Paper avoids inquiry at Israel ‘genocide’ ad
THE advertising regulator has declined to investigate a pro-Palestinian charity that published a local newspaper advertisement accusing Israel of “genocide” and “apartheid”.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association (CADFA) was entitled to “freedom of expression under the law”.
The charity placed the quarter-page ad – which declared “Ceasefire now! End the genocide!” – in the Camden
New Journal two weeks ago, despite the north London borough having the capital’s third-highest Jewish population.
Advertising the charity’s Palestinian-themed cafe, it added: “Come and hear Palestinian speakers, learn more about Palestine, discuss local work for human rights and an end to apartheid in Israel/Palestine.”
The regulator’s decision not to take action caused anger among MPs and campaigners, who accused it of ignoring “blood libel” and putting “Jews at even more risk” of hate crime.
Andrew Percy MP, vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-Semitism, said: “The promotion of the smear of ‘genocide’ against Israel plays into one of the oldest anti-Semitic tropes.
“It is a blood libel and these have been used for centuries to justify attacks on Jews. It is especially offensive to promote this libel, this smear, in an area with a high Jewish population.
“I am frankly staggered that the regulator has chosen to ignore these concerns.”
Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel, said the advert was “misleading as well as offensive” and therefore breached chapters three and four of the ASA’s non-broadcast advertising code.
“The complainant should request a review by the Independent Reviewer of ASA Rulings on the ground that the ASA has not considered the misleading character of this advertisement,” he said.