To the surprise of nobody except the retailer themselves, apparently, Walmart have caused outrage by selling a Halloween costume for kids of an ‘Israeli Soldier’.
The controversial costume, which comes with a toy Uzi machine gun, is being sold on the U.S. store’s website for just $27.44 (£17.89).
Given the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and the violence between Israel and Palestine, the costume has been seen as being in particularly bad taste and many people have taken to Walmart’s website to post complaints.
One review, titled ‘Costume of the Chosen Apartheid Army’, reads:
Your little one can now go to his friend’s house, and take over their bedroom, and all of their toys and claim that God has given him/her the right to take it. If the friend refuses, your little IDF soldier can respond with force, and if they fight back, claim anti-Semitism, the right to defend their new room full of God given toys and level the whole family and neighbourhood block!
Another complainant stated simply: “Might as well sell a Hitler costume for children as well! Pitiful!”
Others took to Twitter to voice their displeasure about the costume, which comes at a time when tensions between Israel and Palestine continue to escalate. According to the BBC, more than 40 Palestines and 9 Israelis have died in the last month alone, as a result of violence between the territories.
Some on social media also pointed out that Walmart is also selling a prosthetic ‘Sheik Fagin Nose’, which appears to be a stereotypically (read: racist) large nose on an Arab man.
All in all then, not a great showing from Walmart here…
Walmart have yet to respond publicly to the complaints.
