Billboard Campaign in Times Square Targets “Free Palestine” Slogan

The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), a leading group advocating for Orthodox Jewish interests, recently launched a notable billboard campaign in Times Square. They have labeled the slogan “Free Palestine” as a call for genocide against Jews and suggested that this movement threatens American society.

The digital advertisements, which premiered earlier this week, prominently feature a message reading, “Looking for free Palestinian-Hamas support – Jewish genocide. America, wake up. Don’t finish with Jews!” This brief video ad is displayed repeatedly on one of Times Square’s iconic billboards, scheduled to run multiple times an hour for a month.

CJV represents over 2,500 Orthodox rabbis active in American public policy, and they cited that the purpose of this campaign is to elevate awareness about the potential dangers posed by this movement.

This initiative coincides with a troubling increase in anti-Semitic violence across the United States, which has surged since the October 7 massacre in Israel carried out by Hamas. The CJV highlights that, in recent months, Jews have accounted for more than 200% of reported hate crime victims in New York City.

In the last two months, the CJV has pointed out three alarming incidents connected to the “Free Palestine” slogan: a fire at the Pennsylvania governor’s residence, the murders of two individuals outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., and attacks involving improvised flamethrowers on Israeli protesters in Boulder, Colorado. Witnesses reported that assailants yelled “Free Palestine” during these events.

During a vigil at Capitol Hill for two Israeli embassy workers who were killed, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson reiterated his concerns, asserting that the call for a “free Palestine” has escalated into a violent alliance with Hamas. He criticized universities for using First Amendment defenses to protect what he describes as genocidal rhetoric.

Rabbi Yaakov Menken, CJV’s Executive Vice President, was blunt in a recent media statement regarding the billboard campaign. He expressed dismay that some Jewish organizations refrain from addressing the implications of the “free Palestine” chant, labeling it as a call from domestic terrorists.

“Israel is the only free country in the Middle East,” Menken stated. He added that the slogan underscores an ideological battle against the existence of Jews, aligning it with historical anti-Semitism.

Menken further elaborated that those promoting such sentiments don’t aim to build a nation but rather to dismantle existing structures. He asserted that this behavior is a classic form of anti-Semitism, posing a significant threat to civilization’s continuity.

In conclusion, Rabbi Menken condemned the movement he characterized as “bloodthirsty,” urging Americans from all political backgrounds to confront this threat. He expressed concern for the risks posed to American society, especially when students chant slogans like “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Menken called on all Americans to voice their understanding of what the “Free Palestine” movement truly represents and to counter its influence effectively.