Massive Ad Campaign Challenges AIPAC During Annual Conference

Submitted by Sydney Levy on Sun, 03/03/2013 - 10:47am

"AIPAC Does Not Speak for Me" say 100 billboard ads in DC Metro, highlighting gap between AIPAC’s peacekilling policy positions and most Jewish Americans.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 1, 2013

This weekend, Jewish Voice for Peace and Avaaz are unveiling 100 billboard ads in major subway stations across downtown Washington, DC, showcasing the faces of Jewish Americans saying boldly: “AIPAC does not speak for me. Most Jewish Americans are propeace. AIPAC is not.”

The ad campaign begins Sunday, March 3, to coincide with the annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and is designed to challenge the lobbying group’s influence on US foreign policy in the Middle East.

AIPAC does not speak for me ad

Rebecca Vilkomerson, Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace, said: “AIPAC is the NRA of foreign policy lobbies, pushing a rightwing agenda that does not represent the majority of Jewish Americans: Its support for military buildup and endless settlement expansion makes peace impossible. It cannot claim to speak for all American Jews.”

Noah T. Winer, Jewish Voice for Peace Board member, said: “AIPAC represents the views of a few big political donors, not most American Jews. What's the price tag for the rest of us to get a vote on AIPAC's agenda?”

Hundreds of lawmakers and Vice President Joe Biden are expected to attend AIPAC’s annual gala this week. Considered one of the most powerful lobbying forces in Washington, a number of AIPAC’s hawkish positions put it at odds with the majority of American Jews.

According to a recent poll by pollster Jim Gerstein, 82% of Jewish Americans support a two-state solution to the IsraeliPalestinian conflict while last year AIPAC aggressively lobbied the US government to oppose UN recognition of Palestinian statehood. In another poll by Zogby, a majority of Jewish Americans listed Israeli settlements as illegal or a problem for future peace deals but AIPAC has refused to publicly condemn any settlements. That poll also found that 33% of Jewish Americans identify with propeace Jewish groups, while only 23% identify with AIPAC.

The 100 ads can be seen throughout the Washington, DC Metro system as of March 3, at Union Station, Gallery Place, Judiciary Square, Archives, L’Enfant Plaza, Federal Center, Farragut North, Eastern Market, and other stations. The ads will be on display for two weeks, including at the two Metro stops closest to the Washington Convention Center, venue of AIPAC’s conference: Gallery Place and Convention Center.video declaration of Jewish Voices for Peace’s “Young Jewish and Proud” youth wing.

Jewish Voice for Peace is a national grassroots peace organization, inspired by Jewish tradition to promoting a U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East based on equality, human rights and respect for international law. JVP has offices in NY and CA, over 125,000 supporters, 35 chapters, a Rabbi's Council, a youth wing, and an Advisory Board that includes Judith Butler, Tony Kushner, Ed Asner, Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky, Eve Ensler and others.

Avaaz.org is a 19millionperson global campaign network that works to ensure that the viewsnd values of the world's people shape global decisionmaking. "Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages. Avaaz members live in every nation of the world our movement is spread across 194 countries on 5 continents and operates in 16 languages.