Scarlett Johansson has stepped down as an Ambassador for Oxfam because of her relationship with SodaStream, a company which operates in the illegal settlement Ma’ale Adumim, in the Occupied West Bank. Scarlett Johansson and Oxfam faced immense pressure from the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign who demanded that Scarlett Johansson cut her ties with SodaStream or Oxfam cut their ties with Scarlett Johansson.
Scarlett Johansson described Oxfam’s opposition to her support for a company which operates in an illegal settlement as “a fundamental difference of opinion”. Oxfam described Scarlett’s role for SodaStream was ‘incompatible‘ with her work for Oxfam.
Settlements are illegal under international law, and an obstacle to peace – therefore settlement production relies on, and supports, an activity that is illegal.
Director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Sarah Colborne, said:
“Scarlett Johansson’s decision to represent SodaStream clearly violated Oxfam’s policy of supporting human rights and justice. By choosing to represent a company that operates in an illegal settlement on stolen Palestinian land, she has already suffered major reputational damage. And by prioritising SodaStream over Oxfam, she has decided to profit from occupation, rather than challenge global poverty.
We thank all our supporters who made it clear to Oxfam that they needed to break from Scarlett Johansson or risk facing a haemorrhaging of support in the UK and internationally.”
