The Israeli model told Israel’s Channel 12 that Yara appeared prepared for the reaction and was not discouraged by the backlash.
By Shula Rosen
Susan Yara, founder of the U.S. skincare brand Naturium, has come under online criticism after social media users identified vacation photos she posted on Instagram as appearing to have been taken on a beach in Tel Aviv alongside an Israeli model, prompting calls from some activists to boycott her company.
Yara did not identify the location of the images, which were posted last month.
However, followers pointed to buildings in the background that they said resembled the area near Tel Aviv’s Hilton Hotel. One of the photographs featured Israeli model Stav Netanel-Nagar.
The images sparked criticism from pro-Palestinian influencers and social media users, who objected to the alleged visit in light of calls to boycott Israel over its military campaign in Gaza.
Several commenters said they would stop purchasing Naturium products or seek alternatives, while others defended Yara and voiced support for both her and the brand.
Netanel-Nagar told Israel’s Channel 12 that Yara appeared prepared for the reaction and was not discouraged by the backlash.
“She is a friend of mine from America. I know her through mutual friends,” Netanel-Nagar said. “All of these comments did not stop Susan from launching new products over the weekend.”
The Israeli model said she also became the target of online harassment after appearing in the photographs.
“They circulated a TikTok video of me in (the Israel Defense Forces) uniform,” she said. “The story blew up because they shared a photo of me with a certificate of excellence that I received during reserve duty (in the IDF) and wrote that I had received it for killing children in Gaza.”
The controversy spread across social media platforms as users debated Yara’s alleged visit to Israel, with criticism directed at both the skincare entrepreneur and Netanel-Nagar. Despite the boycott calls, Netanel-Nagar said Yara continued with planned product launches over the weekend.