Lush Cosmetics – Support for ‘Freedom for Palestine’
Lush Cosmetics are running a campaign on their website in support of OneWorld’s song ‘Freedom for Palestine’. The article on the company’s website includes some appalling bias and falsehoods which need to be addressed.
Below is a link to the relevant section of the company’s site and some highlighted parts of the article. We have also listed a few very simple retorts to these false accusations that have been made.
We are calling on our supporters to contact the company to dispute the stance that they have chosen to take and call for them to withdraw their support for OneWorld. Relevant contact details for the company are listed at the end of this document. When you write your letter please consider the points below but please do not copy and paste them into your draft. It is much more effective if they receive individual letters rather than many with the same wording.
http://www.lush.co.uk/articles/our-ethical-campaigns/oneworld_100-10285_10.html
“Israel’s siege of Gaza has condemned its 1.5 million inhabitants to levels of poverty more commonly associated with sub-Saharan Africa – a humanitarian disaster with no end in sight.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross declared that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza – April 2011
(http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/red-cross-official-gaza-isn-t-experiencing-a-humanitarian-crisis-1.357268)
Israel sends in thousands of tonnes of supplies into Gaza every single week.
(http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/HumanitarianAid/Palestinians/Humanitarian_and_Civilian_activities_towards_Gaza_Strip_June_monthly_report_2011.htm)
The life expectancy of someone living in Gaza is actually longer than someone living in Glasgow.
(http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/factcheck+glasgow+worse+than+gaza/2320267.html)
“A third generation of Palestinian children is now being brought up in refugee camps inside and outside Palestine”.
Why are there still refugee camps after 60 years?
Why are Lush not calling for Arab countries to help these children?
The economy of the West Bank is one of the fastest growing in the world.
The West Bank receives the second highest amount of economic aid in the World (http://www.nationmaster.com/country/we-west-bank/eco-economy)
“All the above actions are illegal under International Law”
No they are not. Israel adheres fully to the Geneva Convention on all matters regarding the Palestinians.
Why is there no call in the Lush campaign for Hamas to stop its terrorist activity?
Why is there no comment in the Lush campaign of the Hamas Charter that calls for the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews?
The OneWorld campaign supported by Lush equates Israel with Apartheid South Africa.
This is a pernicious accusation that is completely false. Israel’s democracy provides for more rights for its minority citizens than most of the neighbouring countries allow for their majority citizens.
Israel has an Arab sitting on the Supreme Court. It has Arab political parties and Members of the Knesset. Israel has no legal restrictions on and allows complete freedom of religion. Israeli Arab citizens are allowed to and do volunteer to serve in the IDF.
How to Contact Lush:
Chief Executive and Founder:
Mark Constantine
18-20 Market Street
Poole
Dorset BH15 1NF
Lush Press Office:
Tel: 020 7434 3948
Email: sean.gifford@lush.co.uk
Customer Care
18-20 Market Street
Poole
Dorset BH15 1NF
Tel: 01202 641 006
customercare@lush.co.uk
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