Scott Powers
A group that contends Israel has essentially locked Palestinians into an open prison and that Americans are paying for it, has placed a billboard in east Orange County denouncing American financial support for Israel.
The group, If Americans Knew, has placed the billboard reading “$10 MILLION A DAY TO ISRAEL? Our money is needed in America!” on University Boulevard, just outside of Winter Park and across the street from the Full Sail University campus.
It’s one of 10 billboards the group has placed nationally in the past month, as part of its ongoing campaign to promote an end to U.S. support for Israel, according to Alison Weir, founder and executive director of the San Diego-based group. Others have gone up in Detroit and Kansas City, and in California and Pennsylvania.
Weir described her 14-year-old group as “pro-American, pro-human rights for everyone, pro-people.”
But the Anti-Defamation League calls the group an “anti-Israel propagandist” organization with a history of support for people with anti-Semitic histories. “They’re designed to … demonize the Jewish state. The billboards are basically an extension to what Alison Weir has dedicated her life to doing,” said Oren Segal, director of the ADL’s Center on Extremism.
The $10 million per day is a reference to the about $3.1 billion in military aid that the United States provided to Israel in 2015.
Weir said most Americans have no idea the United States is giving Israel that much money and would be shocked to find out, which is the point of the billboards. She also said polls suggest Americans want the U.S. to support Israel and Palestinians equally. She cited two 2014 NBC News/Wall Street Journal Polls that backed that up.
She contended Israel is not a U.S. ally, contending, “We don’t have any alliance with it; if we did, Israel would be obligated to do things in return for the United States, which has not happened.”
Segal called Weir a longtime, prominent voice in the anti-Israel movement, who views the U.S.-Israel relationship “as bad for everybody.”
“Of course, it’s distorting historical fact. It’s possible there is an effect,” from the billboards, he said, “which is why people spend their money on advertising. It’s an attempt to drive a wedge between the American people and Israel.”
Segal said the Orlando billboard’s location, across the street from Full Sail and just down the road from the University of Central Florida, appears strategic. “A lot of people, including most of the prominent anti-Israel activists, definitely view campuses as a place they are targeting.”
10 comments
juan stumofu
January 5, 2016 at 10:13 am
we should also end the aid to Egypt (over $1 BILLION annually) and of course if Ms. Weir is truly a Pro-American, she’ll also be sponsoring billboards to make sure we ignore ISIS and get out of Afghanistan and Iraq. Of course she won’t do that because we all know this group only cares about Israel.
But let me know when she runs a billboard about abandoning US aid to Egypt. LOL.
bob werner
January 15, 2016 at 2:18 pm
” Well, hell, then why not end our giving money to EVERY country we do now and then we can REALLY save a Carp- ( the fish ) a Carp – load of money ? How about that ?”
Masramli
January 23, 2016 at 9:04 pm
Yes, why not. Stop giving money to every country. They won’t die.
Vito
January 20, 2016 at 4:04 pm
I find the billboard offensive and frankly hateful! Ms. Weir hides behind that phony moniker of being Pro-American, while supporting a terrorist govt called Hamas!
Thomas WOLFE
January 22, 2016 at 11:29 am
Why are American people given that much money to Israel so we got people starving
KountC
March 13, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Funny how this is deemed Anti-Israel. So American’s are not allowed to have a say in where their tax dollars go ? With out being deemed racist? The ADL is the worst organization in the USA worst then the KKK , bloods crypts, or Aryan Nations. QED
juan stumofu
March 13, 2016 at 9:09 pm
um, it IS Anti-Israel, genius. it’s not anti-SEMITIC. I think you’re confusing the two. it’s clearly anti-Israel and that’s why the article said that.
reading is fundamental.
valerie williamsd
March 14, 2016 at 3:06 pm
I am not Jewish or Israeli but I find this very inflammatory and offensive, why is it that we the Christian or Jewish people are not allowed to express anti feeling for any one who does not agree with our religion for fear we might “offend ” example kids in UK forced to remove notice of Xmas play as Muslims might find it offensive !! Muslims in public places preaching to kill us infidels, yet when our friend asked local police nearby why we cannot preach the same regarding them , he was told he would be arrested for inciting a riot !! so much for freedom of speech !! it only goes one way , apparently.
valerie williams
March 14, 2016 at 3:38 pm
I am neither Jewish or Israeli but l find this billboard in my backyard both deeply offensive and inflammatory. It is people like this woman who incite wars.
Why is it allowed that anti Christians and what appears to be blatant anti Semites allowed to promote such propaganda.Why is it if we were to attempt to do likewise, we would be arrested for trying to incite a riot. ( this happened in the UK when a friend took exemption to a group of extreme Muslims preaching in a public place to kill all us Christian etc. “infidels” .and he inquired of some policemen who were standing by.)
Kids were made to remove notices from the local library regarding their Xmas nativity play as it might offend some Muslim people and this in what is supposed to be a Christian country ! l do not condemn all Arabic people, l have many friends Both Arabic and Muslim who are righteous, delightful and wonderful people, but lets be fair, there is freedom of speech for the majority of us. !!!
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