The initial threats of severing commercial and economic ties with Israel due to the ongoing war seemed like mere rhetoric, causing little concern and minimal impact. However, these threats have recently transformed into concrete actions, and the consequences are starting to be felt across the Israeli economy, trickling down to the citizenry. 3 View gallery Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotrich ( Photo: Yariv Katz ) Historically, in the aftermath of conflicts like the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War, Israel enjoyed a wave of international sympathy, having been attacked by forces intent on its destruction.
This sympathy, however, has a shelf life, and the situation often turns adversarial. Today, history appears to be repeating itself more severely, with numerous countries and companies worldwide announcing the severance of commercial ties, the cancellation of planned investments, and disruptions in imports and exports with Israel. Pre-War Tensions and Emerging Boycotts Even before the war, certain companies and funds expressed dissatisfaction with developments in Israel.
Discontent stemmed from judicial reform attempts and the ongoing occupation of Judea and Samaria. For instance, Norway's wealth fund threatened to reevaluate its investments in Israel, redirecting funds away from companies supplying weapons to Israel as "punishment" for activities in the territories. Ice cream manufacturers aimed to ban sales in the West Bank and fashion companies withdrew .