Anger and Calls for a Boycott: This Is How Zara Supports Extremism and Incitement Against the Palestinians

The Palestinian Chief Justice, Mahmoud al-Habbash, Advisor to the President for Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations, called for a boycott of the products of the Spanish clothing company Zara anywhere in the world until the company cancels its contract with its Israeli agent in response to his support for the extremist Itamar Ben-Gvir in the Israeli upcoming Knesset elections.

The Chief Justice, according to a statement revealed by his office, issued a legal opinion prohibiting dealing with the company from now on, calling on all Islamic institutions and fatwa bodies in the world to take the same position until the company cancels its contract with its Israeli agent who supports terrorism.

On October 22, the Ministry of National Economy announced its move to hold Zara accountable for the statements of its Israeli agent and its support for the extremist Itamar Ben-Gvir, who incites the killing of Palestinians, in the upcoming Israeli Knesset elections.

 

Supportıng Extremists

The ministry explained, in a statement, that under international law, companies or individuals are prohibited from supporting individuals with anti-human and racist tendencies and inciting the killing of citizens and their expulsion from their land.

It indicated that it started the process of sending a legal letter to Zara Company to clarify its position on these statements and to expose its clear and explicit position on settlements in accordance with international law and Security Council Resolution No. (2334) that confirms the illegality of settlements.

The agent of the world-famous trend Zara network for clothing in "Israel" announced that he will host at his home a political election meeting in support of the extremist Israeli Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir, who constantly announces racist positions and policies, the essence of which is the displacement of Palestinians from their country.

The announcement of the agent of the famous Spanish commercial network in "Israel" provoked angry Palestinian reactions to this situation, as activists on social media platforms called for a boycott of the network that supports racism.

 

Hateful Comments

In June 2021, Vanessa Perilman, lead designer for the popular Spanish clothing brand Zara, sparked controversy after she made hateful comments against Palestinians in a conversation with a Palestinian model. The latter revealed the conversation on social media.

During the conversation, Perilman defended Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, blamed the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, whom she called terrorists, and attacked the Islamic faith.

It all started when Vanessa Perilman made controversial hate comments in a letter responding to the pro-Palestine posts by the Palestinian model from occupied East Jerusalem Qaher Harhash.

Perilman wrote to Harhash: "Perhaps if your people were educated, they wouldn't blow up the hospitals and schools that Israel paid for in Gaza."

She added: "The Israelis do not teach children to hate, and they do not throw stones at soldiers as your people do."

She added, according to a photo of her message revealed by Harhash, "People in my industry know the truth about Israel and Palestine, and I will never stop defending Israel. People like you come and go in the end."

She added, "I think it's funny being a model because in fact this is against your Islamic faith, and if you go out of the box in any Muslim country, you will be stoned to death."

After the publication of this message, international fashion brand Zara was subjected to widespread criticism and calls for a boycott.

Perilman has since deleted her Instagram account and other social media pages amid a widespread backlash that also saw pro-Palestinian advocates file a complaint with Zara.

Calls to boycott the brand using the hashtag #BoycottZara went viral on social media networks. Harhash wrote on Instagram that Vanessa Perilman has not been fired.

For its part, the Zara brand had not publicly commented on the controversy, although social media users have shared parts of an emailed statement from the retailer claiming that "the misunderstanding has been cleared up and closed."

 

Brands Supporting 'Israel'

In addition to Zara, many Brands and companies encourage and fund the Israeli aggressions against Palestinians.

The social networking sites Facebook and Twitter delete content related to the Palestinian issue, helping to hide the Israeli crimes against the Palestinians. These sites are also launching continuous campaigns of bans, closures, and reports against Palestinian content that has been contributing to the transfer of Palestinian events for years and exposing the crimes related to the Israeli Occupation.

Most of us know that Victoria's Secret is an American lingerie company spread globally, but what many do not know is that Victoria's Secret is one of the largest and most important clients of the Israeli company Delta Galil Industries, according to the Israeli website Haaretz.

Delta Galil is an Israeli company headquartered in the industrial zone in the West Bank. It manufactures and promotes women's and lingerie under its own brand and leading brands around the world, such as Victoria's Secret, Jockey, and Hanes.

Procter & Gamble, which produces the world-famous baby diaper Pampers, is originally an American company, but it is one of the largest customers of an Israeli company that manufactures diapers, Avgol Nonwoven Industries.

Avgol Nonwoven Industries operates a plant in the Barkan Industrial Complex, near the West Bank settlement of Ariel, and has subsidiaries in the United States, China, and Russia.

Advocates of a boycott of Israeli products have criticized the famous Swedish company Volvo for providing the Israeli government with equipment used to demolish Palestinian homes and for its 27% stake in the Israeli company Merkavim, which uses its buses to and from Israeli prisons.

According to the Israeli website The Jerusalem Post, the Swedish company also announced its investments in two Israeli companies, UVeye and MDGo, both located in Tel Aviv. It is necessary to mention that the company no longer owns Volvo cars.

American electronics company Intel is investing billions of dollars in "Israel" as well, as it owns factories to develop new electronic chips that make computers faster and lighter in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat.

According to The Times of Israel, the company is in talks to spend $11 billion on a new manufacturing facility after receiving massive aid from the Israeli government, which pledged to pay 10 percent of the project's value.

The American company hp is one of the technology companies that invest in "Israel" as well, and it has a special branch in "Israel" that was established in 1994 under the name Hewlett-Packard Israel.

McDonald's has a partnership with the United Jewish Fund, which—among other things—promotes a visit to Kiryat Gat, erected on the ruins of a Palestinian village, as well as its discrimination against Arab workers in its restaurants in "Israel."