Among the many applications in the Play Store is the 'Gaza Friendly' app, which features a heart icon with the Palestinian flag. This label was created in June 2025 and serves as a certificate for shop owners participating in boycotts of products manufactured in occupied Palestinian territories, as well as goods promoted by companies supporting the expansion of Israeli settlements.
Currently, the app and its associated website list 80 businesses in France, primarily butchers, restaurants, bakeries, catering services, tea rooms, and food distributors. The list is regularly updated, and the app includes an interactive map allowing consumers to find certified stores near their location.
The app, which has been downloaded over 500 times, was developed by Pierre-Amel Nuaili Charni, a pediatrician of Tunisian origin from Lyon, located in east-central France, together with a small group of friends. Nuaili Charni explains that shop owners joining 'Gaza Friendly' can demonstrate their commitment to the Palestinian cause in a concrete way.
He stated that this label gives people outraged by the genocide in Gaza the opportunity to turn their purchases into a lever for justice and solidarity. The label draws inspiration from the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, an international campaign launched in 2005 by Palestinian civil society, which calls on consumers and institutions to refuse to purchase Israeli goods or products originating from Israeli settlements, which is illegal under international law.
According to the 'Gaza Friendly' statement on its homepage, the boycott is effective because refusing certain products deprives oppressors of resources, and the label's ambition is to create a strong network of certified vendors to raise awareness about the boycott campaign.
My business is doing better
To receive certification, shop owners must adhere to a three-point charter: a ban on Coca-Cola beverages, a ban on PepsiCo beverages, and a ban on fresh produce imported from Israeli settlements. For Nuaili Charni, the boycott of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo is a peaceful tool with strong symbolic meaning, given their documented involvement in the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
In 2025, BDS discovered that Coca-Cola manages a regional distribution center and cold storage facility in the Atarat settlement in the West Bank, while PepsiCo faces investment targets and subsidiaries linked to Israel. Akli, the owner of a 'Gaza Friendly' certified store, noted that he liked the idea, especially because some customers had already accused him of selling Coca-Cola.
Although PepsiCo claims not to support Israel politically or militarily, activists argue that owning Israeli brands like SodaStream and Sabra, as well as its operations in the country, constitutes indirect support for the State of Israel. Coca-Cola, for its part, insists it does not support any country, government, or policy, but did not respond to allegations regarding the Atarat facility. Both companies declined to comment on the MEE inquiry.
Nuaili Charni added that even before 'Gaza Friendly' existed, some shop owners had already started stopping the sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi products, so they decided to draw attention to these examples to encourage others to join.
Aid Boucherie Halal in Créteil, near Paris, is one of the latest certified businesses. Its name appeared on the 'Gaza Friendly' list on September 4th. Akli, the owner, told MEE that he learned about the label from an acquaintance. He told MEE that he liked the idea, especially since some customers had already accused him of selling Coca-Cola. Akli has always supported Palestinians but didn't know how to express this support. He noted that despite not selling Coca-Cola or Pepsi, his business is doing just as well, if not better, noting a slight increase in customers.
Solidarity brands
In addition to compiling a list of shop owners, 'Gaza Friendly' provides them with visual materials such as posters and stickers to increase visibility. Furthermore, the label offers an endless list of alternative products, especially beverages that can replace the brands that are subject to boycotts. Some of these drinks are produced by companies committed to Palestine.
One such example is Pales Drinks, a Belgian sparkling beverage brand created in 2024 by young entrepreneur Abdelhakim Tarnach, who directs 10 percent of his profits to humanitarian needs in Palestine. In the same year, Palestine Cola, a non-alcoholic drink promoted by Safad Food AB, founded by Palestinian entrepreneurs in Malmö, Sweden, was launched. A portion of the profits from selling cans decorated with olive trees and wrapped in keffiyeh goes towards financing emergency aid projects in Palestine, such as clothing, tents, and food assistance.
In France, Palestine Cola is mainly distributed through Jebalia, an online retailer that promotes alternative, ethical, and solidarity-based consumption methods. On its Instagram page, every purchase is presented as an act of support for humanitarian initiatives. Since July, Jebalia has been included in the list of 'Gaza Friendly' certified businesses. Its owner, Sofian Slimani, is proud of his commitment to Palestine. He told MEE that a point has been reached where boycotting products linked to the activities of Israeli settlements is no longer sufficient, and alternatives must be offered.
Jebalia states that it sold 100,000 cans of soda in 2025. Besides social media, the company uses other communication channels for promotion. Jebalia was present at the last meeting of French Muslims in Le Bourge last April and regularly collaborates with active businesses, offering its drinks at solidarity events, such as the Salam Cup charity football tournament held several months ago in Bobigny, near Paris. During this event in support of Palestine, Jebalia's products were sold at Inda Coffee, a French coffee shop and matcha bar supporting aid initiatives for Gaza.
Although Inda Coffee participates in the boycott campaign, it is not yet 'Gaza Friendly' certified. According to Nuaili Charni, many shop owners are still unaware of the existence of this label, so he insists on the need for greater advertising. The pediatrician reported that they are trying to reach influencers working in the food sector. In Lyon, content creator AmarFood, specializing in gastronomy and halal, non-alcoholic restaurants in Lyon and the Paris region, often promotes 'Gaza Friendly' in his videos. Recently, another videographer shared a story detailing the concept.
Beyond France, 'Gaza Friendly' aims for international expansion. Currently, members of the label come from about 15 countries, and it has no global counterparts.
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