Walmart Israeli Soldier Costume Sparks Outrage On Social Media, Sales Halted


Walmart’s Israeli soldier costume is sparking outrage on social media, with some referring to it as the “Festival of Satan” costume.

The controversial costume, which has since been pulled from Walmart’s online website (the site says “We can’t find the product you are looking for, but we similar items for you to consider”), was being sold for $27.44. The Israeli soldier costume came complete with a uniform, a red hat, and a belt. To complete the outfit shown in the advertisement, parents can buy their kids a black machine gun, which is sold separately.

When news got around about the costume, many people took to social media to voice their outrage, referencing the growing violence and tension among the Israeli troops and Palestinians.

Check out some of these reactions from Twitter users.

Online websites such as Costumesupercenter.com and WholesaleHalloweencostumes.com share the description of the costume, which has further outraged customers.

“Defend your Jewish heritage proudly by wearing the Israeli Soldier Boy’s Costume! The Israeli Defense Forces have a mission to protect the land and the people of Israel from outside threats with low casualties, and to avoid waging war if at all possible. One of the IDF’s core values is human life, and they see every person as a being of value, despite his or her nationality, origin, or religion.

This military outfit comes in a dark olive green and has four pieces to it. The long, button-down jacket covers the full-length slacks, outfitted with two buttoned breast pockets, a crisp collar, and epaulets. It also comes with a brilliant crimson beret trimmed with black fabric, which is a symbol of the Tzanhanim Airborne Brigade, as well as special forces. Steel your little soldier with a prop weapon from our vast accessories artillery!”

Walmart’s Israeli soldier costume was not the only one to spark criticism. The store also pulled the “Sheik Fagin Nose,” a large, crooked prosthetic intended to represent an Arab sheik, from their shelves after receiving extensive backlash for being racist. The costume drew major criticism from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, according to the New York Daily News.

While Walmart removed both of the costumes late Tuesday night, there are still other websites that are offering them. Amazon, for example, still has the nose on sale under the phrase “Sultan Nose Latex Appliance.” Amazon also has the Israeli soldier costume online.

While Amazon is still selling the soldier and nose costumes, they did have to pull their own controversial costume last week. Amazon pulled their “Lady Boy Drag” costume from their U.K. site after the costume was criticized for being insensitive to transgender people, USA Today reports. The costume came complete with a short sequin dress with spaghetti straps. The back features an elastic band to make the dress more form fitting, and the front features “fabric male genitalia in a light skin tone color hidden behind a fabric flap which fastens in place with velcro.” According to the description, the flap can be lifted to “reveal yourself” or let down to “protect your modesty.”

After Amazon received hundreds of complaints from customers threatening to boycott their site, they had no other choice but to remove the costume from their website.

What do you think about the controversial costumes? Would you buy them for yourself or your children? Leave your comments below.

[Photo via Twitter]

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