McDonald’s has said it will buy its 30-year-old Israel franchise from Alonyal, taking back ownership of 225 outlets that employ more than 5,000 people, Al Jazeera reports.

The US fast-food chain has been subject to boycotts and protests since Alonyal announced shortly after the October 7 attack by Hamas that it would be donating free meals to the Israeli military.

McDonald’s is a global company, but its franchises are often owned locally and operate autonomously. Its CEO Chris Kempczinski said previously the company had seen “meaningful business impact” in several markets in the Middle East and some outside the region due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

McDonald’s added that it “remains committed to the Israeli market and to ensuring a positive employee and customer experience in the market going forward”.

After the completion of the transaction in the coming months, McDonald’s will own Alonyal’s outlets and operations while retaining its employees. The companies did not disclose the terms of the transaction.

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