SodaStream’s chief executive has hit back at Oxfam’s criticism that the Israeli company profits from illegal trade that harms Palestinians, saying the charity is being hypocritical in calling for it to close its factory in the occupied West Bank.

Last week Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson ended an eight-year role as an Oxfam goodwill ambassador after campaigners for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel criticised her sponsorship deal with the fizzy-drink machine manufacturer.

Now the company’s chief executive Daniel Birnbaum has claimed SodaStream is being ‘demonised’ by activists who overlook the fact the factory is the largest private company employing Palestinian workers in the West Bank, all of whom he says receive the same pay as their Israeli colleagues.

He went on to say: 'We purchase special health insurance for our 500 Palestinian employees so that we can be sure they have coverage for things like emergency surgery and organ transplants'.

In his defence of SodaStream, Birnbaum also claimed Oxfam gave money to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which he says is being used 'to demonise and attack Israel.'