Kmart, the multinational retail corporation, has withdrawn a Christmas-themed drawstring bag from its Australian stores following a social media uproar.
The bag, priced at $4 and designed to store ham in the refrigerator, was adorned with traditional holiday motifs such as mistletoe and a Christmas tree. However, the bag's large text, "Merry Ham-Mas!" sparked controversy as it was perceived to inadvertently express support for the Hamas terrorist organization.
The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) was among the first to criticize the product, as reported by the New York Post. "K-MART STUFF-UP! Check out the special Christmas bag currently available via Kmart online. Yes, it's real!!" the AJA posted on social media. The group further expressed their concern, stating, "Although this is potentially funny (the AJA committee has tossed around some non-PC jokes) it's really not a good look. We suspect some product manager may cause the company some embarrassment. So, we've politely written to Westfarmers corporate suggesting the product be pulled."
The bag also drew criticism from other social media users, with some suggesting that the AJA should redirect their focus. "Faux outrage over a bag to store ham in at Christmas timereally clutching at straws here," one user commented. Another user defended the product, stating, "I intend to politely write to the AJA and tell them that they don't have the right to decide what is acceptable for everyone. If you don't like it then don't buy it."
In response to the controversy, a Kmart spokesperson issued an apology to Politico. "We got it wrong on this occasion and we apologize unreservedly," the representative stated. "When designing this product we clearly didn't think through all the implications and the product has been removed from sale."
AJA President David Adler commended Kmart's swift action in an interview with The West Australian. "It's not normal times. There are people that will distort things and will harass the Jewish community," Adler said. "Of course, there are bigger issues to be addressed; dealing with the actual terrorism is important, but one of the other things we are dealing with is propaganda." He also praised Kmart management for their prompt response in removing the product.
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