An Open Letter to the Oxfam International Secretariat

I first became aware of Oxfam International while visiting England in the 1970s, and have been an occasional donor to Oxfam America ever since. However, I find your recent decision to "accept" the resignation of Scarlett Johansson because of her promotion of SodaStream to be utterly reprehensible.

SodaStream has become a major employer of Palestinians, both inside Israel and in the West Bank, lessening the poverty in an area that you claim to serve. The company treats their employees with dignity and fairness, regardless of their ethnic backgound.

Reduced poverty of the Palestinians is surest way to bring peace and prosperty to that troubled region, even if the vehicle doesn't fit your pre-conceived, politically "correct" notions of who the peoples of that region really are. Your actions are extremenly short-sighted and counter-productive.

Isn't anyone in your organization THINKING anymore?