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Last update - 09:58 22/07/2009
Soccer game or tear gas? Palestinians put controversial ad to test
By Oded Yaron, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Cellcom, Israel News 

The row over a controversial advert for an Israeli mobile phone operator, which shows Israel Defense Forces soldiers playing soccer with Palestinians on both sides of the security barrier, continues.

In the Cellcom advert, IDF soldiers on patrol along the fence stop their jeep when it is hit by a soccer ball from the Palestinian side of the fence. The ball soon bounces back to the Israeli side, at which point the soldiers decide to hold an impromptu game with the Palestinians, cheered on by female soldiers.

The advert has been extensively criticized for making light of the Palestinian suffering inflicted by the West Bank barrier.

A video recently posted on YouTube has tried to reenact the game in reality, and found that the result could not be further removed from the situation on the ground: when the Palestinians kick the ball to the other side of the fence, what they get in return is a salvo of tear gas grenades.



Outraged Internet users have also vented their dismay on Twitter, blogs and other social networks. A Facebook group called "The new Cellcom advert makes me sick too" said on their home page: "You can go on forever about messages and media framings oozing with racism, but if you're here you think it's unnecessary. The unknown copywriter at McCann Erickson [the advertising firm behind the ad] displayed an unbelievably distasteful attitude, which does not deserve additional discussion. One thing the members of this group have in common is the shame we feel when an established Israeli company stands by such a repugnant advert, which brings us to call: remove it now!"

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      1.   good response to a terrible ad 10:29  |  danny 22/07/09
      2.   Hilarious! 11:12  |  Apa 22/07/09
      3.   Exactly why the fence is needed 11:15  |  Zelkha 22/07/09
      4.   Typical 11:27  |  Richard 22/07/09
      5.   Hysteria 11:41  |  Ron 22/07/09
      6.   stupid advert, humorous reply 11:47  |  raphael 22/07/09
      7.   isolated incident 12:29  |  MB 22/07/09
      8.   Funny Palestinian reply to the Cellcom ad 13:03  |  Ben Alofs 22/07/09
      9.   I`m proud to be keeping my Cellcom number 13:07  |  Joe Sittizen 22/07/09
      10.   fence 13:10  |  utis 22/07/09
      11.   The Pals should `play ball` instead of terror. 13:26  |  petra 22/07/09
      12.   #3 You`re Right 13:40  |  Rachel Kohn 22/07/09
      13.   Richard of Tel Aviv, feeling the heat? 14:11  |  Chris Linthwaite 22/07/09
      14.   great media shot 15:08  |  Darren 22/07/09
      15.   +4 your right... 15:55  |  Sal 22/07/09
      16.   God Forbid Soccer Should Break Out! 16:01  |  Mark Lincoln 22/07/09
      17.   Possibly staged 16:20  |  Jackie 22/07/09
      18.   Soccer Ball 16:35  |  Jay 22/07/09
      19.   For Jackie from Florida 17:27  |  Ben Alofs 22/07/09
      20.   Gotta agree with Lincoln from Texas 17:59  |  utagawa 22/07/09
      21.   Clearly not racist 18:00  |  Mike 22/07/09
      22.   #14 Darren 18:04  |  Chris Linthwaite 22/07/09
      23.   If the truth hurts so be it! Keep the advert.......... 18:05  |  Proud Israeli 22/07/09
      24.   #19 Ben don`t be daft 18:11  |  Chris Linthwaite 22/07/09
      25.   Great add but poor taste 18:11  |  1bigtzionist 22/07/09
      26.   how does anyone know there isn`t a bomb in the ball? 18:48  |  Zionist all the way 22/07/09
      27.   Never saw the big deal of the ad, but this is HILARIOUS!!!! 19:16  |  Czarkazems13 22/07/09
      28.   yes jackie, it was staged 20:19  |  annie 22/07/09
      29.   How will you play... 20:31  |  Bee 22/07/09
      30.   THIS VIDEO IS REALLY BAD FOR ISRAEL IT WILL GAIN MAJOR POPULARITY 21:55  |  Former IDF Volunteer 22/07/09
      31.   #16 - It`s only funny 00:07  |  Aliza 23/07/09
      32.   Hilarious, but it could not be a better snappshot reality 03:45  |  American in NY 23/07/09
      33.   cell phone soccer ad; reactions 05:50  |  bumberloo 23/07/09
      34.   both ad and response are pretty good 06:03  |  bumberloo 23/07/09
      35.   Good Sittizen! 06:07  |  bumberloo 23/07/09
      36.   righty on! 06:58  |  bumberloo 23/07/09
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