The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle has succeeded in preventing inflammatory anti-Israel advertisements from appearing on local buses, after mobilizing a major effort to counter the ads on the grounds they could threaten the community's safety.

Officials in Seattle's Kings County announced last last week they would reverse an earlier decision to allow ads on 12 buses by the Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel, an effort that generated wide publicity in the Seattle area and beyond.

JFNA and the JCPA provided strategic communications and policy guidance to the Seattle Federation to counter the ad campaign. The Federation led a major public appeal to prevent the ads, on the grounds that they violated the local Metro Transit company's policy of not allowing ads that insult specific groups to the extent they threaten public safety.

In the wake of the controversy, Seattle officials said they decided to implement a new interim policy of not allowing any non-commercial ads because the ads had stirred a debate so intense it raised new security concerns. Officials said they were concerned the debate could escalate into a situation that could disrupt local transportation and pose a risk to public safety.

JFNA and the JCPA have set a high priority of helping mobilize the Jewish Federation movement to counter anti-Israel efforts through the Israel Action Network and other initiatives.