For Jewish children visiting Israel from the diaspora, few experiences match the wonder of discovering a kosher McDonald’s after praying at the Western Wall, of course.

Now that special Israeli experience hangs in the balance as McDonald’s searches for new operators willing to take over 225 restaurants that became the center of a global boycott storm, Ynet reports.

McDonald’s corporate headquarters bought back its entire Israeli operation from longtime franchisee Omri Padan in April 2024, paying him over one billion shekels after 30 years of operation. But what started as a gesture of solidarity became a business nightmare—immediately after the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre, Padan’s franchise “Alonyal Limited” announced it had donated 100,000 meals to security forces, hospitals, and residents in affected areas, while offering 50% discounts to uniformed IDF soldiers.

A heroic decision that unfortunately cost Alonyal Limited billions globally thanks to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement.

“McDonald’s Israel provided free meals for Israel’s forces during #GazaGenocide against 2.3 million Palestinians,” BDS wrote in its social media campaign, launching the hashtag #BoycottMcDonalds.

BDS also promoted a viral social media post showing an IDF soldier holding a McDonald’s bag on a tank in Gaza, which sparked outrage across the Muslim world. Sales in Arab countries plummeted between 50% and 90% month-over-month leading to a loss of $7 Billion.

McDonald’s hoped buying back the franchise would end the controversy. Instead, corporate ownership lasted less than a year before the company decided to find new local operators. Local businesses have been approached, including Apex Ventures and major real estate developers, as interest in what one potential buyer described to Ynet as “one of the most highly valued, sought-after franchises in Israel.”

The franchise is valued between $200 and $300 million.