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's to buy back all its Israeli
Fast food giant McDonald's is to buy back all its Israeli restaurants following a boycott of the brand in response to the Israel-Hamas war.

The company said it had reached an agreement with franchisee Alonyal for the return of 225 outlets across the country employing 5,000 people.

McDonald's was criticised after Alonyal started giving away thousands of free meals to Israeli soldiers.

Sales in the region have slumped since the conflict began in October.

On Thursday, McDonald's said a deal had been signed with Alonyal which has been running the chain of Golden Arches in Israel for more than 30 years.

The US company said the restaurants, operations and employees would be retained "on equivalent terms" and that it remained "committed to the Israeli market". Terms of the sale were not revealed.

The boycott was sparked after Muslim-majority countries such as Kuwait, Malaysia and Pakistan issued statements distancing themselves from the firm for its perceived support of Israel
Vocal protests were staged world-wide as the grassroots boycott spread beyond the Middle East.

In January the global food chain admitted the conflict had "meaningfully impacted" its performance with business in France, Indonesia and Malaysia suffering, although its trade in the Middle East was worst affected.

Chief executive Chris Kempczinski blamed the backlash on "misinformation" but it hit the bottom line nonetheless and the company missed its first quarterly sales target in nearly four years.

McDonald's hit by Israel-Gaza 'misinformation'
McDonald's sales dented by Israel-Gaza boycotts
The boycott was described as "disheartening and ill-founded" by McDonald's. The company relies on thousands of independent businesses to own and operate most of its more than 40,000 stores around the world. About 5% are located in the Middle East.

"In every country where we operate, including in Muslim countries, McDonald's is proudly represented by local owner operators," Mr Kempczinski said at the time.

"So long as this war is going on... we're not expecting to see any significant improvement [in these markets]," the McDonald's boss added.

The company will be hoping that by taking the Israeli business back "in house" it can restore its reputation in the Middle East and meet its key sales targets once more.

Much of the Gaza Strip has been devastated during the Israeli military operations that began after Hamas-led gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages.

About 130 of the hostages remain in captivity, at least 34 of whom are presumed dead.

More than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, the territory's Hamas-run health ministry says.

رمضان اسلامي قمري ڪئلينڊر جو نائين مهينو آهي، ۽ اهو سڄي دنيا جي مسلمانن لاءِ وڏي روحاني اهميت رکي ٿو. قرآن پاڪ ڪيترن ئي آيتن ۾ رمضان کي خطاب ڪري ٿو، ان جي اهميت کي روزو رکڻ، فڪر، ۽ روحاني ترقي جي مهيني طور تي زور ڏنو آهي. رمضان المبارڪ جي حوالي سان قرآن مجيد ۾ ڪجهه اهم پهلو هن ريت آهن:

1. **روزو فرض**: رمضان ۾ عبادت جو بنيادي عمل روزو آهي، جيئن سورت البقره (2: 183-185) ۾ ذڪر ڪيو ويو آهي. مسلمانن کي حڪم ڏنو ويو آهي ته فجر کان سج لهڻ تائين روزو رکون، ڏينهن جي روشني جي ڪلاڪن ۾ کاڌي، پيئڻ ۽ ٻين جسماني ضرورتن کان پاسو ڪن.

2. **روحاني عڪاسي**: قرآن مومنن کي حوصلا افزائي ڪري ٿو ته هو رمضان ۾ عبادت، فڪر ۽ خيرات جي عملن ۾ اضافو ڪن. سورت البقره (2: 185) ۾ ذڪر ڪيو ويو آهي ته رمضان اهو مهينو آهي جنهن ۾ قرآن نازل ڪيو ويو انسانيت لاءِ هدايت ۽ حق ۽ باطل ۾ فرق ڪرڻ جو معيار.

3. ** شب قدر (ليلة القدر)**: قرآن مجيد ليلة القدر يعني شب قدر کي رمضان المبارڪ ۾ وڏي اهميت واري رات قرار ڏنو آهي. سورت القدر (97: 1-5) ۾ بيان ڪيو ويو آهي ته هي رات هزار مهينن کان بهتر آهي ۽ اها رات جي نشاندهي ڪري ٿي جڏهن قرآن مجيد پهريون ڀيرو حضرت محمد ﷺ تي نازل ٿيو.

4. **قرآن جي وڌايل تلاوت**: مسلمانن کي ترغيب ڏني وڃي ٿي ته هو رمضان ۾ قرآن پاڪ جي تلاوت ۽ غور ڪن. سورت البقره (2: 185) ۾ بيان ڪيو ويو آهي ته روزا مؤمنن تي فرض ڪيا ويا هئا جيئن انهن کان اڳين تي فرض ڪيا ويا هئا، ۽ مقصد اهو آهي ته خدا کي حاصل ڪرڻ.

5. ** بخشش طلب ڪرڻ**: رمضان پڻ بخشش طلب ڪرڻ ۽ توبه ڪرڻ جو وقت آهي. سورة الاعراف (7:156) ۾ ذڪر ڪيو ويو آهي ته الله جي رحمت وسيع آهي ۽ انهن کي گهيرو ڪري ٿي جيڪي توبه ڪن ٿا ۽ چڱا ڪم ڪن ٿا.

رمضان المبارڪ جي حوالي سان اهي چند اهم موضوع آهن، جن جو ذڪر قرآن پاڪ ۾ ڪيو ويو آهي. سڄي دنيا ۾ مسلمان رمضان کي روزو رکڻ، روزو رکڻ، دعا، خيرات ۽ عبادت جي عملن سان ملن ٿا جيئن اهي روحاني ترقي ۽ الله جي قربت جي ڳولا ڪن ٿا. viral post