A display in the city of Ottawa called “Palestine” mounted by the Arab Information Center at the main branch of the city’s Public Library has been partially dismantled after accusations that it was a “propaganda ploy.” Library director Claude Aubry said that displays are intended to show the culture, arts and crafts of the sponsoring group, but when he received immediate negative feedback about this display’s slant and contents, he acted to keep “mudslinging and provocation from one group to another” out of “the last free institution in the world.”
Four days after the display of books, maps, art work and crafts was set up, the director and air specialist removed from the main showcase anything they thought carried political implications.
This included books and periodicals with titles such as “Israel and South Africa-the Progress of a Relationship” and the main backdrop, a map of the Mideast showing “Occupied Palestine” and “Territories Seized by Israel”. The overall sign Palestine” remained, as it is an historic name, as did books with titles such as “Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict” and “Between Olive Branch and Battlefield”
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