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Amazon accused of inciting hate over its ‘Intifada clothing’ range
Government antisemitism advisor Lord John Mann says anti-Israel items are 'appalling'
February 24, 2022 12:48
Government antisemitism advisor Lord John Mann says anti-Israel items are 'appalling'
February 24, 2022 12:48Amazon is selling offensive “Intifada clothing”, including a sweatshirt bearing a machine gun and hoodies with the Star of David crossed out.
The revelations have prompted warnings that the retailer risks legal sanctions for possibly inciting hate.
Lord John Mann, the government’s antisemitism adviser, said the clothing — which also features maps that erase Israel and the infamous “river to sea” chant associated with terror group Hamas — were “appalling” .
One Amazon page selling “Palestine Intifada Clothing” suggested the range would make a “great gift for family and friends”.
Lord Mann told the JC: “We will need to consider whether additional sanctions can be initiated to stop this type of supplier facilitating the spreading of hatred.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said it would be writing to Amazon to demand the immediate removal of T-shirts and hoodies which, it said, breach the international definition of antisemitism.
A CAA spokesman said: “The chant of ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a State of Palestine — and is thus an attempt to deny Jews, uniquely, the right to self-determination, which is a breach of the international definition of antisemitism.
“Images of maps with the Jewish state erased only reinforce the genocidal sentiment behind the slogan.
“Amazon should make clear that its marketplace is no place for antisemitic incitement and remove these products from sale. We shall be writing to the company.”
The clothing ranges also feature slogans including “stop killing our kids”, while other T-shirts and hoodies promote boycotts of Israel and celebrate the anti-Israeli Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, with images of clenched fists. Prices for the items on Amazon range from £15.99 for tank tops and T-shirts, to £33.99 for unisex hoodies.
One range is called Palestine Intifada Clothing. A write-up accompanying the images of clothes states: “If you believe in a future where there is an end to Israeli occupation and Palestine and the Gaza strip will finally be free, this T-shirt is perfect to raise awareness. May the Palestine flag wave free again and the innocent deaths come to an end.
The Free Gaza, Free Palestine Intifada Clothing T-shirt is a great gift for family members, friends and co-workers.” Another brand, called Free Gaza, includes a T-shirt for £17.49 which carries the slogan, “End Israeli Apartheid”.
This is not the first time Amazon has come under fire over antisemitic goods sold on its website.
Just last week, Amazon Australia pulled 20 Nazi propaganda films from its platform while last month, the US-based site removed 23 Nazi movies from its streaming section.
In January last year, Amazon removed 92 books promoting Shoah denial, including the Leuchter Report, a 1988 document which attempts to deny that gas chambers were used to kill people.
Other books removed by Amazon include Austin Joseph App’s The Six Million Swindle, Wilhelm Stäglich’s The Auschwitz Myth – Legend or Reality, and several issues of the far-right publication, the Journal for Historical Review.
In November 2020, MPs wrote to the company in protest over its “virtual assistant”, Alexa, which was providing information from antisemitic conspiracy sites. Amazon was contacted for comment.