StandWithUs (SWU) is placing a billboard on University Boulevard east of Forsyth Road beginning the week of Jan. 25, 2016 for four weeks. The billboard reminds commuters of the benefits of the US-Israel relationship which "creates hundreds of thousands of jobs in America."  

The SWU billboard counters an anti-Israel one on University Boulevard between Forsyth and Semoran boulevards initiated and paid for by StopTheBlankCheck.org and IfAmericansKnew.org. It asks, "$10 Million a Day to Israel? Our Money is Needed in America." The StandWithUs billboard appears concurrently.  

"Anti-Israel groups continue to misinform the public in an attempt to erode American support for Israel. Their ads hope that well-meaning viewers will conclude that the cessation of US support of Israel will result in peace. They fail to inform viewers that the funds are earmarked primarily for defense with contracts to US manufacturers thereby creating jobs in America. They fail to mention that Israel must defend itself militarily against Palestinian leaderships such as Hamas sworn to Israel's destruction. As with all the anti-Israel campaigns we`ve encountered, context and facts are always left out," states Roz Rothstein, CEO of StandWithUs a 14-year-old international Israel education non-profit.

"The agreement between America and Israel stipulates that 75 percent of the military aid Israel receives from the US has to be spent in America, The U.S. spends $250 billion a year to keep American troops protecting allies around the world, from Germany to Japan and South Korea. In contrast, the $3 billion a year America sends to Israel boosts the US economy, protects our interests and does not include any American troops on the ground in Israel, which protects itself," explains Sara Rafel, director, StandWithUs/Southeast.

"The anti-Israel billboard also omits the fact that the U.S. has given the Palestinians billions of dollars in aid since 1993, which is obviously not spent in the U.S.  The U.S. has been the primary financial supporter of the Palestinian refugees since 1949, donating billions to the UN agency, UNRWA (United Nations Reliefs and Works Agency), an agency set up to address their specific needs, while the needs of other refugees worldwide have no such specific agency.  Indeed, the Palestinians have received more foreign aid per capita than any other group of people in the world.  It is unfortunate that this money is spent on promoting hate and violence against Israelis by the Palestinian leadership, rather than on the betterment of its own people," she continues.

StandWithUs has countered anti-Israel messages on public transit and highways wherever they have appeared throughout the United States and Canada since 2007.  

The billboard StandWithUs will be up beginning the week of Jan. 25, 2016.

"Groups that publicize misinformation about Israel should be aware that StandWithUs will continue to challenge their lies and to inform the public," affirms Roz Rothstein, CEO StandWithUs.