Huda Kattan Accuses Instigation of Defamatory Campaign Following Criticism of Gaza's Violations
In a recent turn of events, beauty mogul Huda Kattan has found herself at the centre of a controversy following a TikTok video she posted, which was later removed for spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Last month, Kattan, along with singer Saint Levant, announced that $210,000 from their Huda Beauty product campaign would be donated to support Doctors Without Borders in Gaza. However, the controversy surrounding her TikTok video has cast a shadow over this charitable act.
The video, which has since been deleted, allegedly claimed that Israel was behind major historical attacks and wars, including World War I, World War II, the September 11 attacks, and the October 7 attacks on Israel. This led to the video's removal by TikTok.
In response, Kattan took to Instagram to clarify her stance. She stated that she personally took down the video and denied making any statements about Jewish people or Israelis. She condemned all forms of hate, including antisemitism, and framed her original post as part of her longstanding support for Palestine. Kattan expressed frustration over what she described as a smear campaign labeling her an antisemite to silence her.
The controversy has not gone unnoticed. The US-based Anti Defamation League and non-profit JLens have accused Kattan of sharing "anti-Semitic conspiracy theories." They have urged retailers to reconsider their relationship with Huda Beauty and demanded a public apology from Kattan.
Sephora, a major retailer that stocks Huda Beauty, is currently reviewing the issue internally.
It is important to note that Kattan grew up as a young brown Muslim woman in the south in the US in Tennessee and is of Iraqi-American descent. She has been vocal about the humanitarian crises in Gaza and posted the video due to feeling frustrated about the injustice happening to the people of Palestine and children in Gaza.
Kattan has stated that she never spoke against Jewish people or Israelis in the video. She maintains that she stands against hate and that her remarks were about political issues rather than Jews as a people.
This controversy serves as a reminder of the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the Middle East conflict and the need for careful consideration and respect when discussing such matters.
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