CKNW AM980, Shane Woodford, August 28
A series of ads posted in the transit system by the Palestine Awareness Coalition has caused a stir.
Coalition spokesperson Marty Roth says the ads show the, “continual expropriation of Palestinian land.”
“We are aiming this at the general Canadian public and we want them to be aware of the situation and hopefully to go online and read about it.”
Roth says several Jewish groups are upset and asked Translink to remove the advertising, ”CIJA, the Cente for Israili and Jewish Affairs, and the friends of Simon Wiesenthal centre are aoutraged and they had already approached Translink to try and get them to suppress the ads. We are very proud of Translink that they refused.”
Roth says his group and others stand behind the ads “The ads are educational and they don’t target any specific ethnic group and these are demonstrable facts. The maps are true and the statement below is absolutely true.”
Roth adds ”But yes I am surprised at the immediate knee jerk reaction on the part of mainstream Jewish organizations. Their comeback, their rejoinder, to the production of the ads consist of the same stock distortions and misstatements that they have engaged in for many years.”
For its part, Translink says the ads do not violate any company policy or the Canadian Charter of rights and freedoms.
The transit utility says the ads will stay up.
www.cknw.com/2013/08/28/ad-series-designed-to-be-educational-raises-eyebrows/