The French multinational has long been in the crosshairs of Palestinian supporters, who accuse it of selling products from Israeli settlements and partnering with Israeli firms operating there. The group has denied operating in the settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. Carrefour chief executive Alexandre Bompard has said previously that no Carrefour stores are operating in West Bank settlements and has denied having any "partisan or political ties". And Majid Al Futtaim has maintained Carrefour franchises elsewhere in the Middle East, including in the Gulf's two biggest economies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Ghassan Nasaif, a pro-Palestinian activist in Bahrain, called Majid Al Futtaim's decision a "great victory" for the movement, saying "this is exactly what we were asking" from the group.