Hamas, intimidated Jewish customers, and abused their positions inside Starbucks stores. His rhetoric mirrors their agenda, not the needs of the public and certainly not the principles of safety, tolerance, or responsible governance.
Commerce must not be weaponized to promote extremism. The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce will continue to call out any attempt-whether by politicians, unions, or activist groups-to use businesses as tools to advance anti-Israel or pro-terror agendas.
The events surrounding the Starbucks boycott proved that public pressure can lead to decisive, responsible action. With moral clarity and firm leadership, extremism can be exposed, confronted, and defeated. But only if we refuse to remain silent.
The Jewish community-and all who value safety and decency-must remain vigilant. We cannot allow history to repeat itself. We cannot allow extremists to masquerade as labor activists. And we cannot allow political leaders to enable hate under the guise of “solidarity.”
Commerce is a place for the public, not a battleground for terror sympathizers. It is time to say so openly, boldly, and without apology.
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