Israel Matzav

British Advertising Standards Authority investigating 'Palestine' ad

Britain's Advertising Standards Authority has launched an investigation into an advertisement published in National Geographic's Traveler Magazine that implies that 'Palestine' runs from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the UK’s independent regulator of advertising across all media, told The Jerusalem Post on Friday that in the last few days it had received 60 complaints about the advert – published by the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, “the official website for tourism in Palestine” – which appeared in National Geographic’s Traveller magazine.

“I can confirm that the ASA has received 60 complaints about the Travel Palestine ad that appeared in the National Geographic magazine,” an ASA spokesman told the Post. “I can also confirm that the ASA has launched a formal investigation into the ad.”

According to the ad, “Palestine lies between the Mediterranean coast and Jordan River, at the crossroads between Africa and Middle East.”

“If you consult the map of this region you will see that this is like describing Portugal as lying between the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean,” said London lawyer David Lewis in a letter to the ASA. “At the very least it implies that ‘Palestine’ has a Mediterranean coastline; but while this is true as regards to Gaza, that territory is not within the de facto jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority.

“More seriously, it implies that Palestine occupies the whole or the bulk of the territory between the Mediterranean and the Jordan, ignoring the existence of Israel.”

Similar complaints have been filed against Israel in the past by the 'Palestinians' and their supporters. It will be interesting to see whether 'Palestine' is similarly forced to withdraw its advertisements.

Labels: Advertising Standards Authority, Palestinian denial of Jewish history, Traveler Magazine

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:29 AM