Israel Matzav

Oxfam or Ahava?

Shavua tov, a good week to everyone.

Former Sex in the City star Kirstin Davis has been fired from her position as a spokesperson for Oxfam because she also serves a spokesperson for Ahava, an Israeli cosmetics company. Or has she? If you read this story, it seems that Oxfam is trying to force Davis to choose between themselves and Ahava.

Until recently, Davis served as an ambassador for the humanitarian group Oxfam International. But in a letter circulated last week, Oxfam indicated it was suspending "publicity work" with Davis, because she signed on in 2007 as a spokeswoman for Ahava cosmetics, which is produced beyond the Green Line.

According to Oxfam, Ahava creams, lotions and other goodies are manufactured in "disputed" territory. Ahava has a factory on Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem, located beyond the Green Line on the Dead Sea coast.

"When Kristin signed the contract with Ahava she wasn't aware of the controversy around settlement trade and Oxfam didn't know she had signed with Ahava," a manager for Oxfam's ambassador program said in the letter, reported Thursday in the New York Post. "Oxfam remains opposed to settlement trade, in which Ahava is engaged."

While a spokesman for Oxfam told the Jerusalem Post that ties with Davis were not permanently severed, he said Oxfam has no short-term projects in the pipeline for her. "We just don't want this to be a distraction," he said.

Ahava did not immediately comment.

In the past, Oxfam has called for the 'international community' to go to war against Israel to reopen the Gaza Strip crossings and allow 'Palestinians' to have access to more weapons against Israel. Of course, that won't stop Jews from supporting them.

But it sounds like this was a 'mistake' on Davis' part and she didn't know that Ahava was so 'controversial.' I hope that you all buy Ahava cosmetics regardless of who they retain as spokespeople. By doing so, you can thumb your nose at the British government.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:48 PM