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Etsy Sells ‘F—K’ Israel Shirts, Stickers in Breach of Its Own Policies, British Lawyers Claim
The Etsy logo displays on a smartphone screen in Athens, Greece, on October 20, 2024. Photo: Nikolas Kokovlis via Reuters Connect
A voluntary organization of British lawyers who support Israel have accused the American e-commerce company Etsy of violating its own policies and also possibly law in the United Kingdom by selling threatening, anti-Israel merchandise.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) said on Monday that Etsy is selling several T-shirts and stickers that feature the slogan “F—k Israel” and an inverted red triangle symbol over the words. The inverted red triangle has been used to glorify and signify support for violent Palestinian resistance against Israel, especially by Hamas, which has used the symbol in propaganda videos showing its terrorists attacking Israeli military targets.
UKLFI reported to Etsy that these T-shirts and stickers breach the company’s own “prohibited items policy,” which states that the online marketplace does not allow the selling of merchandise “that promote, support, or glorify hatred, those that promote, support, or glorify violence, or are unlawful.” The selling of the threatening anti-Israel items also breach Etsy’s policy on “anti-discrimination and hateful content” and may be in violation of UK law, according to UKLFI.
Wearing the offensive merchandise in public in the UK may breach the Public Order Act 1986, which prohibits displaying material that is threatening, abusive, insulting, and intended or likely to incite racial hatred, including within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm, or distress. The items may also breach Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003.
“We hope that Etsy removes these offensive items which breach their policies and seem to be designed to stir up hatred,” said a spokesperson for the British group.
Explaining its policy against items that promote or glorify hate, Etsy states on its website: “We want Etsy to be a community where people of all backgrounds, nationalities, religions, and even different types of artistic taste and humor feel welcome. Art is incredibly subjective, and what is offensive to one is not necessarily offensive to others.”
However, UKLFI said, “Despite these laudable aims, Etsy’s site is being used to sell clothing and stickers which are offensive to Jews and Israelis, and would not make Israelis or Jews feel welcome in the Etsy community.”
Etsy did not immediately respond to The Algemeiner‘s request for comment regarding UKLFI’s allegations.
The post Etsy Sells ‘F—K’ Israel Shirts, Stickers in Breach of Its Own Policies, British Lawyers Claim first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Wants More Peace Deals With Arab Countries After War, Netanyahu Says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a memorial ceremony for those murdered by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and those who fell in the “Iron Sword” war, at the Knesset, the Parliament, in Jerusalem, Oct. 28, 2024. Photo: DEBBIE HILL/Pool via REUTERS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he hopes to reach peace deals with more Arab countries once the war against Iranian terrorist proxies Hamas and Hezbollah is complete.
“The day after Hamas no longer controls Gaza and Hezbollah no longer sits on our northern border [in Lebanon], we are working these days on plans to stabilize those two fronts. But the day after includes something else of utmost importance,” Netanyahu said in a speech to parliament.
“I aspire to continue the process I led a few years ago of the signing of the historic Abraham Accords, and achieve peace with more Arab countries,” he said.
Israel, under the US-brokered 2020 accords, normalized relations with four Arab countries: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
Since then, Israel, with US support, has sought to also include other nations, particularly Saudi Arabia. Riyadh says it will not recognize Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state.
“These countries, and other countries, see clearly the blows we are landing on those who attack us, the Iranian axis of evil,” he said. “They aspire, like us, for a stable, secure, and prosperous Middle East.”
The post Israel Wants More Peace Deals With Arab Countries After War, Netanyahu Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Over 100 US Lawmakers Threaten UN Funding if Global Body ‘Downgrades’ Israel’s Status
US Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) speaking at a housing roundtable event, March 8, 2023. Photo: Lawler for Congress
A bipartisan group of 105 members of the US Congress threatened to reduce American funding to the United Nations if the organization successfully downgrades Israel’s status in retaliation for the Jewish state’s defensive military operations against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
“We write to express our deep concern about prospective efforts of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and strip the State of Israel of its key privileges in the body,” read a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres that was co-signed by the lawmakers.
“Any downgrade in Israel’s status or standing at the UNGA will result in a corresponding downgrade of US financial, material, and political support to the UN,” the message continued.
The letter, spearheaded by US Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), was drafted as a response to what the lawmakers described as the Palestinian Authority’s attempt to to strip Israel of “key privileges” within the UNGA.
The lawmakers also said they were “outraged” by the UNGA’s recent adoption of a “one-sided” resolution to implement an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, demanding Israel withdraw completely from the West Bank and East Jerusalem “with no recognition or consideration of Israel’s legitimate security concerns.”
The letter, which was signed by dozens of Republicans and 12 Democrats, added that Congress has been alarmed by the “numerous UN actions to delegitimize Israel’s right to self defense,” arguing that the global organization’s posture toward the Jewish state calls into question its fairness and impartiality.
“We remind you that the US is the largest donor to the UN. Our contributions account for one-third of the body’s collective budget. We will not accept the UN’s ongoing hostility to our ally Israel,” the letter stated.
The members of Congress then reminded the UN of a recently introduced piece of American legislation which would “prohibit US funding to the UN” if the organization downgrades Israel’s status or impacts its ability to “participate fully and equivalently with other member states.”
According to Lawler’s office, a slew of pro-Israel organizations endorsed the letter, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Jewish Federations of North America, and the Combat Antisemitism Movement.
The letter came after the PA reportedly kick-started an initiative to get Israel expelled from the UN General Assembly.
US Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) warned that Congress would consider revoking funding to the UN if the PA were successful in its attempt to remove Israel from the UN General Assembly.
“If the Palestinians succeed in suspending Israel from the United Nations General Assembly, they may well end up disintegrating the US-Palestinian Authority relationship and triggering a full reevaluation of US participation in and funding of all parts of the United Nations,” Cruz said earlier this month.
The post Over 100 US Lawmakers Threaten UN Funding if Global Body ‘Downgrades’ Israel’s Status first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Montrealers say limits are needed for boisterous Friday evening demonstrations against Israel
There’s a way for everyone within earshot to know when Shabbat has arrived in the west side of downtown Montreal. Chants begin almost every Friday evening as the crowd—varying from […]
The post Montrealers say limits are needed for boisterous Friday evening demonstrations against Israel appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.