Prepared for the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
and the Israel on Campus Coalition by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
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February 24, 2003 |
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Campus Roundup:
Pro-Israel petitions circulate at:
DukeDivest - Again
Israeli Gili Kallon stars on Arizona State Sun Devils' women's water polo team
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Inside this issue -
Issues on Campus:
USF Prof Arrested as Terrorist Mastermind
A 120-page federal indictment claims University of South Florida Professor Sami Al-Arian is the North American leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said the Justice Department indicted Al-Arian on racketeering and terrorist charges. "Palestinian Islamic Jihad is one of the most violent terrorist organizations in the world," Ashcroft said. Al-Arian actively funded terrorist attacks in Israel, according to Ashcroft. Those attacks resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, including two Americans.
(USF Oracle)
Arrest Backs USF Process against Al-Arian
The indictment and arrest of Sami al-Arian brought muted vindication from leaders at the University of South Florida, which has struggled for nearly a decade with how to handle persistent allegations connecting the suspended computer science professor with Palestinian terrorist groups. The Tampa campus became the epicenter of a national debate about academic freedom. (Miami Herald)
Duke Divestment Group Continues to Press
DukeDivest representatives met with President Nan Keohane to present their case as to why the University should divest from companies with military ties to Israel. Although Keohane maintained her position that divestment is not appropriate in the case of Israel, she agreed to include a DukeDivest-written proposal for the creation of an ethical investments committee in material for an upcoming meeting of the Board of Trustees. DukeDivest added that they will continue to try to engage the Duke community in a dialogue about the issue of divestment, including a teach-in Feb. 26.
(The Chronicle)
Israeli Academics Hit Back against Boycott
After a year of suffering outright hostility, verbal abuse, and countless snubs, Israeli scientists and intellectuals have begun fighting back against European and American colleagues who are boycotting Israel as a way to force the Israeli government to make peace with the Palestinians. Tens of thousands of Europeans and Americans have signed anti-boycott petitions, compared with several hundred who have signed pro-boycott petitions. (Boston Globe)
News and Comment:
Israel Expects Little Warning from U.S. before Iraqi War by Amos Harel and Aluf Benn
A number of IDF units are preparing under the assumption that they will enjoy only a six-hour warning prior to the start of the U.S. offensive. The most prevalent assessment at this time is that the attack will begin during the first week of March. The IDF Home Front Command will not declare an emergency situation with the start of the offensive, but will adjust its instructions as the situation unfolds. Defense analysts emphasize that the chances that missiles will be fired against Israel by Iraq are very small - especially in view of the absence of any intelligence on the presence of missiles and launchers in the western desert of Iraq. (Ha'aretz)
Stand Against the Evil that Took My Son's Life by Judea Pearl, father of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl - murdered one year ago
Danny's captors concentrated on his Jewish and Israeli heritage. Evidently the murderers were confident that Danny's Jewish connections were sufficient to license the gruesome murder they were about to commit. Such a brazen call to condone the killing of a human being by virtue of his religion or heritage is strongly reminiscent of the horrors perpetrated by Nazi Germany. In a world governed by reason and leadership, one would expect world leaders to immediately denounce such racist calls before they become an epidemic. (Wall Street Journal)
Voices from the Campus:
’Georgia Students for Israel’ Sign Up 1000+
More than 1,000 students signed their names to a petition advocating increased national involvement with Israel. "There are strong, explicit benefits the United States gets from the only strong democratic nation in the Middle East," said Adam Struletz, a junior from Marietta. "We understand the plight of the Palestinians," he said. "However, it's important to us (that) the state of Israel be safe from those who wish to do it harm by indiscriminantly killing civilians." Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, Sigma Delta Tau Sorority and the pre-law fraternity Phi Delta Theta also supported the petition.
(Red and Black)
Northwestern: Petition Supports U.S.-Israeli Opposition to Terrorism by Adam Williams and Elaine Helm
A full-page, paid advertisement in the Daily Northwestern capped several months of work to show support in
the Northwestern community for the values shared by the United States and Israel. More than 600 students, staff and faculty members signed a petition started by Students for Israel last quarter supporting U.S.-Israeli relations and opposing terrorism in the Middle East. (Daily Northwestern)
Stanford: Petition Transcends Faith, Nationality by Avi Yotam and Morris Cohen
More than 1,500 Stanford students signed a petition supporting Israel’s right to a peaceful and secure future and condemning worldwide terrorism. Stanford students join students from dozens of universities across the country in declaring, loud and clear, “We stand for Israel, and we stand for peace!” Never will we allow the Middle East’s only democratic state to fall at the hands of those who wish little more than its total destruction. A wide variety of campus group leaders have signed this petition including leaders of the Campus Democrats, College Republicans, Stanford Review, Stanford Progressive, ASSU, Stanford Civil Liberties Union, Greek life and more. Support for Israel is not a conservative issue or a liberal issue. It is not a Jewish issue.
(Stanford Daily)
Washington Congressman Speaks to Students about Israel
Huskies for Israel hosted U.S. Congressman Rick Larsen who spoke of his support for a free Israeli state and for Israel’s role in the Middle East peace process. Larsen supported Israel’s stance on terrorism and defense of its country. “I think the administration, with support of Congress, has supported Israel’s right to defend itself,” said Larsen. “If I were the leadership of Israel, I too would be concerned with negotiating with people who have tried to destroy my country.” “Our job is to educate all of the students on campus to the issues that affect Israel,” added Eric Hasson, president of Huskies for Israel. (UW Daily)
Campus Organizations:
MSU Conference Offers Students Training and Tools
50 students from universities around the state attended Michigan State University Hillel's second annual Conference on Israel. "I think what's really important about this is that it gives all of the college students the opportunity to come together, discuss issues that are very important to them and benefit from
these speakers," said MSU junior Sherie Rappoport, 21, of West Bloomfield, a conference coordinator. She said she felt the speakers also provided unique and beneficial perspectives students would not have been able to find elsewhere.
(Detroit Jewish News)
Students in Israel:
As World Prepares for Iraq war, American Jews Prepare to Help Israel
For David Rendsburg, 20, volunteering in Israel with 24 other students from the University of Pennsylvania on his winter break was laden with meaning. The group labored in a warehouse with stacks of thousands of gas masks to be assembled. Aviva Weinberg, 19, who also helped organize the trip, felt inspired by the “incredible fortitude and optimism” of the Israelis she met. They’re “fighting for their country and we’re here studying in university. It’s a rather easy ivory tower existence,” said Weinberg, who said the trip motivated her to further her activism on campus and “help people find their own form of Zionism for themselves.”
(JTA)
Point – Counter - Point:
 Why I'm Not Going Wobbly on Iraq - British Prime Minister Tony Blair (Wall Street Journal)
- At every stage, we should seek to avoid war. But if the threat cannot be removed peacefully, please let us not fall for the delusion that it can be safely ignored. If we do not confront these twin menaces of rogue states with weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, they will not disappear. They will just feed and grow on our weakness.
- The moral case against war has a moral answer: It is the moral case for removing Saddam.
- If we remove Saddam by force, people will die, and some will be innocent. And we must live with the consequences of our actions, even the unintended ones. But if the result of peace is Saddam staying in power, not disarmed, then I tell you there are consequences paid in blood for that decision too.
- Ridding the world of Saddam would be an act of humanity. It is leaving him there that is in truth inhumane.
 “Non” to U.S. Plans for a War to Disarm Iraq – French President Jacques Chirac (Time)
- “A war of this kind cannot help but give a big lift to terrorism. It would create a large number of little bin Ladens.”
- Chirac's alternative plan calls for increasing the number of inspectors from 110 to as many as 360, and broadening their expertise to include customs and accounting. France proposes that aerial surveillance be intensified with overflights of French Mirage IV aircraft, and that a permanent in-country coordinator be put in place.
- "If Iraq doesn't cooperate and the inspectors say this isn't working, it could be war."
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