Scarlett Johansson (file)
Scarlett Johansson (file)Reuters

Actress Scarlett Johansson has rejected demands that she cancel her new advertising campaign for SodaStream, an Israeli company that operates out of Ma'ale Adumim, a Jerusalem suburb located over 1949 Armistice lines.

Johansson made clear in a statement released on Friday to The Huffington Post that she will not pull out of the endorsement deal.

The statement said the 29-year-old actress "never intended on being the face of any social or political movement, distinction, separation or stance" as part of her affiliation with SodaStream.

The company recently signed Johansson as its first "global brand ambassador" and she is to appear in a television ad during the Super Bowl on February 2.

SodaStream manufactures and distributes machines for home use to make carbonated drinks, eliminating the need to buy environmentally harmful plastic bottles. The company has become wildly successful, launching Israeli ingenuity into the public eye for its environmentally-friendly and frugal approach to the beloved beverage. 

The BDS movement has targeted the company for holding its headquarters in so-called “occupied territory”. In one successful attempt in November, BDS spurred radical left-wing activists to protest against the company in Vancouver, British Columbia. 

The Associated Press (AP) noted that Oxfam International took issue with Johansson, who has served as a global ambassador for Oxfam since 2005, because the humanitarian group opposes "all trade" from “Israeli settlements”, saying they are illegal and deny the rights of Palestinian Arabs.

"I remain a supporter of economic cooperation and social interaction between a democratic Israel and Palestine," said Johansson, according to AP.

"SodaStream is a company that is not only committed to the environment but to building a bridge to peace between Israel and Palestine, supporting neighbors working alongside each other, receiving equal pay, equal benefits and equal rights," she added.

Johansson added that she stands behind the SodaStream product and is proud of her work with Oxfam.