Josh Willcox (left) with his mother Jo Malone and father Gary Willcox at an event in 2017. Photograph: Dave Bennett/Getty Images
Perfume brand Jo Malone has distanced itself from its eponymous founder over her son's apparent ties to a pro-Palestinian Harvard group.
Ms Malone's son, Josh Willcox, 22, helps run one of the Ivy League university societies that signed a statement blaming Israel for the massacre of its citizens carried out by Hamas.
On Friday, the cosmetics company said it “does not condone any violence” and clarified that “ Jo Malone has not been associated with the London-based Jo Malone brand since 2006.”
“We continue to lead with kindness,” it added.
Hours after Saturday's attack, 31 Harvard societies issued a joint statement holding Israel “fully responsible” for the killing of hundreds of Israelis by Hamas.
One of the signatories was the Student Palestine Solidarity Committee, according to the university's directory of student groups. (PSC), which is run by Mr. Willcox and two other students.
Josh Willcox, Jo Malone's son, helps lead Student Palestine Solidarity Committee at Harvard
Ms Malone, who sold her eponymous company to Estée Lauder in 1999, has not commented on her son's alleged connection to the document but said in a statement to The Telegraph: “As a family we are heartbroken by the events of recent days and strongly condemn all forms of violence.”
“The heinous attack on innocent people on the Sabbath in Israel is beyond what any family should have to endure.”
Mr Willcox said in a statement to the Telegraph on Saturday that he was “not involved in the drafting or publication of the document letter.”
“Unlike the CHOP open letter, I believe that anyone who uses violence against civilians bears full responsibility for their actions,” he said.
“I therefore do not support the letter's attribution of blame for Saturday's attacks on Israel. Terrorism cannot be justified under any circumstances. I have not been on the Harvard campus this semester and have not been involved in the writing or publication of the letter.”
The Telegraph has reached out to Harvard University for comment.
The statement said: Issued by Harvard Palestine Solidarity groups on the day of the Hamas attack, it said “the apartheid regime is the only one to blame” for “all the violence that is unfolding.”
“Today’s events did not occur in a vacuum,” the statement said. “Israeli violence has structured every aspect of Palestinian existence for 75 years… In the coming days, a strong stance against colonial retribution will be required.”
It was signed by organizations including Amnesty International at Harvard, the Nepali Student Association and the Harvard Law School Justice for Palestine.
It comes after an Israeli billionaire on Friday resigned from Harvard's board of directors after Claudine Gay, the university president, was quick to condemn the letter.
“The response is shocking and insensitive
Idan Ofer, a shipping and chemicals magnate, and his wife Batia are resigning from the executive board of the Harvard Kennedy School “in protest” over the “shocking and insensitive” reaction of the university president, who “failed to condemn a letter from student organizations that accused Israel of mass murder”
Ms. Gay also came under criticism from Harvard alumni, including Larry Summers, the school's former president, who criticized a “belated” statement from her office in response to the student's letter.
p>“We write to you today heartbroken by the death and destruction caused by the Hamas attack on Israeli citizens this weekend, as well as the ongoing war in Israel and the Gaza Strip,” Harvard administrators wrote in a statement Monday.
Ms. Gay issued a follow-up statement on Tuesday, saying: “As the events of recent days continue to reverberate, let there be no doubt that I condemn the terrorist atrocities committed by Hamas.”
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“Such inhumanity is disgusting, whatever individual views on the origins of the long-standing conflicts in the region.”
She added: “Let me also state… that although our students have the right to speak for themselves, no student group – not even 30 student groups – speaks on behalf of Harvard University or its leadership.”
Harvard students have since been berated by business leaders who said that members of the societies The people who approved the document must be named to ensure that they “do not inadvertently recruit any of their members.”
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