AR-WINNING DOCUMENTARY PROMPTS STANDWITHUS LA TIMES AD
CELEBRATING ISRAEL AS MODEL FOR REGION,
NEW AD COUNTERS "MECA" AD DISPARAGING ISRAEL
Inspired by the Oscar-winning short documentary "Strangers No More," StandWithUs will run a Los Angeles Times ad on March 10 congratulating Israel as a beacon of hope and refuge in a troubled region. The ad calls on the international community to pressure other Middle Eastern countries to follow Israel's example of compassion for desperate refugees seeking asylum.
The film documents how an Israeli school heals, educates, and gives hope to refugee and immigrant students from 48 different countries. "The film highlights the diversity, generosity, and humaneness of Israel and Israelis. It's important to celebrate the real Israel and its remarkable achievements, especially when a propaganda war is being waged against it. We plan to sponsor screenings of this film everywhere, especially on college campuses," said Roz Rothstein, CEO of StandWithUs.
The ad also counters an anti-Israel ad that appeared in the Los Angeles Times on March 5 that disparaged Israel's treatment of refugees and illegal immegrants.
"These anti-Israel propagandists are pretty predictable. When positive aspects of Israel are publicized, they search for a dark underside or twist facts to find some way to make Israel's admirable actions look evil. Even when Israel's field hospital in earthquake-torn Haiti was up and running, saving hundreds of Haitian lives, there were fanatics who claimed Israel had only gone there to steal Haitian body parts," explained Rothstein.
Israel, only the size of New Jersey, now has hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants seeking economic opportunity, many with expired work visas who want to make Israel their permanent home. Israel also hosts tens of thousands of refugees from war-torn Sudan, Eritrea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast, and the Congo.
"Name another country in the region that has done so much for desperate asylum seekers, from rescuing the Vietnamese boat people and the endangered Ethiopian Jews to opening its doors and helping African refugees. You can't," challenged Rothstein.
"Name an Arab country that offered to take in Darfur refugees. You can't. Egypt shot at Sudanese families fleeing across the desert, and Middle Eastern countries in the UN Human Rights Council denied or even justified Sudan's genocidal policies. Only Israel took the refugees in. Only Israel frequently sent out soldiers to rescue—not shoot—them in the Sinai. Only Israelis formed volunteer organizations to help them, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars, giving them temporary homes in kibbutzim, and providing schooling for the children who were guests in Israel," stated Rothstein.
Like other democracies facing a similar challenge, Israel strives to develop policies to stem the overflow of impoverished, illegal immigrants who strain the small country's resources and social services. The anti-Israel ad seized on these policy alternatives, stripped away the larger context, and applied double standards, neglecting the fact that other democracies have also been forced to deport illegal immigrants.
Israel deserves thanks, not condemnation, according to Eritrean refugee Melake Tedros Adfhala. "Israel saved my life when Egyptian border guards shot at me. When I had nothing, Israel took me in and gave me a home. Thank you, Israel, for being the only open door in the Middle East," said Adfhala.
Anti-Israel activists try to poison the public against Israel's very existence through propaganda like their Los Angeles Times ad and posters in metro stations. "StandWithUs will counter their ad war with counter-ads that expose their lies about Israel, as we've done with their billboards in Seattle, the Bay Area, and Washington D.C.," said Rothstein.
"The anti-Israel war of words and images foments views that are destructive for the whole region. The international community should be holding Israel up as model for other nations in the region so they, too, will begin to enact humane policies toward refugees in crisis instead of turning a blind eye to the suffering of their neighbors," Rothstein concluded.
StandWithUs ran this ad in the LA Times on March 10th to congratulate Israel for being a beacon of hope and refuge in a region rife with despotism and intolerance. The Oscar-awarded documentary, "Strangers No More," shows Israel's diversity and compassionate treatment of the children of immigrants and refugees. Israel, only the size of New Jersey, is the only country in the Middle East that has opened its doors to refugees in crisis from other countries in the region. Like other democracies facing a similar challenge, Israel strives to develop policies to stem the overflow of impoverished, illegal immigrants who strain the country's resources and social services.
Help Us Educate People About Israel
Israel and its people continue to be at the forefront of humanitarian efforts; progressive policies for women, gays, and other minorities; scientific innovations and technological advances; and assisting thousands of refugees and victims of natural disasters around the world regardless of their religion, race, or nationality.
Here are some important facts to know about Israel's extraordinary achievements.
Refugees:
Since its rebirth in the late 1940s, Israel has absorbed and assisted waves of refugees arriving from countries all over the world. Refugees from Yemen, Vietnam, Sudan, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Libya and Sudan are now proud Israelis.
Israel is only the size of New Jersey, yet it now has tens of thousands of refugees from war-torn Sudan, Eritrea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast, and the Congo and hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.
Humanitarian Aid:
The Israel Defense Forces have responded to earthquakes all over the world, including Mexico, Armenia, Turkey, El Salvador, India and Peru, and Indonesia.
Israel sent aid supplies to Sri Lanka in response to the 2003 flood, and Israel was among the first three countries to provide aid to the victims of Southeast Asia’s 2004 Tsunami.
In 2010, Israel was the first country in the world to immediately respond to the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti. Israel sent a team of 250 doctors, nurses and rescue workers and set up the first makeshift hospital and surgical center for the victims, saving hundreds of lives.
Medical/Technological Advancements:
Israel has fueled countless technological advancements that help the world, including the discovery of a natural bacterium controlling mosquitoes, helping to prevent river blindness and malaria in 11 African countries.
Israeli doctors also travel the world to treat preventable blindness and ocular disease, setting up “eye camps” to people who would not otherwise have access to the technology and treatments.
The Israeli organization, Save a Child’s Heart, treats children from all over the world who suffer from heart disease, providing free heart surgeries.
Israel is forging the path in alternative energy, with its company Solel placing solar panels in California’s Mojave Desert, reducing U.S. dependence on oil by 2 million barrels of oil per day. Moreover, The U.S. and Israel are official partners in working toward creating joint projects relating to alternative energy.
Woman’s Rights/Arab Women’s Rights:
Arab women are more educated and have more economic, social and political freedoms in Israel than any other country in the Middle East.
Women are full participants in Israel’s government system.
Women represent the same percentage of the labor force as the United States at 45 percent.
Gay Rights:
Israel is at the forefront of gay rights issues, prohibiting workplace discrimination in 1992, allowing openly homosexual soldiers to serve in 1993, and granting spousal benefits to same-sex couples in 1994.
LGBT organizations and community centers are active throughout Israel, continuing to advocate for LGBT rights.
Diversity In The Country (Tolerance):
Arab Israelis are full citizens, even holding 12 seats in the Israeli government.
Twenty percent of Israel’s population is not Jewish, and are free to practice their religion and customs as they choose.
Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the number of Christians is growing, and Israel is home to the Ba’hai religion’s world headquarters.
Given these facts about Israel and what it has done for the international community, here are a few questions and statements for propagandists who are trying to create ill will toward Israel:
- Can you name another country in the region that has done so much for desperate asylum seekers? You can’t.
- Can you name one Arab country that offered to take in Sudanese refugees? You can’t.
- Can you name the one country in the Middle East where women and minorities enjoy not only full citizenship, but also have active roles in government? Israel
- Which Middle Eastern country gives more aid to countries and people in need around the world, despite its small size? Israel.
- Which is the only country in the Middle East that openly supports gay rights? Israel
- Which country in the Middle East has women and gays serving in the government and military? Israel.
When Does anti-Zionism Become anti-Semitism?
It is perfectly legitimate to criticize Israel's policies. Israelis do it all the time in blistering debates. But criticism crosses the line into classic anti-Semitism when it exhibits what Natan Sharansky calls the
"Three Ds."
Delegitimization: The Jewish State has no right to exist. Israelis do not belong in the Middle East.
Double Standards: Israel is condemned harshly for self-defense measures and social problems that are seen as acceptable or inevitable in other nations.
Demonization: Through distortions and lies, Israel is depicted as the world's most evil and dangerous country, and the claim is made that if the Jewish State ceased to exist, the Middle East's and the world's main problems would be solved.
The Link: Anti-Semitism is hatred for Jews, their communities and their way of life. It includes demonizing and dehumanizing Jews as a group. Anti-Zionism is hatred for Israel, the modern center of Jewish life and continuity. This is why many people claim that Anti-Zionism, or hatred for Israel, is a modern variation of classical anti-Semitism. "Anti-Semitic bigotry is no less morally deplorable when camouflaged as anti-Israelism or anti-Zionism," according to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. 1 People of goodwill must try to see through anti-Israel propaganda in order to foster reasonable dialogue.
1. "Findings and Recommendations of the United States Commission on Civil Rights Regarding Campus Anti-Semitism," U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, April 3, 2006.
Some basic things you should know about Israel.
10 Things You Can Do To Help Israel
- Learn more about Israel so you can teach more. StandWithUs has materials to help you educate friends and community.
- Use yourself as an educator in your local paper. Learn how to write a letter to the editor.
- Expose extremism when you see it. Don't let lies go unchallenged.
- Visit Israel and encourage others to do the same.
- Support your favorite charities in Israel.
- Buy Israeli Goods.
- Keep in touch with elected officials to make sure that they support Israel.
- Become an internet activist by using your Facebook, Twitter and other social network means.
- Read and watch the news to make sure you are up to date with whats going on and how Israel is being portrayed.
- Support Israel through StandWithUs.
