Gaza Cola makes headlines as it wins over London

LONDON: Gaza Cola, a Palestinian soft drink launched as a “genocide-free” alternative, has taken the UK by storm.

According to an International media outlet, this unique beverage, branded as “racism-free,” is gaining traction amidst global boycotts of major companies accused of supporting Israeli actions in Palestine.

Available at Hiba Express, a Palestinian restaurant located in Holborn, central London, the drink’s cans feature Arabic calligraphy and the Palestinian flag, embodying a powerful message of resistance.

The food chain, housed in the six-story Palestine House, serves as a hub for Palestinian culture and solidarity.

Osama Qashoo, the 43-year-old creator of Gaza Cola, launched the drink in November 2023. Inspired by a mission for justice, Qashoo said, “This drink is about freedom — a taste untainted by violence or oppression.”

A refugee forced to flee Palestine in 2003 for opposing Israel’s controversial wall, Qashoo’s vision for Gaza Cola is clear: to boycott brands linked to oppression and provide a sip of liberation.

The cola, sweet and fizzy like Coca-Cola but made with a unique recipe, is rapidly becoming a symbol of ethical consumerism and solidarity with Palestine.

In December 2023 South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice for allegedly violating the Genocide Convention. In January 2024 the judges at the court ordered Israel to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts. The court has not yet ruled on the core of the case – whether genocide has occurred in Gaza.

Israel says accusations of genocide in its Gaza campaign are baseless and that it is solely hunting down Hamas and other groups.

“Following today’s report in Vatican News: There was a genocidal massacre on 7 October 2023 of Israeli citizens, and since then, Israel has exercised its right of self-defense against attempts from seven different fronts to kill its citizens,” said Yaron Sideman, ambassador to the Holy See.

“Any attempt to call it by any other name is singling out the Jewish state,” he posted on social media.