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People are criticizing Selena Gomez's makeup brand Rare Beauty for its recent statement about the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
Hamas led a surprise militant attack on Israel on October 7, with Israel then launching heavy airstrikes on Gaza. As of November 7, at least 1,400 people have been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported, while 10,022 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the AP, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.
Gomez previously sparked uproar online after she chose to remain neutral over the conflict, with the singer and actor's social-media posts on the topic not having sat well with some fans. Claims that Rare Beauty's CEO Scott Friedman is a Zionist have also led to calls for a boycott of the cosmetics line.
Now the brand has found itself in hot water again as people aren't happy with the statement that was posted to the Rare Beauty Instagram account on Monday.
Newsweek reached out to Gomez and Rare Beauty for comment via email Tuesday.
"We are devastated by the images & reports coming from the Middle East. Thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes & millions of civilians have been displaced & left without access to food, water, medicine, or basic necessities for survival. A large number of these victims are children. Palestinian civilians must be protected, period," the post reads.
The statement said those at Rare Beauty "remain heartbroken by the horrible terror attack against innocent civilians in Israel" and that they "strongly denounce any and all forms of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia."
Other excerpts of the statement include: "Rare Beauty will be making donations to the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies—Magen David Adom, and Palestinian Red Crescent Society—who are providing urgent care on the ground. We will also be donating to UNICEF to help get urgent medical relief & resources to the children of Gaza.
"The DNA of our company is rooted in inclusivity. Our company is diverse & employs individuals from various backgrounds including race, creed, sexuality, gender identity, and religion—many of whom have been directly impacted by the recent violence.
"We also recognize that our community is made up of many people from different backgrounds who are also affected by the recent violence, so we ask that everyone please treat each other with kindness and compassion during these times."
At the time of writing, the post has 216,541 likes and 49,278 comments—but not all of them are positive.
"If this post proves ANYTHING it's that brands are TERRIFIED of boycots. Please keep boycotting, talking and posting," the top comment reads, which has 8,746 likes.
"I don't trust and believe this, sorry," the second most liked comment, with 8,372 likes, reads.
"It's a ploy to save the brand y'all. The charity is donating to Israel. Don't be fooled," a third person commented.
A fourth person added: "Immediately no. Magen David Adom is an Israeli organization with nearly 100M in assets. It's also tied to the IDF, which means Rare Beauty is now directly funding the ongoing genocide in Gaza. This is indefensible."
However, others stood up for Gomez and her brand, with some people saying they were pleased with the statement being made.
"Idc [I don't care] what y'all are still complaining about. Thank you Selena, there's a lot of emotions going on here but take it from me you did the right thing and we applaud you for it," a fan wrote.
"Thank you for standing with humanity. Let's please all call for a ceasefire," said another.
A third person added: "Thank you for taking a stand for the truth of the facts, even though it will impact your business."
About the writer
Billie is a Newsweek Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London who has appeared online, in print and on ... Read more