J Street seems to be taking a lesson from Beyoncé, and it's not singing lessons.
The American advocacy group pushing for a two-state peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians has released a cartoon urging Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to more decisively define Israel’s boarders as a first step toward a negotiated peace.
The cartoon plays on the pop singer’s famous “Single Ladies” video, also known as “Put a Ring on It.”
In J Street’s version, Netanyahu is shown standing in a hands-on-hips dance pose, between two women clad in leotards showing a map of Israel with boarders around the West Bank and Gaza.
“If you like it then you should put a border on it,” is printed across the bottom.
J Street created the campaign to urge people to sign an accompanying petition.
“Instead of announcing new settlements, Israel should announce its commitment to peace: offer a serious proposal for a secure border between Israel and Palestine …” the petition reads.
Since J Street’s @borderonit twitter feed first tweeted the cartoon Tuesday, there's been a bevy of both praise and criticism — some criticizing the choice of song and others the message.
In a blog post on the Times of Israel website by StandWithUS Israel Director Michael Dickson called it a “campaign that distorts facts and trivializes serious issues and the danger that Israelis like me face.”
Explaining the tactic, J Street’s Ben Silverstein told The Huffington Post that he’s “hoping that injecting a little humor will help to invigorate and broaden” the debate.
“The sticker is definitely different from what we normally do,” he added, “but coming after the collapse of the negotiations and the violence this summer, we wanted to get out the message that there are specific steps that can be taken toward peace.”
Support the New York Jewish Week
Our nonprofit newsroom depends on readers like you. Make a donation now to support independent Jewish journalism in New York.
The New York Jewish Week brings you the stories behind the headlines, keeping you connected to Jewish life in New York. Help sustain the reporting you trust by donating today.
