Group launches video contest

Israel Apartheid Week competition urges individuals and organizations to create video clips that “reflect the nature, realities, and/or consequences of the apartheid policy in Israel and the occupied areas.”

By RUTH EGLASH
apartheid week poster 311 carlos latuff (photo credit: Carlos Latuff)
apartheid week poster 311 carlos latuff
(photo credit: Carlos Latuff)
In keeping with its goal of making “2010 a year of struggle against [Israeli] apartheid and for justice, equality and peace,” the forum running numerous events worldwide for Israeli Apartheid Week has launched the “Israeli Apartheid Video Contest.”
The competition, which closes in June, urges individuals and organizations to create video clips that “reflect the nature, realities, and/or consequences of the apartheid policy in Israel and the occupied areas.”
There are some 28 sponsors and endorsers involved in promoting the contest.
According to the information posted on the Israel Apartheid Week (IAW) Web site, all of the videos submitted must include the following campaign advertisement: “For more information on apartheid and to join the campaign, go to www.itisapartheid.org or www.stopthewall.org‚” at both the beginning and the end of the video.
Those behind IAW openly admit that the purpose of their on-lineendeavors is to “use the tools of the internet and our own ingenuity tospread the word about apartheid in the Israeli Occupied Territories.This is sometimes referred to as a ‘viral marketing’ or ‘guerrillamarketing’ campaign [run] by web-savvy people.”
However, digital media expert Dr. Tal Samuel Azran, a professor atHerzliya Interdisciplinary Center, said Monday that while using onlinemedia to spread such messages certainly has wide appeal, it still doesnot compete with the traditional media such as newspapers andtelevision.
“From what I understand, ‘Apartheid Week’ still does not get a lot ofpublicity and most of the mainstream news sources are not coveringtheir activities,” he said.
He also pointed out that responding in kind to such campaigns “only gives more attention to the force you are fighting.”