WASHINGTON D.C. — Arab and Muslim communities in Washington D.C. are being urged to speak out against anti-Islam ads that were recently posted on buses in the city.  

The ads that read, “Islamic Jew-Hatred: It is in the Qur’an. Two-Thirds of all U.S. aid goes to Islamic countries. Stop racism. End all aid to Islamic countries.” 

The bus ad also features a large photo of Adolf Hitler sitting next to Haj Amin al-Husseini, a Palestinian Arab nationalist and Muslim leader. The ad calls al-Husseini, Hitler’s “staunch ally.” 

The Al-Hewar Center in Washington D.C., a group established in 1994 to promote dialogue among various members of the Arab community, as well as bringing greater mutual understanding between the Arab community and American society at large, says the ad is part of an ongoing campaign by Israel and groups affiliated with it in the West to equate Islam with terrorism.  

The group says the acts of terrorism committed in the name of Islam are serving the goals of Israel to completely discredit the faith, and fuel a war between Islam and the West. 

The Center noted that the ad campaign emerged after Secretary of State John Kerry said in a private meeting that the world will see Israel as an apartheid state if it does not agree to a final settlement of the Palestinian issue.

It also says the ads ran prior to Pope Francis’ visit to the occupied territories, when the entire world focused on Israel’s occupation of Palestine and the terrible conditions they have inflicted on Palestinians for decades.

“The Pope’s visit and John Kerry’s attempts to re-start the peace process are focusing people’s attention on Israel’s continued violent occupation, and Israel is trying to deflect that attention with these bus ads,” the Center said in a statement. 

Many are pushing to have the ad campaign stop in Washington D.C., before it spreads to other cities. 

“Even though the U.S. Constitution provides for freedom of speech, it is still our obligation to correct slander campaigns and falsities like these bus ads,” the Center added.  “After all, the Constitution also protects all religions, including Islam.  Just imagine if there were a campaign of any kind against Jews, what kind of outcry would there be? Muslims deserve the same respect and protection.” 

The group says the bus ads call for an end of aid to Muslim countries, while the real problem is the unlimited American aid and support for Israel, no matter how much violence Israel perpetrates against the Palestinian people, spies on America, or perpetrates other crimes that hurt American interests in the Middle East and the whole Muslim world. 

It is encouraging Muslim and Arab organizations to launch lawsuits to stop the ads immediately and calls the ads “false and racist.”