RELIGIOUS ANIMOSITY AND TPB IN PREDICTING MUSLIM BOYCOTT INTENTIONS TOWARD ISRAEL-AFFILIATED PRODUCTS IN INDONESIA

Abstract

Widespread boycott campaigns have been developed in Muslim-majority countries, heavily catalyzed in 
Indonesia by institutional decrees such as the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Fatwa No. 83 of 2023 and driven by geopolitical tensions from the Israel–Gaza conflict. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the structural influence of Religious Animosity and core constructs within the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), namely attitude toward the boycott, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, on Muslim consumers' boycott intentions toward Israel-affiliated products. Contextually, the empirical inquiry shifts focused on the unique trade-exposed landscape of Batam City, an active Free Trade Zone characteristically marked by high global commercial exposure alongside a deeply rooted Islamic cultural identity. A quantitative survey-based approach was implemented, collecting online questionnaire responses from 241 valid Muslim respondents in Batam, which were analyzed using Structural 
Equation Modeling – Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The empirical results showed that religious enmity played a substantial role in triggering boycott intentions, a mechanism mediated by consumer attitudes and reinforced by perceived behavioral control. Meanwhile, subjective norms and established brand loyalty reported a negligible direct influence in a trade-exposed urban environment. Crucial theoretical contributions were offered by integrating ideological triggers as direct TPB antecedents and providing pragmatic, cautionary implications for global brand management regarding the absolute necessity of conducting socio-political and religious due diligence within culturally sensitive marketplaces.