Scarlett Johansson Ends Her Connection With Oxfam
Movie star Scarlett Johansson has dealt decisively with the controversy surrounding her serving as the global brand ambassador for the Israeli company Sodastream and as goodwill ambassador for Oxfam. She has given Oxfam the boot, graciously, of course.
Sodastream has a factory in the West Bank that employs more than 500 Palestinian Arabs, making it the largest employer of Palestinians in the West Bank outside of the Palestinian Authority. It pays higher wages than other comparable jobs in the West Bank. But none of that matters to Oxfam. Sodastream has become a visible target of the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign [BDS]. Oxfam supports the BDS campaign. The British-based charity has long been antagonistic toward the Jewish state.
Johansson’s spokesman said of the 29-year-old actress,
She and Oxfam have a fundamental difference of opinion in regards to the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement… Scarlett Johansson has respectfully decided to end her ambassador role with Oxfam after eight years.
Oxfam for its part released a statement claiming,
Oxfam believes that businesses, such as SodaStream, that operate in settlements further the ongoing poverty and denial of rights of the Palestinian communities that we work to support. Oxfam is opposed to all trade from Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.
Johansson, who has repeatedly topped a number of polls as the sexiest woman alive, is part Jewish by heritage. Her mother is Jewish.
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