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January 18, 2004
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Human-Bomb Mother Kills Four Israelis at Gaza Checkpoint by Chris McGreal
A 22-year-old Palestinian mother of two small children, pretending to be disabled, killed four Israelis at a Gaza border crossing last week after duping soldiers into allowing her a personal security check rather than going through a metal detector. She left a videotaped message in which she was pictured in combat fatigues, holding an automatic rifle and with a rocket-propelled grenade in front of her. She said she had dreamed since she was 13 of turning "my body into deadly shrapnel against the Zionists." (Guardian-UK)
VP Cheney: Palestinian Authority Must Be Transformed
Speaking at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Wednesday, Vice President Cheney said: "After years of effort, it's become clear that as long as Yasser Arafat is the interlocutor on behalf of the Palestinians, as long as he is in control, we think any serious progress is virtually impossible. There has to be reform of the Palestinian Authority. The Israelis are never going to sign up, nor should they sign up to a peace unless, in fact, they've got confidence that there's someone there on the Palestinian side prepared to keep those commitments." (White House)
Middle East Studies Under Scrutiny in U.S. by Michael Dobbs
In the once-neglected field of Middle East studies, enrollments in Arabic-language courses and area studies programs have boomed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001. Government funding is up. Universities and colleges are recruiting Middle East experts as fast as they can. "Middle East studies have not served us well," countered Daniel Pipes. He said mainstream academics had failed to adequately explain the threat posed by Islamic terrorism and were prone to overlook political repression in Arab countries. (Washington Post)
 The Damage Suicide Bombings Do to Palestinians by Bradley Burston
Nothing has done more to tarnish the image of the Palestinian national movement than suicide bombings. Nothing has done more to align Palestinians in the foreign - especially the American - mind with the likes of al-Qaeda. Nothing has done more to alienate Israelis from the Palestinian cause. Nothing has done more to fortify the argument that their true goal is the eradication of the entirety of the Jewish state and the annihilation or exile of its non-Arab inhabitants. (Ha'aretz)
Is It Too Late for Arafat to Seize the Chance of Peace? by George Kerevan
In recent times, we have acquired a simplistic, erroneous vision of a racist, colonial Israel oppressing downtrodden Palestine. Yet Arafat not only walked away from the negotiating table, but sanctioned an unbelievably murderous terror campaign inside Israel that is designed to bury any form of negotiations. In Europe - where there has been a naive tendency to turn the Palestinian terrorists into freedom fighters - the EU supplies Arafat with ample amounts of tax money both to fill his own Swiss bank accounts and to fund the appalling official Palestinian television service, with its constant diet of music videos extolling Palestinian youths to become suicide bombers. (Scotsman)
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Central Florida: UCF Students Travel to Israel by Noah Saposnik and Ben Sack
This past winter break, more than 50 UCF students traveled to Israel on college trips. It was an amazing experience. At a time when many question the safety of our own back yard, these students took a stand and decided to go to the Holy Land. And yes, it is safe to go! While in Israel, you see that normal life actually goes on every day. The atmosphere there is completely different than how it is portrayed in the media. (UCF News-Letter to the Editor)
Florida: UF Students Take Trip to Israel by Nina Alexander-Hurst
 During winter break, 42 UF students flew to Israel to spend their vacation on the beaches of Tel Aviv, walking through Jerusalem and floating on the Dead Sea - and they did it all for free. The students participated in Hillel's 10-day Birthright Israel program. UF freshman Evan Tyroler said that since his return, he feels a strong connection to Israel and is making it his responsibility to convince other people to visit the country. UF freshman Blair Welsh said the trip has opened her eyes to the Jewish community at her fingertips. (Florida Alligator)
Gustavus Adolphus: Student Leader Picked to Travel to Israel
Gustavus Adolphus College's student body president, Josh Williams, has been selected as one of 12 from around the country who will attend a seminar in Israel on the issues facing that country. He is the only Minnesotan who will participate in the program, sponsored each year by the Washington, D.C.-based Project Interchange. The goal is for participants to gain a first-hand understanding of issues facing Israel by meeting people and experience Israeli culture. (Mankato Free Press)
Oregon: An International Education by Jared Paben
Something about Israel profoundly changed Lach Litwer. Something during his 10-day "whirlwind" trip this summer compelled the psychology student to establish an Israel resource center and advocacy group in Eugene. Israeli President Moshe Katsav and Lynn Schusterman, a philanthropist with "birthright israel," awarded Litwer, along with five others from around the world, the first-annual "Charlie Awards" at the president's home in Jerusalem. Litwer was given the award, which included an $1,800 grant and a trip to Israel, to recognize him for the work he has done to educate the community after visiting the country last summer. (Daily Emerald)
See also Winners of Charlie Awards Show How Birthright Is Having an Impact by Dina Kraft
The Charlie Awards were founded by Lynn Schusterman in honor of her late husband, Charles Schusterman, one of the founders of birthright, which has brought some 60,000 young Diaspora Jews on free trips to Israel. "They took the gift of birthright and incorporated it into their daily lives," Schusterman said as she presented the awards. "They spread their love of Israel and connection to Israel and spread it to as many people as possible." (JTA)
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Campus Advocates Hope Winter Trips Will Inspire Campus Activism in Spring by Rachel Pomerance
Thousands of Jewish students went to Israel over winter break on their own or in formal trips organized by groups like the Jewish Agency for Israel and birthright israel. The Israel programs aim to imbue students with the knowledge and emotion only first-hand experience in Israel can provide, organizers said. The goal is for students to return to campus with personal stories and new energy to help them promote Israel effectively and get others involved in the cause. Jewish groups have worked to craft increasingly sophisticated advocacy training for students. Many of the students who participate in the training programs say they feel proud about being in a positive pro-Israel movement. (JTA)
Israel and U.S. Jewry Betray Birthright by Michael Fruend
In just four years, it has brought tens of thousands of Jews to Israel, injected tens of millions of dollars into the Israeli economy, and helped to energize Jewish youth in dozens of communities throughout the Diaspora. So this year, how exactly has Israel's government decided to reward the birthright israel program - known here as Taglit - for its unprecedented accomplishments? By slashing its funding. The United Jewish Communities, the fund-raising arm of American Jewry, has also indicated that it will not live up to its original commitment, citing tough economic times, among other reasons. (Jerusalem Post)
See also A Project Brings 1000s of Young Jews to Israel and Works Magic. They Cut Its Budget by Yair Sheleg
A long-term study of how the Birthright tour affects participants demonstrated that if prior to the trip only 38 percent of participants expressed a sense of connection to the Jewish people, one year afterward, the rate of those feeling such a connection was 65 percent. Despite its success, the project faces severe budgetary distress after the Israeli government and the local Jewish communities greatly curtailed the scope of their participation in the past two years. This has cast a heavy pall over the future dimensions of the project, if not its very existence. (Ha'aretz)
Plenty of Reasons to Be Proud of Our Students by Tillie Shames
There is no question that many of our campuses are being hijacked by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a distorted anti-Israel "human rights" agenda. But despite this environment, many students feel a sense of Jewish pride and a drive to become more deeply engaged in Israel affairs. Thousands of students across Canada have returned to campus after a Birthright Israel trip with a love for, and a deeper understanding of, Israel. How do we know our proactive campaigns are working? First, because there is a steady increase in the number of Jewish students volunteering for Israel-related activities and applying for Birthright missions. And second, because pro-Palestinian students are on the defensive. (Canadian Jewish News)
McMaster: Finding Inspiration Throughout the Holy Land by Neville Boney, MSU President
I had a great opportunity to visit Israel for a week this past December as part of a program organized by the United Israel Appeal (UIA) Federation that was geared towards students in positions of leadership on campuses across Canada. The thing that inspired me the most on this trip was the impact grassroots organizations are having on the peace process. It became increasingly apparent to me that the politicians on both sides are either unwilling or unable to resolve these issues themselves. However, as the elected or appointed - and some might even say responsible - officials, they can be swayed by public opinion and there is growing movement to put an end to the centuries-old conflict, especially amongst the young. (Silhouette)
Dartmouth: The Israeli Balancing Act by Dan Knecht
As Americans, we have only had a taste of the horrors of terrorism. It is almost unfathomable to understand how much emotional suffering Israelis undergo daily; the toll is incalculable. Living in Israel, one begins to understand why the Israeli government functions the way it does. No other country has to shoulder as many societal and security issues as does Israel. (Dartmouth Online)
Design by Israeli Ambassador's Son Chosen for WTC Memorial
A design submitted by Michael Arad, a 31-year-old Israeli architect has been chosen for the World Trade Center memorial after an eight-month competition that drew more than 5,000 entries from around the world. The "Reflecting Absence" memorial, consisting of two reflecting pools and a large grove of trees, was chosen by a 13-member jury of artists, architects and civic and cultural leaders. Arad is the son of outgoing Hebrew University vice president and former Israel ambassador to the U.S. Moshe Arad. (Israel21c)
Hip-Hop Star Joins Anti-Semitism Fight by Shlomo Shamir
In a ground-breaking article to be published soon, hip-hop legend Russell Simmons will urge African-Americans to join forces with Jews, to fight anti-Semitism in Europe and the U.S. Simmons is an admired role model for millions of American blacks. America's Jewish community cannot fight anti-Semitism on its own, Simmons says. (Ha'aretz)
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 - Negotiations with Syria - Two Views | | What's Behind Bashar al-Assad's Peace Offensive? by Eyal Zisser
- Bashar's willingness to go beyond his father's conditional commitments, e.g., on the matter of relations with Israel, undoubtedly stems from a sense of pressure and deep distress - the result of the new regional realities in the aftermath of the war in Iraq and America's determination to push Syria hard on issues of concern to Washington, particularly the war on terror and weapons of mass destruction.
- Bashar has repeatedly shown that he is committed to his father's legacy, not only with respect to the idea of a peace agreement with Israel, but also with respect to the price tag.
- But "continuity" also means no real change in underlying attitudes toward Israel. Like his father, Bashar and those around him (as well as many others in the region) see Israel as an illegitimate entity constituting, by its very existence, a threat to the Arab world.
- Moreover, their anti-Zionist and anti-Israel pronouncements are often tinged with anti-Semitism, given public expression in recent years by senior Syrian officials, including Bashar himself. (Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies/Tel Aviv University)
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Iraq Stands Between Syria and the Golan by Amir Oren
- Washington would like to see the Israeli-Arab peace expanded. An Israeli settlement with Syria, Lebanon and perhaps Saudi Arabia and other states as well would flatter Bush's efforts to change the face of the Middle East, particularly at a time when the chances of a durable permanent settlement in the Palestinian arena are so slim. American reliance on the Resolution 242 formula - territories for peace - has not waned.
- Negotiations with Israel leading to a return of the Golan? Absolutely, but the first order of business is to stop Syria's interference in Iraq, halt its aid to terrorist groups and disarm its weapons of mass destruction.
- In spite of his obdurate father's legacy, it may be that, belatedly and due to changing circumstances, Bashar Assad has reached the same conclusion as Sadat, who made the decision to break away from his predecessor, Gamal Abdul Nasser, and approach the Americans.
- Whether Sharon likes it or not, renewal of the talks with Syria is imminent. The only thing standing between Sharon (or his successor) and Assad is Iraq. (Ha'aretz)
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