And the winner is... apartheid?
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- Published on Friday, 19 February 2016 13:15
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Netanyahu is spending big on Oscars PR -- but you can help us get out ahead of him with an ad in Variety
. CHIP IN . . .Dear PAOV,
Oscar Night is still 10 days away, but it’s already dominating the headlines -- and not just because Leo might finally win one.
The Academy Awards are at the center of a vital conversation about race and racism that’s unfolding nationwide, after the Academy nominated only white actors and actresses in its top 4 categories -- for the second year in a row.
Amidst the furor, the Israeli government slipped a little something into the goodie bags that the nominees take home at the end of the night: an all-expenses paid 10-day trip to Israel, worth an eye-popping $55,000 per person.
With our partners at the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, we’ve launched a campaign to blow the cover off the Israeli government’s deep-pocketed propaganda blitz.
Campaigns cost money -- can you chip in to help us raise the alarm about Israel’s propaganda war?
The Academy is already responding. Yesterday they announced a lawsuit against the company that put together the goodie bags. But the Israeli government doesn’t care who’s giving out the party favors, so long as they achieve their aim: paparazzi photos of stars enjoying the sun in Tel Aviv, and newspaper stories about Israel that glide over its apartheid policies.
So let’s make sure the real story gets told. We’ve reserved a full page ad in Variety that’ll run next Tuesday -- you can see a preview above. Variety is the most important paper in the entertainment industry, and an ad there is sure to start conversations across Hollywood -- but they won’t run it for free.
We need at least 140 people to give $36 today to pay for the ad. Will you step up?
It’s a propaganda trip, plain and simple. The Israeli tourism ministry didn’t set up this trip to give Hollywood stars an honest and truthful look at Israel and Palestine today. But if we work hard, we can make their plan backfire. If just one star steps up and publicly declines to participate in this charade, it will be a big step forward for our movement.
Racial justice activists have kickstarted a national conversation about race in the entertainment industry -- and we can’t let the Israeli government get away with using the glitz and glamor of the Oscars to cover up Israel’s racist policies.
We’re launching this ad this Tuesday for a reason -- it’s the day after Oscar voting concludes, meaning it’s the earliest a nominee can take a stand without endangering their chances of winning.
Which means now is the time to press ahead.
Everyone’s going to be talking about our ad in Variety -- can you chip in $36 now to make it happen?
Thank you for stepping up,
Ari
Ari Wohlfeiler
Deputy Director
Jewish Voice for Peace is a national membership organization inspired by Jewish tradition to work for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all the people of Israel and Palestine. Become a JVP Member today.
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