Opinion

ScarJo’s Palestinians

If the more than 500 Palestinians who work at SodaStream were here to watch, they’d cheer the Scarlett Johansson ad for their company that was supposed to play during tomorrow’s Super Bowl.

That’s because these Palestinians appreciate something those pushing the boycott-divestment-sanctions movement against Israel do not: If SodaStream were to shut down its operations in a West Bank suburb of Jerusalem, it wouldn’t be politically correct activists — or even the state of Israel — who’d pay the price.

That price would be paid by the 500 Palestinians who are feeding their families and building their futures with what they earn from their jobs at SodaStream.

Benny Avni first reported this latest outbreak of radical chic in these pages last month. Since then, Johannson resigned as ambassador for Oxfam, citing “a fundamental difference of opinion.”

Johannson’s sure right about the difference of opinion: Oxfam claims Soda­Stream is furthering “the ongoing poverty and denial of rights” of Palestinians.

Problem is, the actual Palestinians whom boycotters claim to represent have a decidedly different view. “If SodaStream closes,” one worker told the Christian Science Monitor, “we would be sitting in the streets doing nothing.” Another said he’s now paid nearly 10 times what he used to earn plucking chickens; he also gets free transportation and meals.

Which makes ScarJo and SodaStream the only actors in this drama who are standing up for both Israel and the Palestinians.