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Last update - 02:52 14/05/2008
Tom Cruise, Ben Stiller wish Israel happy anniversary
By Ariel Zilber, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Independence Day, Tom Cruise 

Tom Cruise, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Kirk and Michael Douglas make up a list of some of the Hollywood glitterati that beginning Tuesday can be seen on giant screens in New York's Times Square sending Independence Day greetings on the 60th anniversary of Israel's establishment.

The clip, which will run every hour on the hour on four large display panels, features each celebrity appearing on their own for a few seconds.


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"We're aware of the influence that [the celebrities] filmed in the clip have on so many people around the world," said Asi Shariv, Israel's Consul General in New York. "Their connection with Israel is an important part of our efforts to tell the Israeli story to a young, Western audience that does not take an interest in the [Mideast] conflict."

The initiative, which was sponsored by the Israeli Consulate in New York, was also made possible due to the efforts of Nancy Katz, the sister of acclaimed director Steven Spielberg. Katz was able to recruit big-name celebrities for the project.

"Thanks to this clip, millions of people who pass by Times Square every day won't be able to ignore the fact that Israel is celebrating its 60th anniversary," said David Saranga, the Media and Public Affairs Consul. "In addition, we are talking about a strong media story that will undoubtedly be covered by the press from all over the United States. An event like this doesn't happen every day."

According to the agreement signed with each of the celebrity participants, the clip is to be broadcast exclusively on the jumbo screens in Times Square.

Related articles:
  • Independence Day campaign: Israeli faces on Fifth Avenue
  • Israel's 60th: Made aliyah, ready to party
  • Israel Harel / Pretty united after all
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      1.   Many thanks for the moral support. It`s so nice to hear... 20:55  |  bat yam 13/05/08
      2.   No one there that one would cross the street to shake hands with 21:28  |  Chanalau, Tova 13/05/08
      3.   Who wishes a nation born in sin. God is angry 21:45  |  John 13/05/08
      4.   &0 yrs of killing, deporting, confiscation, illigal settling. 21:47  |  John 13/05/08
      5.   I May Make a Special Trip Just to See This 22:06  |  MIKE 13/05/08
      6.   Ridiculous 22:08  |  Anon 13/05/08
      7.   Shame on you 22:09  |  Anonymous 13/05/08
      8.   Israel - pathetically grateful 22:10  |  Clickfool 13/05/08
      9.   in other words , i hate Israel... 22:41  |  clickfool 13/05/08
      10.   Let`s Celebrate the establishment of the Islamic republic of Iran 23:03  |  MIKE 13/05/08
      11.   # 8 Clickfool 23:06  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/05/08
      12.   click at 8 23:08  |  george 13/05/08
      13.   Foolio: Pathetic 23:10  |  Tex 13/05/08
      14.   Overwhelming influence of Israel on US 23:12  |  Harold 13/05/08
      15.   Click fool/Sussex 23:13  |  Tom 13/05/08
      16.   Sussex 23:14  |  Harry 13/05/08
      17.   Shame on Anonymous 23:17  |  Tom 13/05/08
      18.   Clickfool - dependable as always to be... 23:19  |  EJ 13/05/08
      19.   Ridiculous 23:29  |  Tom 13/05/08
      20.   CLICKFOOL and all the other FOOLS 23:31  |  vcs 13/05/08
      21.   #10; anniversary 23:41  |  John 13/05/08
      22.   For George # 12 23:47  |  Clickfool 13/05/08
      23.   Celebrating Sussex! 23:48  |  EJ 13/05/08
      24.   For Harry, who clearly knows nothing about Sussex # 16 23:51  |  Clickfool 13/05/08
      25.   For Tex # 13 23:53  |  Clickfool 13/05/08
      26.   For vcs # 20 23:56  |  Clickfool 13/05/08
      27.   Israel Haters foaming out the mouth 00:03  |  Nephtaly 14/05/08
      28.   60 Years of Tragedy 00:08  |  AA 14/05/08
      29.   John You Moron 00:21  |  Peter 14/05/08
      30.   Clickfool 00:30  |  Sarah 14/05/08
      31.   Those celebs could at least have produced some celluloid tears 00:31  |  lakshmi 14/05/08
      32.   You guys gave Clicky more press than the 60th 00:49  |  The Equalizer 14/05/08
      33.   happy 60 years of israel 00:55  |  ramadan ben hallouf 14/05/08
      34.   #21 - John 01:03  |  MIKE 14/05/08
      35.   my only date is my computer... 01:07  |  clickfool 14/05/08
      36.   Clickfool #8 01:12  |  BRL 14/05/08
      37.   to clickfool 01:22  |  moshe 14/05/08
      38.   slamming your crap down our throats 01:29  |  jc 14/05/08
      39.   Nothing like being HUMBLE 01:33  |  jc 14/05/08
      40.   John #21 01:45  |  Jabotinsky 14/05/08
      41.   To all you talk bash Israel bashers... 02:16  |  Ariel 14/05/08
      42.   #13 TEX- Clickfool`s not Ignorant- He demonizes Israel because 02:47  |  Anthony Fallon 14/05/08
      43.   Jews have no shame[:-( 02:50  |  george 14/05/08
      44.   Picturing Clickfool 03:21  |  Sabra 14/05/08
      45.   Weird 03:38  |  james 14/05/08
      46.   Hollyweird Idiots --dumb and dumber 03:52  |  Kibbe 14/05/08
      47.   A Scientologist Patting the Jews on the back - two peas in a pod 05:15  |  *BEN JABO 14/05/08
      48.   JC # 38 and 39 05:16  |  Sabra 14/05/08
      49.   Poor Clickfool 05:25  |  Brad 14/05/08
      50.   Would commemorating the Nakba hurt a celeb? 08:41  |  LanceThruster 14/05/08
      51.   what, no mel gibson? 09:28  |  don 14/05/08
      52.   Thanks for the chuckle, Sabra # 44 09:39  |  Clickfool 14/05/08
      53.   For Brad # 49 09:46  |  Clickfool 14/05/08
      54.   Clickfool on Who Is a Jew... 13:29  |  Ofer Maimon 14/05/08
      55.   # 7 WE CALL IT FREEDOM YOU CALL IT FAILURE. 14:34  |  petra 14/05/08
      56.   # 50 AND 51 MEL GIBSON CAN BE YOUR PARTY BOY FOR THE PALS. 15:18  |  petra 14/05/08
      57.   war 16:51  |  jon 14/05/08
      58.   Foolio: Contrived and Witless 16:54  |  Tex 14/05/08
      59.   That brought a tear .. 20:45  |  SA 14/05/08
      60.   Criminals celebrating after a big theft 20:49  |  Libnani 14/05/08
      61.   Clickfool - Shame your brothers are all mouth and no action! 20:49  |  SA 14/05/08
      62.   Whores for Israel 20:58  |  John Parsons 14/05/08
      63.   Oh well 22:20  |  Colin Wright 14/05/08
      64.   re `Clickfool - Shame your brothers are all mouth and no action!` 22:22  |  Colin Wright 14/05/08
      65.   Wow 22:35  |  Michael 14/05/08
      66.   Jews and Israel 23:06  |  Harris 14/05/08
      67.   Fredy Perlam and lessons of the Holocaust 00:59  |  LanceThruster 15/05/08
      68.   happy bloody 60 years 05:15  |  sandra 16/05/08
      69.   Unhappy people 14:16  |  hawkbeak 23/05/08
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