A pro-Israel advocacy group in the United States launched a national ad campaign this week in an effort to "educate Americans about the true nature of Hamas."
Christians United for Israel is placing full-page ads in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today, among other print and online outlets, in an effort to clear up some of the confusion it believes is being reported and perpetuated in media.
CUFI is hoping to show the general public "the true nature and goals of Hamas," with David Brog, the group's executive director, telling TheBlaze that there should be "no moral confusion" surrounding the organization's central goals and aspirations.
Palestinians walk by the rubble of destroyed houses in the heavily bombed town of Beit Hanoun, Gaza Strip, close to the Israeli border, Friday, Aug. 1, 2014. A three-day Gaza cease-fire that began Friday quickly unraveled, with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violating the truce. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
"On one side we have Israel, a democracy struggling to protect its citizens from terror just like our own government," he said. "On the other side we have Hamas, the Palestinian equivalent of Al Qaeda, trying its best to boost the civilian death toll on both sides."
Brog said that too many people, including Secretary of State John Kerry, confuse the differences between these two groups, so CUFI is taking action in an attempt to correct the record.
"We decided that the time had come to inject some moral clarity into the debate by reminding people which side shares our struggle, and which side has us in their [sights]," Brog added.
The advertisement affirms America's support for Israel, with a headline that reads, "Israel's Enemies Are Our Enemies. Israel's Fight is Our Fight. We Stand With Israel." It goes on to share quotes from Hamas' charter, which calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
At the bottom of the ad is a call for the public to visit CUFI's website and support Israel by sending a letter to Kerry affirming that Hamas is not America's ally and that Israel must be defended.
See the ad below:
The full-page ad about Hamas being printed in American newspapers this week (Christians United for Israel)
In a press release announcing the campaign, CUFI founder and preacher John Hagee added that American leaders need to remember that U.S. support for Israel "isn't tepid or lukewarm, it's unwavering."
Hamas was founded in 1987 with its roots being set in the Muslim Brotherhood. According to the National Counterterrorism Center, "The group’s charter calls for establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel and rejects all agreements made between the PLO and Israel."
