January 15, 2014
Raymond Offenheiser, President, Oxfam America
Dear Raymond Offenheiser,
We are writing to express our dismay about the
fact that Oxfam Global Ambassador and Hollywood
actress Scarlett Johansson last week became the
Global Brand Ambassador for SodaStream, an Israeli
settlement manufacturer.
Although SodaStream products are labeled as "Made
in Israel," its main production facility
is in the industrial zone of Mishor Edomin, an
illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank.
As a result, SodaStream enjoys cheap land and
water, confiscated from the indigenous Palestinian
owners; a captive Palestinian labor force; tax
benefits; and lax regulation of environmental
and labor protection laws.
On July 24, 2012, Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam International's
Executive Director, said: "Europe's condemnation
of Israel's settlement expansion is welcome but
words alone mean nothing when people's lives keep
worsening...EU governments must match their words
with urgent and concrete measures to push for
an immediate end to settlement construction and
the unlawful demolition of Palestinian civilian
infrastructure.
In October 2012, Oxfam Italy cut its ties with
Paola Maugeri over her role as a SodaStream PR
Ambassador. In 2009, Oxfam International cut ties
with Kristin Davis over her role as spokesperson
for cosmetics company Ahava, which operates in
the Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem. As the
manager for CODEPINKs Ahava boycott I was
involved in the campaign around the Oxfam/Davis/Ahava
triangle, and it feels like a weird déjà
vu to be in this same situation less than five
years later. How is it that TWO Oxfam Goodwill
Ambassadors end up as the spokespersons for Israeli
settlement goods?
We urge Oxfam to take action and press Johansson
to end her deal with SodaStream or to end its
relationship with the actress to send the message
that supporting companies that profit from occupation
and human rights abuses is unethical.
Sincerely,
Nancy Kricorian,
CODEPINK Women for Peace
P.S. Thought this blog
post from the Jewish Daily Forward might be
of interest.
|