Despite relentless calls from anti-Israeli activists to sever her relationship with Israeli company SodaStream, Scarlett Johansson isn’t budging. Almost immediately upon being hired in January by the company as a “global brand ambassador,” the Hollywood star found herself under a barrage of criticism for representing the carbonated beverage equipment manufacturer. The fervor only increased leading up to her starring role in the company’s Super Bowl commercial.
The reason for the controversy? Well, it’ll take some regional and political context to understand.
SodaStream’s factory is located in an industrial zone just west of the city of Ma’aleh Adumin, a suburb located just three miles outside Jerusalem. It is in an Israel-controlled area of Judea — land which the Jewish tribe of Benjamin settled thousands of years ago. Since 1967, the modern state of Israel has exercised control over most portions of ancient Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”), pursuant to both historical and legal claims.
Yet, many anti-Israel activists insist that Israel’s presence in this region amounts to an “illegal occupation” of the territory. In opposition to an Israeli presence — and particularly a Jewish presence — in this ancient Jewish homeland, many anti-Israel groups demand boycott, divestment, and sanctions (“BDS”) against Israel and Israeli businesses. As such, SodaStream has been targeted for boycott – and Johansson for criticism.
These anti-Israel advocates work in other ways, too. Recognizing the power of celebrity appeal and the moral credibility of charitable organizations, they surreptitiously recruit celebrities and charities to act as surrogates in their drive to delegitimize the Jewish state. That’s where another organization for which Johansson has advocated, Oxfam International, comes in. It has become such a pawn in the hands of anti-Israel zealots.
Oxfam typically focuses on providing solutions to poverty and malnourishment through trade and agriculture. Programs in places such as Ethiopia, Ghana, and Malawi continue to better the lives of many. Yet, Oxfam has strayed from its mission by openly opposing “trade with settlements in the West Bank” and transferring millions in funds to organizations that support BDS efforts against Israel.
A fundamental contradiction exists between Oxfam’s stated goal “to build a future free from the injustice of poverty” and Oxfam’s opposition to industrial developments in Judea and Samaria, which provide thousands of Palestinian families an escape route from this injustice. As SodaStream chief executive Daniel Birnbaum stated, “Any NGO out there, any activist, who thinks that it would better the cause of the Palestinian people if we were to throw them into the street, into poverty, should look themselves in the mirror.”
Recognizing that implementation of Oxfam policy would harm both Israelis and Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, Scarlett Johansson chose to resign from her role as an Oxfam ambassador after serving for more than six years. She is a shining example of one who values doing what is right over what is merely popular — and objectively searching for the truth rather than simply feeding on talking points.
“I stand behind that decision,” she said just days ago when questioned about her choice to continue promoting SodaStream – which employs 500 Palestinians – while at the same time ending her role as ambassador for Oxfam International.
For supporters of Israel and proponents of a lasting peace in the region, the morally grounded decision of Johansson to stand with SodaStream in spite of hostile opposition offers a glimmer of hope. After all, this skirmish is about far more than one Hollywood celebrity and a carbonated beverage system manufacturer. At stake in this great debate are the rights of Israelis to pursue their dreams in Judea and Samaria alongside the Palestinians, along with the opportunities for both Israelis and Palestinians to share in this prosperity.
