Daniel Birnbaum, the American-born CEO of the Israeli company SodaStream, is on a mission. But whether that mission is to make millions of dollars selling fizzy water makers, to promote his personal brand of Zionism, or a combination of both, depends on whom you ask.
Omar Barghouti, the founder of the BDS movement, said that he sees SodaStream's closure as a success that is"in line with our commitment to end Israel's violations of Palestinian human rights." When SodaStream first announced that it would leave the West Bank, the company's Palestinian workers lost their jobs.
With this in mind, Birnbaum hired a social worker at the SodaStream factory to help employees with any problems they might have at home. The factory also aims to employ an equal number of men and women. Of the around 700 Bedouins now working in SodaStream's factory near the city of Rahat, around half are women. The first Palestinian woman began working in the factory a month ago, he says.
Birnbaum says that making his employees happy is more important than shareholder value."It's about the mission. Shareholder value will come."