Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism 21 February 2005
Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT!) premiered “Eternally Mine,” “a stench beyond occupation,” from Estee Slaughter at its Valentine’s Day Extravaganza at Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco.
Eternally Mine joins Estee’s signature scent Occupation and Apartheid For Men in the group’s killer product line. Also on hand were special editions of Atrocity Cover Up, Bloody Hand Cream, Take It Away Total Village Remover and the classic condom, “The Wall” (nothing gets past it).
The drag kings and queens were pretty in red and pink and fit right in with other guest cosmetics promoters as they blanketed the store with specially printed candy hearts proclaiming, “Be My Palestine,” “Take Me Away” and “Occupy My Land.”
Store security eventually chased the intrepid activists out of the store, but customers outside were more than happy to accept condoms and free samples of Eternally Mine.
QUIT! is targeting cosmetics giant Estee Lauder with its boycott Israel message, because heir Ron Lauder is president of the Jewish National Fund, which maintains and implements Israel’s discriminatory land policies.
Two weeks ago, Israel’s attorney general determined that all land managed by the Israel Lands Administration, including land owned by the Jewish National Fund, must be marketed without discrimination or limits including to non-Jews. According to the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, “The state prosecutor’s office believes it will not be able to defend before the High Court the policy of allocating Jewish National Fund land to Jews only.”
Days later, news agencies reported, ” The Jewish National Fund and the Finance Ministry are discussing ways to separate the JNF from the state, to allow it to continue selling land to Jews only.”
Lauder has publicly declared his support for maintaining Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which are illegal under international law, and for Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, whose policies have killed over 3,300 Palestinians in the last four years, including over 600 children.
For more information on QUIT! and the Estee Slaughter campaign, see www.quitpalestine.org