ZARA Apologizes for Nazi -Style T-Shirt and Will Work with Wiesenthal Center to train Staff on Holocaust and Antisemitism

SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE - EUROPE
Tel. +33-147237637 - Fax: +33-147208401
E-mail: csweurope@gmail.com

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre brought to the attention of INDITEX - the Spanish mother corporation of the household nameZARA - a T-shirt redolent of Nazi camp apparel upon its appearance on the company's online catalogue.

Featured as "the Sheriff T-Shirt" due to its six-pointed star, the Centre's European President Richard Odier, and Directorfor International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, demanded the immediate removal and destruction of this "offensive object from ZARA stock and its withdrawalfrom catalogues wherever sold," also urging "an enquiry leading to dismissal of those staff and suppliersresponsible."

Within five hours, the Centre received the attached reply from INDITEX General Counsel, Antonio Abril Abadin, acceding to all its requests. The apologymentioned that " ZARA is a company with more than 50 stores in Israel and is very close to the Jewish tradition, mainlythanks to .....the Simon Wiesenthal Centre."

Download letter here: http://www.wiesenthal.com/atf/cf/%7B54d385e6-f1b9-4e9f-8e94-890c3e6dd277%7D/ZARA-V.2.PDF

Samuels added that "at the height of the Intifada in 2003, ZARA sponsoredthe sale of toys produced by an Israeli special needs community, with the help of the Wiesenthal Centre."

The INDITEX letter continued, "we have already started an internal enquiry to know every detail of the chain of command and[there will be] consequences to .....this incident," while, "we can explore initiatives with the [Centre's] Museum of Tolerance....to educate and train our peoplein this important matter."

"In view of these goodwill apologies and measures, we consider the rapidresolution and crisis management by INDITEX- ZARA as a model case -study for other companies - especially those that succumb toBDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions)," concluded Odier.

For further information contact Shimon Samuels on 0609770158, join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for newsupdates sent direct to your Twitter page or mobile device.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families inthe United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament(Parlatino).