WH Smith apologises and removes ‘The International Jew’ from sale
Retailer insists it has 'strict guidelines' on what it offers to customers and is taking steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again'
Jack Mendel is the former Online Editor at the Jewish News.
WH Smiths has apologised and removed a notoriously antisemitic book by Henry Ford from its website.
The chain took down ‘The International Jew’ from its website after being alerted to it by Campaign Against Antisemitism.
In a statement to Jewish News, the retailer said: “Please do accept our sincere apologies that we have given you cause to write to us with these concerns.
“WHSmith has strict guidelines on the books it sells, and it is against our policy to stock books which incite hatred.
“This book has appeared on our website as a result of an automated feed from our wholesaler, however please be assured that it has immediately been removed from sale and we are taking steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We apologise sincerely for any offence caused.”
‘The International Jew: Jewish Influences in American Life’ was available for purchase on WH Smith’s website, even after the retailer promised to remove it.
CAA said it had written to the chain, highlighting there was “no disclaimer on your website explaining the antisemitic contents”
The title, the antisemitism charity said, “claimed that a vast Jewish conspiracy was infecting America and fuelled antisemitism there and around the world.”
WH Smith has also recently removed The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and Mein Kampf, while books and DVDs by conspiracy theorist David Icke, remained available for purchase.
Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “We are not asking WH Smith for much, we’d just like them to stop selling some of the most notorious anti-Jewish propaganda used by the Nazis mixed in amongst holiday reads and self-help books.
“We’ve caught the retailer selling Mein Kampf as an airport bestseller before, and now they’re selling Henry Ford’s infamous tract inciting Jew-hatred. They promised to remove it but now it’s sneaked back onto their website.
“So often we see gigantic corporations investing heavily in PR to promote their social responsibility agenda, but they talk the talk but fail abjectly to walk the walk.”
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