To: The Management
British Airways
London, UK
Ads in Ariel
A few days ago, an Israeli peace activist monitoring the situation on theWest Bank noticed two large billboards placed at the entrance to the WestBank settlement of Ariel, with a conspicuous British Airways logo.The ads bear mock London road signs with such place names as”Buckingham Palace”, “Hyde Park” etc. and underneath them an adoffering cheap flights to London.
I would like to point out the following:
1) Ariel is – according to international law – an illegal settlement, createdon occupied Palestinian territory in contravention if the Fourth GenevaConvention (of which both Israel and your country are signatories) andwhich forbid an occupying power to settle its citizens in occupiedterritory.
2) The creation of Ariel and other West Bank settlements and theircontinued maintenance and extension is about the most hotly debated andcontroversial political subject in Israel. The majority wants to give up thesettlements which take to high a price and endanger the country’s chanceof ever reaching peace with its Palestinian and Arab neighbors.
3) The settlement of Ariel, where the BA billboards have been placed, ismentioned as the reason for an especially deep penetration of the”Separation Wall” into Palestinian territory – a matter which was taken upboth by the US Government and by your country’s own Prime MinisterTony Blair. And it has even become more acute since it became part of theagenda of the World Court in the Hague.
Ads in Ariel
Given the above, the placing of very conspicuous British Airwaysbillboards at Ariel could be taken – even if that was not the originalintention – as an endorsement by your company of a phenomenon which,to say the least, does not deserve endorsement. The placing of billboardsat that particular location may alienate a large number of potentialcustomers worldwide. It might, therefore, be advisable for your companyto order the removal of said billboards.
Sincerely yours
Adam Keller
Spokesperson, Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)
Pob 2542, Holon 58125, Israel
Phone and Fax 972-3-5565804