RIYADH: Following news that McDonald’s franchise owners in Israel had donated meals, McDonald’s KSA released a statement on its official account on X, emphasizing that this was an independent decision and action. A post shared on @McDonaldsKSA said that “neither McDonald’s International, nor any other franchise owner in any country, had any direct or indirect involvement or connection with this initiative.” بيان توضيحي من ماكدونالدز السعودية pic.twitter.com/mWPSnWzje2 — ماكدونالدز السعودية - الوسطى والشرقية والشمالية (@McDonaldsKSA) October 14, 2023 McDonald’s KSA also expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people, and underlined their unwavering commitment to Arab identity, patriotism, and dedication to the Saudi community. “We always emphasize that our responsibility is only limited to Saudi borders and that we are not in any way involved and do not take responsibility for what other franchise owners do outside our national borders. “As a purely Saudi company, we have been proud, since our inception, of our Saudi identity, and our continuous contribution to supporting our economy and national community, and adopting social and humanitarian matters that it (our community) is concerned with.” In alignment with these values, “we are delighted to announce that McDonald’s KSA will be making a donation of SR2 million ($533,000) to support the relief efforts for the citizens of Gaza, may God help them. This contribution follows coordination with the relevant official authorities. “Once again, we affirm that McDonald’s Corp. is a listed joint-stock company owned by millions of people around the world, including Arabs and Muslims. “In pursuit of its global commercial interests, it never engages in politics, always commits to absolute neutrality and refrains from adopting any political positions, in order to safeguard its commercial interests in more than 120 countries around the world. “Any decision or act by any of its franchise owners in any country does not represent McDonald’s International, its policies or its values and principles. “In conclusion, we pray to God to protect our beloved country and all Muslim and Arab countries from all harm.”