Can a cola save the world? Probably not, but that doesn't mean it can't help. It's called Gaza Cola and it has one goal: to help the populations affected by the conflict between Israel and Palestine that began on October 7, 2023. The founders are a group of Palestinians – led by human rights activist, filmmaker and now entrepreneur Osama Qashoo – who created Gaza Cola in 2023, produced by Palestine House, a center for Palestinian refugees. As The Guardian reports, their goal is to use the proceeds to rebuild the Al Karama hospital in the north of the Strip.
A Drink to Convey a Message
A red can, the Palestinian flag in the background with the word Gaza in Arabic along with a Palestinian keffiyeh, the scarf worn as a symbol of resistance. This is how the soft drink appears, the result of this project that, despite what one might think, is not a direct competitor of the more famous Coca Cola, but is born from the desire to participate in the recovery of Palestinian healthcare, rebuilding the Al Karama hospital.
But also a message to the most famous American multinational in terms of cola, repeatedly invited to boycott – because of the presence of one of their offices in Atarot, in eastern Jerusalem – by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement of which Osama is a supporter. He has in fact stated, as reported by the English newspaper The Guardian, that his Gaza Cola wants to be "a statement to all these companies that invest in the arms trade. To ask them the question of dignity […] they must wake up and understand that their money, their greed, are causing our genocide".
A vehicle therefore to launch a message in defense of his compatriots (Osama is originally from the West Bank but has lived in London for more than 18 years): a difficult task, a small drop in the ocean but with which he hopes to be able to contribute, at least in a small part, to the devastation of his country.
What Stage is The Project At?
Gaza Cola is shipped all over the world, from the UK to Australia, from Spain to South Africa: at the end of last year, around 500,000 units were sold – on the internet, a pack of 24 costs 30 pounds, while a pack of 6 costs 12. For the moment, it seems that the proceeds are able to cover the costs of a quarter of the budget planned for the construction of the hospital. The finish line is therefore still far away and Qashoo himself admitted that he does not know when the objective will be achieved, however, with the famous hope that always dies last, he declared: "We are allowed to have imagination … we must dream, otherwise we cannot live".
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