Frankly My Dear Scarlett, I am Very Grateful That You Do “Give a Damn”

As if there were not enough reasons to admire Scarlett Johansson, adding to her considerable talent, beauty and intelligence, Ms Johansson now displays considerable courage, as well as huge strength of character in standing up to the so called BDS movement.

The celebrated actress and Oscar nominee has also shown that she has done so, not blindly but on an informed basis, where she has apparently taken the time to educate herself on the issues and on the specifics in regard to Soda Stream, the Israeli company based in Mishor Adumim (on the West Bank), which she will be promoting in a commercial to be aired during the upcoming Super Bowl on February 2nd.

For those less informed, Soda Stream employs both Israeli and Palestinians on the West Bank and is also in the process of developing a new factory in the Negev region of Israel which will employ some 500 people mostly from the Bedouin town of Rahat.

One may strongly disagree with the occupation and justifiably question or condemn the current Israeli government policy. However for far too long actors, musicians and a wide range of celebrities and prominent individuals have allowed themselves to be bullied and intimidated by what amounts to a wholly questionable and disingenuous rabble of anti-Semites and hypocrites, whose true aim is not the ending of the occupation, and a just peace between Israel and Palestinians, rather the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel as a whole.

In fear for their public image and celebrity status, with a desperate need to strengthen their “cool” “liberal”, “left wing” “human rights” credentials, these supposedly intelligent (perhaps not), educated and worldly individuals blindly support the hate-mongering, racism and double standards of what can only be described as the Palestinians’ “false friends”. Masquerading as “peace activists” and claiming to support the Palestinian people, these rabid racists, show little regard for the genuine welfare of the Palestinian people, preferring extreme positions and the perpetuation of the conflict and its suffering, rather than a just peace and the emergence of a Palestinian State living alongside the State of Israel.

Apparently unwilling or incapable of making the effort to avail themselves of the facts, that is the facts on both sides, both Israeli and Palestinian; self-righteous and ill-informed personalities willingly pander to the worst kind of bigotry and racist populism. Their own hypocrisy is plain to all who care to see. These same self-appointed “champions” of human rights who, sighting Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and abuse of human rights, refuse to engage with or to perform in Israel and who also seek to persuade others to behave in a similar fashion; have no such qualms when it comes to performing in those countries which are in truth the worst abusers of human rights.

Perhaps concerts in Russia, China and other culprits are just too darn lucrative to allow moral integrity or human suffering to get in the way. Apparently when it comes to Syria, Egypt or anywhere else in the Middle East, a racist and highly patronising attitude to Arabs murdering, raping and abusing their fellow Arabs is preferable to outrage, activism or calls for Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions. Don’t even get me started on Iran.

It is not just individuals. Oxfam, for which Ms Johansson has been an Ambassador since 2007, has unsurprisingly come out to confirm its anti-Israel stance and distance itself from its Ambassador and her statement. Perhaps Oxfam along with other humanitarian organisations needs to look to the hypocrisy of its own position and double standards in its behaviour towards Israel. Scarlett Johansson’s stand against such behaviour is to be commended.

There are of course others who recognise the BDS movement for what it is and who also refuse to pander. They perform, they engage, they educate themselves. They come to Israel and see for themselves. They too face an onslaught of hatred and intimidation and should be commended for their refusal to take the easy road.

Frankly my dear Scarlett, I am very glad and grateful that you “give a damn”…