Foreign Minister Livni
Photo: AP
US Jewish organizations vs. Ms. Magazine
Feminist publication refuses ad by American Jewish Congress praising Israel for having three women in key roles. AJC claims magazine is anti-Israeli; magazine states no equality in Israel
WASHINGTON - The renowned feminist publication Ms. Magazine was slammed by the American Jewish Congress (AJC) Tuesday, for refusing to run an ad submitted by the latter featuring three prominent Israeli women leaders.
The ad featured photos of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livini, Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik, and Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish beneath a caption reading “this is Israel”. It was rejected by Ms. Magazine in a move that AJC President Richard S. Gordon deemed “disgusting and despicable”.
“What other conclusion can we reach,” asked Richard Gordon, President of AJCongress, “except that the publishers − and if the publishers are right, a significant number of Ms. Magazine readers − are so hostile to Israel that they do not even want to see an ad that says something positive about Israel?” said Gordon.
Ms. Magazine Executive Editor Katherine Spillar defended the magazine’s decision not to publish the ad, calling the allegation leveled by the AJCongress “untrue and unfair”. She noted that the magazine had published several major stories regarding Israeli women, including a recent profile of Foreign Minister Livini, as well as other stories covering the Israeli feminist movement and women leaders in Israel.
Executive editor: Ad incosistent with policy
Spillar furthermore explained that Ms. Magazine accepts only mission-driven advertisements from primarily non-profit, non-partisan organizations that promote women’s equality and social justice, and that the ad submitted by the AJC “was inconsistent with this policy”.The executive editor also explained that the “the ad implied that women in Israel hold equal positions of power with men, but Israel, like every other country, has far to go to reach equality for women.”
Protesting allegations that Ms. Magazine is anti-Israel in any fashion, Spillar maintained that in the last 16 issues of the magazine there were 11 articles showcasing the Israeli feminist movement as well as prominent Israeli women.
AJC president Gordon, in turn, stated that these remarks by Spillar were merely meant to cover up latent anti-Israeli sentiments in the magazine, and that a cover story on Foreign Minister Livini does not make up for blatant rejection of a paid advertisement.
AJCongress officials noted that the ad was legitimate and showcased Israel’s empowerment of women.
