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Last update - 20:18 22/05/2008
Fashion wars / U.S. store pulls 'pro-violence' Palestinian T-shirt
By Alison Avigayil Ramer
Tags: T shirt controversy 
T-shirt sold by Urban Outfitters showed Palestinian youth carrying automatic rifle, map of West Bank, Gaza.

Popular U.S. clothing store Urban Outfitters has halted sales of a T-shirt apparently supporting Palestinian violence that has sparked outrage in the American Jewish community.

The T-shirt, created by Los Angeles-based designer "Fashion Jive," depicts a young Palestinian boy carrying an AK-47 assault rifle, over the word "Victimized." The T-shirt also shows the Palestinian flag, a map of the Palestinian territories and a small white dove. The item sold online for $25.

"If Urban Outfitters is good at something, it is getting publicity," remarked Ami Cohen, works for American Apparel in Tel Aviv. "This company has a history of coming into conflict with Jews."
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Several years ago, the company played on the "Jewish American Princess" stereotype by selling T-shirts with the slogan "Everybody Loves a Jewish Girl," surrounded by dollar signs and shopping bags.

In 2007, it again came into conflict with Jewish and pro-Israel consumers for selling versions of a traditional Arab headdress, the kaffiyeh, as an "anti-war scarf."

Although the firm's CEO, Dick Heyne, argued that the company had not intended "to imply any sympathy for or support of terrorists or terrorism" by selling the kaffiyeh, some argue that selling of the "Victimized" T-shirt does just that.

"Of course this T-shirt is supporting terrorism," said Leah Weiss, a fashion designer who recently immigrated to Israel. "I've joined a Facebook group to boycott Urban Outfitters and get rid of their clothes. I will never shop there again."

The T-shirt also sparked debate among Jewish bloggers, who discussed the elements of violence depicted in the T-shirt. JBlog Central reported that one surfer had branded the item of clothing a "brutal, bloody Jew-hating tee shirt."

Stacey Strober, Urban Outfitter's Store Operations Manager, said in response that the shirt had been removed from shops and the online store, and that the company had never intended to cause upset.

"Please understand that we do not buy items to provoke controversy or to intentionally offend. We have pulled this item in all of our locations and will no longer be selling it online either."

Others, however, expressed support for the T-shirt and its message.

"All fashion is political in nature. Since most people today aren't directly involved in politics, fashion is a good way to reach people and raise their awareness about the Israeli occupation," argued Sami Zeibak, a Palestinian fashion journalist living in Tel Aviv.

"Jewish people should not be offended by this because it is not anti-Jewish and not anti-Israel, it is anti-occupation.
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  1.   Double Talk 15:07  |  Jay 22/05/08
  2.   Come on 15:20  |  Shmulik 22/05/08
  3.   I love it!!! 15:23  |  Titanic reaction 22/05/08
  4.   T-shirt intifada 15:32  |  Sammy 22/05/08
  5.   forbide it now 15:36  |  french experience 22/05/08
  6.   Occupation 15:39  |  Jack 22/05/08
  7.   Sami Zeibak 15:49  |  Mike 22/05/08
  8.   Let Consumers CHOOSE and DECIDE 15:50  |  David 22/05/08
  9.   JAP 15:52  |  daniel 22/05/08
  10.   Jewish outrage 15:53  |  Said 22/05/08
  11.   Dont tell anyone 16:19  |  Mr Ipp 22/05/08
  12.   Israel illegally occupies Palestine 16:23  |  Stephen Murray 22/05/08
  13.   OFFICIAL `BOYCOTT` OF `URBAN OUTFITTERS` IN EFFECT NOW !!!! 16:30  |  david 22/05/08
  14.   anti occupation!! 16:32  |  x-ray 22/05/08
  15.   I say....BOYCOTT AND DEMAND COMPENSATION 16:52  |  Igor 22/05/08
  16.   Child Abuse 16:54  |  Phil 22/05/08
  17.   "Anti-Jewish" 16:58  |  Magnus K. 22/05/08
  18.   T-shirt 17:10  |  Magnus K. 22/05/08
  19.   symbols 17:22  |  curious george 22/05/08
  20.   Amazaon is selling this T-shirt 17:28  |  gsquaredb 22/05/08
  21.   I got two of them 17:34  |  Good Shirt 22/05/08
  22.   take another look 17:36  |  beni 22/05/08
  23.   Sami Zeibak - reporting live from Berlin??? 17:41  |  Ariel 22/05/08
  24.   "a Palestinian fashion journalist living in Tel Aviv" 17:45  |  Jake 22/05/08
  25.   Dispicable actions at the hands of company 17:46  |  SHIMON 22/05/08
  26.   To Magnus 17:46  |  Ariel 22/05/08
  27.   Isn`t this the same company? 17:47  |  Melanie Grant 22/05/08
  28.   Suppression of all debate about the occupation 17:49  |  Rachel Stevens 22/05/08
  29.   To; Rachel 18:03  |  Kevin 22/05/08
  30.   Yes, Melanie, and... 18:14  |  Daniel 22/05/08
  31.   Anti - Occupation = Death to Jews 18:21  |  Rightster 22/05/08
  32.   #2 And YOU people are good at incinerating Chechins? 18:24  |  GZLives 22/05/08
  33.   #4 Stop shouting that you`re being accused 18:28  |  GZLives 22/05/08
  34.   #15 Nakba T Shirt Great Idea - "Self Inflicted" 18:32  |  GZLives 22/05/08
  35.   Urban -Huge mistake 18:32  |  Josh 22/05/08
  36.   Faschionistas 18:46  |  Ronnie Wolman 22/05/08
  37.   Rachel Stevens 18:52  |  david 22/05/08
  38.   Guns - Not Reading - Palestinian Fundamentals 18:55  |  Rightster 22/05/08
  39.   To Rachel: Arent you the least bit offended by a child carrying 18:58  |  spade 22/05/08
  40.   "Palestinian fashion designer"??? Oh brother..what exactly 19:00  |  spade 22/05/08
  41.   Israeli army t-shirts available on ebay - I got 2! 19:02  |  Shahna 22/05/08
  42.   URBAN OUTFITTERS ARE SO 1990s! 19:06  |  MORRISON 22/05/08
  43.   #16 Kevin 19:07  |  Rachel Stevens 22/05/08
  44.   #17 Daniel 19:09  |  Rachel Stevens 22/05/08
  45.   No difference 19:11  |  Janice 22/05/08
  46.   13. To Ariel 19:22  |  Magnus K. 22/05/08
  47.   #19 Spade 19:32  |  Rachel Stevens 22/05/08
  48.   #12 - Despicable Actions 19:32  |  DoubleClick 22/05/08
  49.   Shirt is actually anti-palestinian! 19:39  |  Dreamer 22/05/08
  50.   OLD NEWS - This is all planned marketing 19:43  |  Repo Man 22/05/08
  51.   I actually agree with this t-shirt 20:07  |  Aphemia 22/05/08
  52.   Janice - I did not find a T-Shirt glorifying IDF 20:10  |  David Israel 22/05/08
  53.   #5 Magnus K 20:24  |  EZ 22/05/08
  54.   Just brought one $16.99 20:27  |  Chris Linthwaite 22/05/08
  55.   # 8 Goodshirt....they should be in school 20:34  |  Lynn 22/05/08
  56.   Balanced T-shirts 20:36  |  truejew 22/05/08
  57.   # 15 Rachel...so, the shirt says victimized 20:38  |  Lynn 22/05/08
  58.   Obviously he never went to history class 20:49  |  Bob 22/05/08
  59.   To Magnus 21:15  |  Dr. David Zuckerman 22/05/08
  60.   Rachel`s #17 Response 21:17  |  Matt 22/05/08
  61.   Children and guns 21:23  |  Lin 22/05/08
  62.   Response to Magnus "T-Shirt" 21:32  |  Matt 22/05/08
  63.   Despicable Actions#30 22:13  |  SHIMON 22/05/08
  64.   19 Children are encouraged to learn, and think, and live. 22:16  |  Concerned individual 22/05/08
  65.   #18 David 22:19  |  Rachel Stevens 22/05/08
  66.   Suggestion box for Urban Outfitters 22:23  |  Sam C 22/05/08
  67.   #42 Matt 22:26  |  Rachel Stevens 22/05/08
  68.   #43 Lin 22:29  |  Chris Linthaite 22/05/08
  69.   TO ALL IDIOTS ON THIS BLOG 22:57  |  newsreader 22/05/08
  70.   Magnus K anti Jewish shirt 23:01  |  Larry Levine 22/05/08
  71.   Matt read your Bible