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November 7, 2004
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Highlighting Benjamin Birnbaum - Cornell Student's Series of Articles on Life in Israel
Jerusalem of Shrapnel
Between the Jewish State And the Arab World: Israel's Arab Minority
Communism and Pacifism on the Israeli Kibbutz
Muslims, Jews, Christians and Druze
Tel Aviv: "The City that Never Sleeps"
Beyond the Green Line: The Israeli Settlement Town of Efrat
Visit the ICC Website
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U.S. Officials: Arafat on Life Support
Arafat was being kept alive by machines in a French military hospital while French, Israeli, and Egyptian officials negotiate with his family and aides over where he should be buried, two U.S. administration officials said last week. U.S. officials say that since Muslim custom requires burial within 24 hours of death, no one will declare Arafat dead until they figure out where to bury him. (CNN)
Arafat's No. 2 Set to Assume Palestinian Leadership by Steven Erlanger
Mahmoud Abbas wears a business suit, not a military uniform and kaffiyeh. He is a former elementary school teacher - studious, gracious, pragmatic and opposed to terrorism. Abbas has criticized this latest intifada openly as "a complete destruction of everything we built." In March 2003, he accepted the new post of prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, but Arafat undermined Mr. Abbas from the start. Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen, is moving into the driver's seat. (New York Times)
Possible New Look at U.S. Mideast Policy by Steven R. Weisman
Administration officials say pressure on the president to get involved in Palestinian-Israeli negotiations from allies in Europe and the Arab world is certain, now that the American election is over. The administration regards both Palestinian Prime Minister Qurei and Mahmoud Abbas, a former prime minister, as suitable partners in any peace talks. "The bar for the Palestinians is actually higher than it has been for Arafat," said one American official. "It's the achievement of a consolidated, moderate, authoritative leadership. We may not see that in the near term." (New York Times)
Human Rights Watch: Palestinian Child Suicide Attacks "Must Stop"
Human Rights Watch has called on Palestinian militants to stop using children in suicide bombings, after a 16-year-old bomber blew himself up in a Tel Aviv marketplace last week, killing three Israelis. The New York-based group claimed at least 10 bombers aged under 18 have attacked Israel in the past four years. (BBC News)
B'nai Brith Canada Sees Prejudice on Campuses by Jeff Heinrich
Accusing several universities of failing to protect their Jewish students from discrimination by classmates and even teachers, B'nai Brith Canada plans to file complaints against the universities to human rights commissions in Quebec, Ontario and other provinces. First on B'nai Brith's attack list: Concordia University. After that, it's looking at pursuing York University and Ryerson University in Toronto, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., and the University of Western Ontario in London. Other Jewish leaders say quiet diplomacy - not legal confrontation - with Concordia and the other universities will win the day, a source in the Montreal Jewish leadership said. (Montreal Gazette)
 The Man Who Refused to Say Yes - Editorial
It is not often in history that someone's legacy can come down to one single defining moment, to one single critical choice. But such is the story of Mr. Arafat's life, and it is almost unbearably disappointing that four years ago, faced with the admittedly difficult choice of saying yes to Israel, Mr. Arafat said no. Mr. Arafat was also the only Palestinian who could have prepared his people to accept the glass as half full at Camp David, but there, he failed. (New York Times)
Beyond Arafat by Jim Hoagland
You owe me. Pay up. Or else. That was the underlying message in Yasser Arafat's many speeches to the UN, interviews with Western and Arab journalists and official meetings with international civil servants at the height of his career as a money-grubbing revolutionary. It is bad enough that a shakedown artist came to be the recognized leader of a people abused by history and subjugated over the centuries. That in the grief and fury of dispossession the Palestinians internalized the Arafatist "pay up" view of world politics is even more tragic and self-defeating. (Washington Post)
A Terrorist at Twilight by David Frum
Arafat has been waging war on Israel for four decades, and yet Israel is still there, richer and stronger than ever. He has personified Palestinian Arab nationalism - and he has led the Palestinian Arabs from one disaster to another. Thirty years of Palestinian terrorism have dulled the world's moral outrage. At Nuremberg, the victorious Allies hanged German generals for atrocities against civilian populations. But atrocities against civilians are the only kind of war Arafat knows. (AEI/FrontPageMagazine)
Knowing How to Intervene by Aluf Benn
Middle East diplomacy is about to change. The U.S. wants to show more involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian arena after the elections, with the friendly encouragement of the Europeans and the Arabs. Jerusalem is bracing for an intensification of activity, especially if Arafat is no longer the ruler of the PA. But the lessons of the previous decade of American mediation show that hyperactivity is not a miracle drug. (Ha'aretz)
UC-Irvine: Jewish-Muslim Tensions High by Josh Richman
Merav Ceren, a 20-year-old Israeli-born junior raised in Southern California, serves as president of Anteaters for Israel. She finds it "really disconcerting to be a Jewish student on campus...it feels like everyone is being protected except Jewish and pro-Israel students." Ceren said that her parents - veterans of the 1967 Six-Day War - told her that Jews must be ever vigilant against attack. "But," she added, "I honestly thought antisemitism was dead" - until coming to UC-Irvine. (Forward)
Columbia: MEALAC Movie Premiers for 400 by Megan Greenwell
Hundreds of students packed Lerner Cinema last week for the first public opportunity to see "Columbia Unbecoming," a 25-minute documentary alleging intimidation and harassment in some Columbia classrooms. LionPAC hosted the debut to start a dialogue. "This is an issue of being able to voice a pro-Israel perspective...but it is a symptom of a much larger problem," said LionPAC president Elana Jaffe, BC '06, in her introduction to the film. "The implications of the film go far beyond LionPAC." "There is a problem. This is not just a few isolated incidents," said Daniella Kahane, BC '05. (Spectator)
Columbia: Griping Over Columbia Complaint System by Liel Leibovitz
In the wake of the screening last week of a controversial new film accusing the Columbia University Middle East studies department of an anti-Israel bias, the film's producer, Dr. Charles Jacobs (pictured), is charging that the school has an inadequate system for filing complaints against professors. The 22-minute film, titled "Columbia Unbecoming," features seven current and former Columbia students speaking about incidents of what they called harassment by professors, especially in the Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures department. (New York Jewish Week)
Concordia Re-Invites Barak to Speak
Reversing its position, Concordia University in Montreal said last week it plans to invite former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak to speak on campus. "Our intent is to invite (Barak) by the end of the academic year", said Dennis Murphy, the university's communications director, adding that first the university had to make a Concordia building safe against any possible attack. (AP/Jerusalem Post)
See also Getting It Right - Editorial
Thankfully, a vocal protest appears to have changed Concordia's mind. This week, the university reversed its position and announced that it will welcome Mr. Barak. No university can properly function without vigorously defending and promoting free speech - and that ideal certainly can't be upheld while completely eliminating speakers from an entire viewpoint. (National Post -- Canada)
Connecticut College: Former PLO Terrorist Speaks by Bethe Dufresne
Walid Shoebat, who describes himself as a former PLO terrorist, told the audience he opposes a separate Palestinian state, a position which differs with many Jews, both here and in Israel. Rather he advocated a "greater United States of Israel," with limited autonomy for Palestinians, who would remain under Israeli control. Israel is the only democracy ever in that region, said Shoebat, who is making a career of extolling the virtues of his former professed enemy. (The Day)
Georgetown: Middle East Conflict Inevitable, Expert Says by Patrick Skeehan
Middle Eastern expert Jonathan Spyer spoke about what the future holds for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict last week. He outlined the history of the peace talks between Israel and Palestine throughout the 1990s, emphasizing the misunderstandings that resulted from these talks. "The Palestinians have returned from a national commitment from a two-state system to a one-state system, believing that the destruction of the Jewish state will bring an end to religious and ethnic dispute," he said. (The Hoya)
Harvard: Arafat's Health Draws Response by Daniel Hemel
News of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's rapidly deteriorating medical condition elicited a broad spectrum of emotional reactions on campus. Leaders of Harvard Students for Israel expressed hope that Arafat's death will give rise to a new Palestinian leadership that could jump-start the stalled Middle East peace process. "Of course we don't cheer on the death of anyone," said Eric R. Trager '05, the group's vice president. "That said, we think this is a hopeful day for the Palestinians and Israelis, whose dreams for peace will no longer sabotaged by a tyrant who narcissistically maintained his power against all challenges at the price of thousands of lives on both sides." (Crimson)
McMaster: Anti-Semitic Hate Mail Shocks Community by Frances Krafat
Avi Ben-Zvi, president of Zionists@McMaster, found an illustration of a helmeted soldier pointing his right forefinger – captioned "Always Remember… Jesus and Hitler told the Truth about the Jews" – on the group's website, which is available to its 160 members. "It was shocking," said Ben-Zvi. "To be singled out as Jews for Israel activism is very upsetting." McMaster's provost said he was appalled by the incident. "If anything smacks of hate mail, we have zero tolerance for it. We will not put up with it." (Canadian Jewish News)
Michigan Students Celebrate Birthright Anniversary with Concert
More than 150 students sang and danced with Israeli pop superstar Einat Sarouf (pictured, right) last week at a free concert in honor of birthright israel's five-year anniversary at University of Michigan Hillel. The concert brought together alumni who traveled to Israel with a birthright israel group. "The event was an amazing way to celebrate an experience that is so close to my heart with so many fellow alumni of this trip. I continue to feel grateful that I had the opportunity," said sophomore Laura Markofsky, who helped plan the concert. (Hillel)
Rochester: Israel Fellow Spotlight - Inbar Zezak
Inbar Zezak, a recent Hebrew University graduate, works with students at the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and SUNY College at Geneseo to cultivate their interest and understanding of Israeli culture and society. The Israel Fellows Program places outstanding young Israelis on key North American campuses for a year of educational service as Hillel staff members. The fellows focus on Israel programming on campus, working with birthright returnees and recruiting for Israel programs. (Hillel)
Chicago: The Gaza Pullout Plan: Another Opportunity for the Palestinians by George Anesi
It's right up there with the UN Partition Plan of 1947 and Ehud Barak's offer at Camp David in 2000 - that is, it's another golden opportunity for the Palestinians to get what they say they've always wanted, autonomy and then a state. Of course, it still seems obvious that what the Palestinians really want - or want first, to be more precise - is the destruction of the state of Israel. But with the Israeli parliament's vote to support Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan for unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, the Palestinians have a chance to prove me wrong. (Chicago Maroon)
Fraser: Remembering Yitzhak Rabin: Rekindling Optimistic Hope for Peace by Howard Fremeth
On November 4, 1995, Yitzhak Rabin was shot at point blank range. Although Rabin fought and led in the Israeli army for 27 years of his life, his death was not a result of war, but of peace. Rabin's efforts did not stem from a newfound appreciation for the other, but for the realisation that his country could not live in a state of perpetual war. It is only when both sides look inwards and comprehend this truth will peace materialise. The problem lies in that these two sides have to reach this understanding at relatively the same time. (The Peak)
Harvard: Columbia's Anti-Semitism Problem - Editorial
Jewish students of Columbia University unfortunately, it seems, may have been repeatedly victimized at the hands of particular members of the Columbia faculty. Students have a right to feel safe and secure when in the classroom-professors have every right to question and probe students' views, but attacking students' religious and ethnic heritage is unacceptable. The Jewish students of Columbia have brought needed scrutiny to their university. We sincerely hope and expect that the end result for the Columbia community will be an improvement. (The Crimson)
Progressive Campus Zionists Unite in New Group by Naomi Lightman
North American campuses are extremely polarized when it comes to the Middle East, but many Jewish students want to be both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine and not be excluded from the mainstream. This is where the Union of Progressive Zionists intends to fit in. More than 100 participants from some 40 universities and colleges across North America attended the UPZ conference. We were there to both show our support for Israel and to defend our right to criticize the policies of its government. (Canadian Jewish News)
Hopkins: Surgeon Outlines Medical Advances by David Corrigan
Dr. Jeffrey Gordon, professor of energy and environmental physics at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, gave a lecture last week discussing the breakthroughs he and his academic colleagues are making in applying solar energy to improving medical technology. Solar surgery is a breakthrough that may allow for much cheaper, non-invasive surgery. Through the use of optics, sunlight could be concentrated into a very powerful beam, and transmitted through fiber-optic cables and used in surgery. According to Gordon, this form of surgery was just as effective as laser surgery, and one machine could cost as little as one thousand dollars. (Newsletter)
Memphis: Colleges Try Israeli Computer Games for Basketball Training by Woody Baird
Memphis forward Simplice Njoya sat hunched over a laptop, testing a theory first studied on Israeli fighter pilots. The premise: Skills he picks up playing a complex computer game can make him a better basketball player. "The theory is, it's going to be the weight room for the brain." Called IntelliGym, the game was created by Israeli company Applied Cognitive Engineering Inc. Memphis assistant coach Ed Schilling said. Memphis coaches expect to judge the game's success by turnover rates, shooting percentages and other statistics. (Indianapolis Star)
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 - Should Israel Allow Arafat to Be Buried in Jerusalem? | Destructive Legacy - Editorial
- At the 2000 Camp David summit when Arafat had a simple choice: start building the state he claimed he was fighting for, or return to terror and the struggle for the whole pie, for Israel itself. Now Arafat's successors may ask that he be buried in Jerusalem.
- The irony is, if Arafat had accepted Ehud Barak's offer, he would likely have been buried in the Palestinian half of a divided Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine. Now he will not, symbolizing the statelessness that he perpetuated. (Jerusalem Post)
Israel Won't Allow Arafat Burial on Mount by Yaakov Katz
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"It will never happen," diplomatic officials said last week. One thing is for sure; Arafat will not be buried on the Temple Mount."
- An official defense establishment report leaked in July recommended burying the Palestinian leader in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dis overlooking the disputed holy site. Authors of the report predicted however that following Arafat's demise, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians may try to bring his body for burial on the mount, something Israel will have trouble stopping.
- National Union MK Uri Ariel [warned], "Tens of thousands of Jews will come to the Old City in Jerusalem to physically prevent the burial."
(Jerusalem Post)
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A Chance for Conciliation - Editorial
- Senior Palestinian officials present the issue of Arafat's burial as a touchstone to Israel's intentions toward the leadership who will succeed him.
- The death of a revered leader of a neighboring nation is not the time for revenge and payback. The ceremonies of farewell for Arafat will provide Israel with an opportunity to be generous in making a humane gesture to its neighbors.
- Leaning toward the Palestinians on the issue of where Arafat is buried will signal to the Arab nations and the whole world, which will be watching the funeral, that a new era has begun (with Arafat's demise) in the relations between Israel and Ramallah.
- The Palestinians must understand that the Temple Mount is out of the question. This is a sacred site in the eyes of millions of worshipers of both religions, and therefore it is not appropriate to bury a controversial political leader there at such a sensitive stage of the conflict.
- Israel and the Palestinian leadership could reach an agreement that Arafat would be buried in a plot on the slopes of Temple Mount, but outside the walls of the Old City. (Ha'aretz)
Every Burial Spot Poses a Problem by Danny Rubenstein
- Justice Minister Yosef Lapid put Israel's position bluntly at the end of last week when he said that Jerusalem is where the kings of Israel are buried, not terrorists.
- The problem of burial in Abu Dis or Ramallah in the territories is how to ensure the safety of the many guests, including heads of state, who will attend.
- The family burial plot of the al-Kidwas, Yasser Arafat's paternal family, in Khan Yunis, may be the compromise site for the chairman's internment. Burial in Khan Yunis may be more acceptable than elsewhere because it is in keeping with Islamic tradition regarding burial in a family plot. (Ha'aretz)
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