Deceptive Media: Why You Can't Trust Everything You See

Summary of Article: In Washington, anti-Israel activists have initiated an ad campaign on buses to smear and defame Israel. The ads speak blatant untruths, but to someone with no knowledge of the facts, they may be taken as truth. Click on link of article for pictures of the ads. In the past, anti-Israel activists tried the same tactics, but their ads were taken down as against Metro's policy. StandWithUs tries to counter such campaigns by posting counter-ads that speak to peace.

Discussion with Kids:

• What are advertisements? Where do you see them? (Buses, TV, billboards, etc.) What are they trying to accomplish? (sell a product, convey a message).
• Some anti-Israel people want to say lies about Israel using advertisements. Look at these pictures of advertisements they are putting on buses. How are they untrue? (Palestinians are allowed on Israeli buses. Buses are not segregated; Palestinians go to separate schools because all schools in Israel teach about a particular religion or culture--secular Jewish schools for secular Jews, religious Jewish schools for religious Jews, Palestinian schools for Palestinians; Palestinians and Jews both live in certain cities together (like Jerusalem) though usually they choose to live in different towns.)
• What analogy are the anti-Israel activists trying to make? (Israel is like pre-civil rights America or apartheid South Africa). How is this untrue? (Israel is the most pluralistic and tolerant country in the Middle East). How is what they are doing lies? How is it harmful to Israel? 
• What can we do to counteract it? See what StandWithUs does. (Counter-billboards that promote peace and friendship, and education).