Fast food giant McDonald's intends to regain ownership of all its restaurant branches in Israel after a boycott of the brand due to the war in the Gaza Strip.
The company said it has reached an agreement with franchisee Alonial to bring back 225 stores across the country, which employ nearly 5,000 people.
McDonald's was widely criticized after Alonial began distributing thousands of free meals to Israeli soldiers.
McDonald's sales in the region have declined since the war began last October.
McDonald's said on Thursday that an agreement had been signed with Alonial, which has been running the Golden Arches chain in Israel for more than 30 years.
The American company added that it would retain the restaurants, operations and employees “on equal terms” and that it would remain “committed to the Israeli market,” without revealing the terms of the sale.
The boycott campaign against McDonald's spread after Arab countries and others with a Muslim majority, such as Malaysia and Pakistan, issued statements against the company because of its clear support for Israel.
Protests were held around the world as the popular boycott spread beyond the Middle East.
In January, the global food chain admitted that the conflict had a significant impact on its performance, as it suffered a decline in profits due to the boycott in France, Indonesia and Malaysia, noting that its trade in the Middle East was most affected.
CEO Chris Kempczinski blamed "misinformation" that caused angry reactions and then a boycott that led to the company's sales falling during the first quarter of the year to their lowest levels in nearly four years.
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