Scarlett Johansson strikes blow at anti-Israel bigotry

From thecommentator.com

Scarlett Johansson’s decision to drop Oxfam over its bigotry against Israel is another welcome blow to the boycott movement, and a major embarrassment to all who participate in the grubby anti-Israel agenda.

Red — or is that scarlet? — faces all round today for the boycott movement against Israel. Scarlett Johansson has tossed Oxfam into the garbage can in favour of continuing her relationship with SodaStream, a well known Israeli company that has operations in the disputed territories on the West Bank.

It not only strikes a high profile blow against the grubby machinations of Oxfam, for whom she has been an “ambassador” for eight years, but also speaks volumes about the problems that the bigoted campaign for boycotts against Israel is having more broadly.

“Scarlett Johansson has respectfully decided to end her ambassador role with Oxfam after eight years …She and Oxfam have a fundamental difference of opinion in regards to the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. She is very proud of her accomplishments and fundraising efforts during her tenure with Oxfam,” the actress’s PR people said in a statement.

As a message to Oxfam, that statement can in effect be reduced to two words: “F**k off!”

And rightly so. At a time when tens of thousands are being slaughtered across the Middle East, not least in Syria, there’s something almost physically sickening about a supposedly reputable charity trying to get Johansson or anyone else to start boycotting a country with the best human rights record in the region.

It would be wrong at any time — the dispute with the Palestinians is rooted in Palestinian rejectionism — but to continue this shabby campaign in current circumstances just goes to to show how blind anti-Israel bigotry can be.

Scarlett Johansson has done the right thing. She deserves to be applauded. As for Oxfam, how about a boycott of them? We won’t be putting any money in their collection boxes any more, and we’d suggest that you shouldn’t either.

http://www.thecommentator.com/article/4680/scarlett_johansson_strikes_blow_at_anti_israel_bigotry