Scarlett Johansson officially stepped down from her position as global ambassador for the charity Oxfam in favor of representing Israeli company SodaStream, which has a major production plant in the West Bank settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim.
As part of a growing international BDS movement against Israel's settlement policy, pro-Palestinian groups had called on Oxfam to sever its ties with the actress.
Johansson stepped down after the charity had expressed its disapproval of the actress's new role as spokesperson for SodaStream.
"While Oxfam respects the independence of our ambassadors, Ms Johansson’s role promoting the company SodaStream is incompatible with her role as an Oxfam Global Ambassador."
As part of a growing international BDS movement against Israel's settlement policy, pro-Palestinian groups had called on Oxfam to sever its ties with the actress.
Johansson stepped down after the charity had expressed its disapproval of the actress's new role as spokesperson for SodaStream.
"While Oxfam respects the independence of our ambassadors, Ms Johansson’s role promoting the company SodaStream is incompatible with her role as an Oxfam Global Ambassador."
Johansson responded to pressure from Oxfam in a statement released to The Huffington Post on Sunday.
“While I never intended on being the face of any social or political movement, distinction, separation or stance as part of my affiliation with SodaStream, given the amount of noise surrounding that decision, I’d like to clear the air,” she said.
”I remain a supporter of economic cooperation and social interaction between a democratic Israel and Palestine. SodaStream is a company that is not only committed to the environment but to building a bridge to peace between Israel and Palestine, supporting neighbors working alongside each other, receiving equal pay, equal benefits and equal rights. That is what is happening in their Ma’aleh Adumim factory every working day.”
The SodaStream Super Bowl ad starring Johansson was was censored by Fox, the network airing Sunday's big game, for criticizing its main sponsors Coke and Pepsi, creating further buzz about the controversial company.
“While I never intended on being the face of any social or political movement, distinction, separation or stance as part of my affiliation with SodaStream, given the amount of noise surrounding that decision, I’d like to clear the air,” she said.
”I remain a supporter of economic cooperation and social interaction between a democratic Israel and Palestine. SodaStream is a company that is not only committed to the environment but to building a bridge to peace between Israel and Palestine, supporting neighbors working alongside each other, receiving equal pay, equal benefits and equal rights. That is what is happening in their Ma’aleh Adumim factory every working day.”
The SodaStream Super Bowl ad starring Johansson was was censored by Fox, the network airing Sunday's big game, for criticizing its main sponsors Coke and Pepsi, creating further buzz about the controversial company.
[Jerusalem Post]
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Scarlett Johansson Sticks With SodaStream -Stephanie Butnick
ScarJo doesn’t mess around.
While Johansson may have been unwittingly thrust into the role of conflict negotiator in the minefield that is the public debate over the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, she’s proven herself to be more than just a glamorous face attached to a product...
She’s turned what could have been yet another celebrity endorsement—or quickly dropped celebrity endorsement—into an actual stance on an actual issue.
[Tablet Magazine]
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Palestinian Workers Back Scarlett -Christa Case Bryant
[T]hose most familiar with the factory – Palestinians who work there – largely side with Ms. Johansson.
“Before boycotting, they should think of the workers who are going to suffer,” says a young man shivering in the pre-dawn darkness in Azzariah, a West Bank town cut off from work opportunities in Jerusalem by the concrete Israeli separation wall. Previously, he earned 20 shekels ($6) a day plucking and cleaning chickens; now he makes nearly 10 times that at SodaStream, which also provides transportation, breakfast, and lunch.
As a few dozen men in hoodies and work coats trickle out of the alleys to the makeshift bus stop where they wait for their ride to the factory, another adds, “If SodaStream closes, we would be sitting in the streets doing nothing.”
[Christian Science Monitor]
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UPDATES:
Confronting European Funding for BDS - Gerald M. Steinberg
BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) is a form of political warfare against the State of Israel based on the exploitation of human rights and humanitarian principles. Leaders of BDS campaigns repeatedly express their rejection of any Jewish right to self-determination, regardless of borders.
The BDS movement is led by the Palestinian leadership, in close alliance with a network of political advocacy non-governmental organizations (NGOs) funded largely by European governments. This money enables ostensibly "non-political" organizations to flood the media, universities, parliaments and other platforms with a steady flow of anti-Israel demonization.
The most effective and immediate strategy to blunt BDS and other forms of political warfare is to end the massive funding given to radical NGOs that promote these anti-Israel campaigns, particularly in Europe.
The writer is professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University and president of NGO Monitor.
(Times of Israel)
10 Brands You'll Have to Give Up If You're Boycotting Israel
- Christa Case Bryant
Ten brands that BDS supporters have urged others to boycott: Pampers, Victoria's Secret, Volvo, Intel, Israeli hummus, Motorola, Hewlett-Packard, Starbucks, McDonald's, and SodaStream.
There are thousands of other products that contain or use Israeli-developed technology, including iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Skype, computer firewalls, and Microsoft XP.
(Christian Science Monitor)
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Palestinian Workers Back Scarlett -Christa Case Bryant
[T]hose most familiar with the factory – Palestinians who work there – largely side with Ms. Johansson.
“Before boycotting, they should think of the workers who are going to suffer,” says a young man shivering in the pre-dawn darkness in Azzariah, a West Bank town cut off from work opportunities in Jerusalem by the concrete Israeli separation wall. Previously, he earned 20 shekels ($6) a day plucking and cleaning chickens; now he makes nearly 10 times that at SodaStream, which also provides transportation, breakfast, and lunch.
As a few dozen men in hoodies and work coats trickle out of the alleys to the makeshift bus stop where they wait for their ride to the factory, another adds, “If SodaStream closes, we would be sitting in the streets doing nothing.”
[Christian Science Monitor]
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UPDATES:
Confronting European Funding for BDS - Gerald M. Steinberg
BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) is a form of political warfare against the State of Israel based on the exploitation of human rights and humanitarian principles. Leaders of BDS campaigns repeatedly express their rejection of any Jewish right to self-determination, regardless of borders.
The BDS movement is led by the Palestinian leadership, in close alliance with a network of political advocacy non-governmental organizations (NGOs) funded largely by European governments. This money enables ostensibly "non-political" organizations to flood the media, universities, parliaments and other platforms with a steady flow of anti-Israel demonization.
The most effective and immediate strategy to blunt BDS and other forms of political warfare is to end the massive funding given to radical NGOs that promote these anti-Israel campaigns, particularly in Europe.
The writer is professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University and president of NGO Monitor.
(Times of Israel)
10 Brands You'll Have to Give Up If You're Boycotting Israel
- Christa Case Bryant
Ten brands that BDS supporters have urged others to boycott: Pampers, Victoria's Secret, Volvo, Intel, Israeli hummus, Motorola, Hewlett-Packard, Starbucks, McDonald's, and SodaStream.
There are thousands of other products that contain or use Israeli-developed technology, including iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Skype, computer firewalls, and Microsoft XP.
(Christian Science Monitor)
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| The blogger known as Elder of Ziyon created the poignant poster above |
2 comments:
This is sad and ridiculous. Bravo to Scarlett. She's doing everything right and the Palestinian workers in the factory support her and would be in hard times if things went as all the misguided hypocrites around the world had their way.
Misguided hypocrites indeed!
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