A good friend of mine, Haitham Sabbah, has posted this call to action on his blog, and we are reposting it here in its entirety and in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters.
On the 40th anniversary of Israel’s illegal military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, join the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and United for Peace and Justice in Washington, DC, June 10-11, 2007 for a protest, teach-in, and lobby day.
The campaign starts underground - into the Washington subway system, to be exact. Beginning May 13, some 20 downtown Metro stations will be decorate with 46-by-60-inch ad posters and will appear for one month advertising a June 10 rally and march in Washington protesting “Israel’s illegal military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.”
The event is being organized by “End the Israeli Occupation“, and 250 member organizations around the USA.
Of course such a campaign can’t pass without the hidden hand poking its nose in it. The campaign’s effort to publicize the rally already ran into an roadblocks that escalated into a ‘freedom of speech’ issue that eventually involved the American Civil Liberties Union.
The saga began when CBS (the New York-based company that handles in-station advertising for the Washington Metropolitan Area) refused to place the organization’s ad, claiming that it was “too offensive to be displayed in a public place.” The ad is same as appears in the image above. I wonder who is offensive to who? The child challenging the tank on his way to school, or the tank that killed and still kills thousands of innocents in the occupied Palestine every year?!
CBS vice president rejected the ad, saying it appeared to violate company policy. “The ad,” she explained in an interview, “included a picture that I felt was inflammatory and was exploitative of children.”
Senese said the ad was not turned down because of its political stance. “I’m Jewish,” she added, “and I didn’t want to be seen as making a political statement.”
The ad is dominated by a photograph of a child who is facing a giant tank that looms menacingly in the near distance. The accompanying text reads in part: “Imagine if this were your child’s daily path to school. Palestinians don’t have to imagine.” In larger, bold letters, it also reads: “The World Says No to Israeli Occupation!”
Within days of CBS rejection, a campaign official obtained orders from higher authorities instructing CBS to place the ad as is.
Action: If you are in U.S. join the campaign to “End the Israeli Occupation.”
Note: You can download a full size poster from here!
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