Ad in Foreign Policy Magazine Praises Palestinian Terrorists

August 6th, 2010 12:00 AM

Hamas leaders are “courageous” and Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade terrorists are “invincible” according to an incendiary full-page advertisement printed in the Washington Post-owned Foreign Policy magazine this month (subscription required).


The group “Goals for Americans” took out the ad, which was prominently placed across from the masthead in the magazine's electronic edition. The ad features an image of Israel with its current southern border chopped off, and dwarfed by a giant “Independent Republic of Palestine.” Israel was labeled “The Republic of Israel.”


“Freedom from Israel for Palestine,” read the ad's headline. “The 'True' Religion of the Middle East.” President Obama's photo was displayed above the word “Leadership,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu above the word “Resistance,” Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh above the word “Courage” and former Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade leader Marwan Barghouti is shown above the word “Invincibility.”


“The Palestinian front is affecting the entire Muslim world. All terrorist and militant activity in the world today has been initiated because of the Palestinian problem. Because of the sense of hopelessness, alienation, and powerlessness,” the ad says at the bottom.


The website listed on the ad, GoalsForAmericans.org, is filled with anti-Israel images and rhetoric. A cartoon featured on the website shows an Israeli soldier shooting Palestinians, with a Nazi symbol displayed over his shoulder. The website calls the image “Israel subjecting its 'PRISONERS' in Gaza to 'NAZI' subjugation and destruction!”


GoalsForAmericans.org also depicts elaborate cartoon maps of wild conspiracy claiming that “Neo-Cons” and the “Israel lobby” served as “puppet masters” over former President George W. Bush.


“They care nothing for humanity,” one picture reads. “Only for the Jews in Israel.”


Foreign Policy magazine said that the ad met all of the publication's conditions, which are consistent with the Washington Post's ad policy.


Amer Yaqub, publisher of Foreign Policy magazine, said he asks himself, “Is the ad in good taste? Is it saying anything on its face so infactual that we shouldn't be publishing it?”


According to Yaqub, the ad met both of these requirements.


But he also added that, “We do not have a policy of accepting ads from groups that we think are promoting hate. But that's a very subjective definition sometimes … Obviously if you believe that it's a hate group, that's certainly something we take into account.”


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