Sears To Pull ‘Free Palestine’ Clothing From Site Amid Complaints
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
NEW YORK (JTA) — Sears says it will remove a line of clothing featuring the slogan “Free Palestine” from its website.
The clothing was offered for sale by a another company, Spreadshirt Collection, and included tank tops, t-shirts and hoodies featuring a variety of pro-Palestinian messages. The clothing was listed on Sears Marketplace, which offers a platform for third-party sellers to offer their wares through websites managed by Sears.
The designs included a clenched fist in the colors of the Palestinian flag and statements opposing the Israeli occupation.
According to a statement from a Sears spokesman, the apparel was pulled from the site based on feedback the company received.
“These items were being sold by a third-party seller via the Sears Marketplace,” said the statement, which was sent to JTA Tuesday afternoon. “Given the feedback we’ve received, they are being removed.”
The statement added that Sears felt it had been “unfairly singled out on this issue,” as the same clothing was available for purchase from other companies, such as Amazon and Walmart.
The statement said Sears serves “a broad base of customers around the country and around the world,” and that it has 200 employees in Israel.
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