More Hollywood heavyweights join pro-Israel ad campaign
The text of the ad expresses sadness over the “devastating loss of life endured by Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza," then squarely blames Hamas.
By DAVID BRINNHollywood sign(photo credit: REUTERS)
A print advertisement of a letter in support of Israel signed by dozens of Hollywood and music business luminaries has gathered steam, with a repeat of the ad published in The New York Times on Saturday signed by more than 300 entertainment professionals.Among the signatories joining the original 190 celebrities, who included Mayim Bialik, Minnie Driver, Kelsey Grammer, Seth Rogen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sarah Silverman and Sylvester Stallone, are film producers Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein and Lawrence Bender; music industry icons Carole Bayer Sager and Lou Adler; prominent actors Rob Morrow and Jon Lovitz, and many more.The text of the ad expresses sadness over the “devastating loss of life endured by Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza. We are pained by the suffering on both sides of the conflict and hope for a solution that brings peace to the region.”Then it squarely puts the blame on Hamas for creating the situation that led to the deaths.“Hamas cannot be allowed to rain rockets on Israeli cities, nor can it be allowed to hold its own people hostage. Hospitals are for healing, not for hiding weapons. Schools are for learning, not for launching missiles. Children are our hope, not our human shields.”The ad was the initiative of the Creative Community for Peace, an organization that says its mission is to “bring together prominent members of the entertainment industry to counter the cultural boycott of Israel and promote the power of the arts to bring people together in peace.”Academy and Emmy-award winning screenwriter and producer Aaron Sorkin commented on his own endorsement, saying, “The CCFP statement fully supports the right of the Palestinians in Gaza to live in peace and prosperity. We unambiguously condemn the values and actions of Hamas, a barbaric and brutal terrorist organization that is the enemy of basic human rights, equality, freedom and peace.”“It is gratifying to see that recent events in Israel and Gaza have caused an outpouring of support for Israel in its fight against Hamas, whose founding charter calls for the death of all Jews and the obliteration of an entire nation.This support comes from all facets of the entertainment industry, including top musicians, actors and executives.The unifying statement also comes at a time of growing concerns regarding the rise of global anti-Semitism, usually cloaked in anti-Israel sentiment,” said CCFP co-founder David Renzer.
