It’s difficult not to feel some sympathy for Lamar Advertising, the Louisiana-based company that found its New Mexico office caught between a very small cadre of anti-Israel activists who rented ten billboards to spread a message of hate to Albuquerqueans, and the legions of individuals who subsequently phoned or e-mailed to request that this message be removed.
While the initial efforts of these citizens succeeded in having the egregious image of a Palestinian child in the crosshairs of an Israeli tank taken down, it appears that the activists may persist in getting their message seen once again.

Therefore, it’s worth keeping a few facts in mind.

Firstly, Americans have a deep-seated, historic disdain for false advertising, and the message of these billboards — that Israel, and by extension, the United States, is participating in the targeted killing of children — is as untrue as it is simply grotesque. As we know, Israel’s recent military action in Gaza was in response to years of countless missiles being launched by Hamas terrorists into densely populated areas in Israel. The loss of Palestinian life — especially children — is a tragically direct consequence of Hamas’s actions, which are deliberately centered in schools and hospitals where civilian casualties can be maximized.

These deaths are to be mourned as examples of the ultimate cost of terror, not to be cynically politicized.

As for U.S. aid to Israel, indeed, nearly 90 percent of US aid to Israel is military, but this investment of one-tenth of 1% of the US budget allows Israel, the United States’ primary ally in the Middle East, to continue to serve as a key strategic partner in the War Against Terror, with Israel continuously offering intelligence and threat-assessments on an array of groups and countries that are enemies of America in particular, democracy in general, and the values that Israel and the United States share.

Meanwhile, this is far from a one-sided arrangement: thanks in part to the American investment, economic cooperation between the US and Israel has increased dramatically over the years; Israel is New Mexico’s eleventh largest trading partner, with exports such as electronic products, machinery for manufacturing and mining-related tools jumping significantly. This partnership is underscored by the recently created Sister City program between the Israeli city of Rehovot and Albuquerque, which promises an ongoing exchange of high-tech, medicine and culture that will enrich both cities.

From a purely public relations perspective, a garish billboard will not sway American opinions: according to a March, 2009 Gallup poll, nearly 6 in 10 Americans say their sympathies lie more with the Israelis than Palestinians, identical to polls conducted in February 2008, and consistent with findings each year since 2006. Also, 63% of Americans hold a favorable view of Israel, with 21% holding a “very” favorable view of that country. This isn’t to suggest that Israel does everything right, or that Israeli governmental policies are universally supported by Americans or everyone within the American Jewish community.

But what remains strong among most Americans is the sense of the basic righteousness of the Israeli cause despite the onslaught of some very hostile neighbors. Contrary to the conspiracy theorists who accuse the nefarious “Zionist lobby,” as being behind the appeals to Lamar Advertising, is evident that the calls came from individuals who constitute the majority of the population who understand what Israel is up against.

Another commonly heard canard from anti-Israel activists is that dialogue on the Israel-Palestinian conflict is somehow being stifled by the
aforementioned “lobby”, but the facts indicate just the opposite: locally, venues are regularly offered for meaningful discussion, ranging from forums at synagogues and community centers and the pages of the New Mexico Jewish Link, yielding a range of opinions that run the gamut from the most stridently hawkish to left-of-left Dove. But any discussion needs ground rules, and one that we personally hold is that it is futile to discuss the conflict with those who argue against Israel’s right to exist. Such views do not represent valid perspectives, but rather extremist ideas divorced from reality and humane ideals alike.

Adding insult to injury is that these opinions are often heard from individuals who are motivated by the self-proclaimed causes of “peace and justice” when their affiliations are with groups that tacitly champion terror, propagate anti-Semitism and support the targeting of Israeli civilians for the crime of their nationality. People who truly care about peace between Israelis and Palestinian recognize that propaganda like these billboards that demonize rather than inform is ultimately counterproductive, and do nothing to advance the cause of possible conciliation.

One of the key anti-Israel activists may have declared in an e-mail to allies that, “I believe we are now witnessing the beginning of the end of Israel,” but last month, more than 300 Albuquerqueans representing many different faiths and backgrounds came out to celebrate Israel’s 61st Birthday at the Jewish Community Center in Albuquerque. Ultimately, it’s this celebration of the continuing, deepening bonds between New Mexico and Israel that is worth discussing, not the efforts of a few misguided people with a short-term advertising contract.