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November 20, 2005
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Israel to Hold Early Elections by Attila SomfalviPrime Minister Ariel Sharon and Labor party leader Amir Peretz met in Tel Aviv Thursday morning and agreed to bring general elections forward - possibly as early as February. Later, Sharon met with opposition leader Yosef (Tommy) Lapid and told him he will decide on his next moves within days, alluding to the uncertainty over the PM's future within the Likud Party. (Ynet News) Read More. | |||
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 Israel and PA Clinch Deal on Gaza-Egypt Border Crossing by Aluf Benn, Arnon Regular, and Akiva EldarIsraeli and Palestinian officials clinched a long-awaited deal on the manning of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, Secretary of State Rice said Tuesday in Jerusalem. Rice had postponed her departure from the region Monday in order to finalize the details. Under the deal, the border would tentatively open November 25, and construction of a Gaza seaport would begin. Palestinians would be able to travel between the West Bank and Gaza in bus convoys through Israel. (Ha'aretz) Read More. | |||
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 Israeli Foreign Minister at UN Conference in TunisiaForeign Minister Silvan Shalom arrived in Tunisia Tuesday at the head of Israel's delegation to the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS), a UN-sponsored conference. "We come to this summit, which deals with technology and communications, with proposals for regional cooperation with our neighbors," he said. For Minister Shalom the visit also has a personal poignancy: He was born in Tunisia and was brought by his parents to Israel when he was one year old. (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Read More. | |||
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 Destroying Israel with Books, Maps and Wax Figures by Amnon RubensteinIran's president is not alone in wanting to wipe Israel off the map. A group of academics and journalists are eradicating Israel - not with nuclear weapons but with ink and paper. On bookshelves in the West, you can see quite a number of books that wipe Israel off the map, and it is almost impossible to find any book - apart from Alan Dershowitz's writings - which refute their arguments. These books are not attacking the occupation, but the very idea of a Jewish state. (Jewish News Weekly) Read More. | |||
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| Wanted: New Generation of Politicians by Yehezkel Dror Anyone who understands domestic Israeli dynamics should have seen the "revolution" of a new, younger leadership coming. The public's desire for this sort of leadership is entirely justified. Things change so quickly - in Israel, the region, and the world - that we need younger leaders who can keep up the pace. (Ynet News) Read More. | |||
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 Case Western: The Torture Rule Book by Ori Nir and Amos GuioraAfter being slammed annually in the State Department's human rights report for its abuse of Palestinian detainees, Israel has suddenly become a model in the eyes of many American jurists and politicians. U.S. legal scholars have recently praised the practical activism of Israel's Supreme Court for defining the balance between legitimate national security considerations and equally legitimate civil rights - and for doing so in a time of war. Ori Nir is the Washington bureau chief of the Forward. Amos Guiora, the director of the Institute for Global Security, Law and Policy at Case Western Reserve University, once served as Commander of the IDF School of Military Law. (Los Angeles Times) Read More. | |||
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 Brandeis Course Offers Unique Views on Middle East by Carrie SimmonsStudents in a course on Middle East politics at Brandeis University are learning about the continuing conflict there in a revolutionary way this semester. In what is believed to be a first on an American college campus, "Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East" is being co-taught by Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian scholars. "It is very important to have Arabs cooperating not only on research but teaching. Balance drives everything," said Shai Feldman, who was the director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University before joining the Brandeis faculty in February. (Daily News Tribune) Read More. | |||
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Cal Poly: Controversial Middle Eastern Speaker Addresses Peace Issues by Holly BurkeWriter Nonie Darwish, an American woman of Middle Eastern descent, spoke about how politics and religion divide the Jewish and Muslim communities and how both groups can overcome that division. In her speech, "The Importance of Building Respect, Trust and Peace in the Middle East," Darwish expressed her opinions and experience growing up as a Muslim in Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Darwish said the Arab media is to blame for the hatred of Jews in the Middle East. "The only way to change is by reforming the way (Islam) is taught, practiced and the way it is being interpreted," Darwish said. (Mustang Daily) Read More. | |||
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 Carleton: Israeli TV Journalist Posed as a Palestinian by Diane KovenIsraeli television journalist Yoram Binur has had first-hand experience "behind the lines," having lived among the Palestinian people, posing as one of them during the first intifada. Binur is now Palestinian Affairs correspondent for Israel's Channel 2 News. He showed a video he had made in Jenin, "the suicide bomber capital." He interviewed members of Hamas, two of whom have since been killed. In the video, they spoke openly of their plans to kill any and every Jew they encountered. "Why do I show this story?" asked Binur. "For them, the fight is not over a border - it is a fight for existence. As long as there are Jews in Israel, the fight continues." (Canadian Jewish News) Read More. | |||
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 Chicago: J-Post Editor Talks Middle East Media by Lorraine BaileyThe Student Committee on the Middle East hosted a panel discussion last week entitled, "Media and Democracy in the Middle East: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives," to tackle the role of the media in creating and sustaining liberal democracies. The panel featured visiting Law School professor Fred Schauer, editor of the Jerusalem Post David Horovitz, and Northwestern University professor Marda Dunsky. (Chicago Maroon) Read More. | |||
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 Colgate: Top Scholars Discuss Prospects for Mideast PeaceEvents from the past 10 years in the Middle East, and a shocking election result from just last week, were discussed Monday night by leading scholars who gathered at Colgate to share their insights with students. The panel discussion, moderated by Daniel Monk, director of the university's peace and conflict studies program, was coordinated with a campuswide celebration of Israel Week. Monk led the panelists through a discussion of Rabin's legacy and the leading role he played in the creation of the 1993 Oslo Accords. (Colgate University) Read More. | |||
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 Cornell: Israeli Capt. Speaks on Mideast Conflict by Melissa CornFormer Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Capt. Jacob Dallal spoke at last week's Cornell Israel Public Affairs Committee meeting, discussing the current situation in Israel and the media's representation of events in the Middle East over the last five years. Jamie Weinstein '06, CIPAC president, asked if he thought the Palestinian National Authority under Mahmoud Abbas could control Hamas. Dallal said the Palestinian government absolutely has the capacity to rein in terrorist organizations. He said Abbas needs to disarm Hamas before allowing them into the government as a regular political party to ensure stability. (Cornell Daily Sun) Read More. | |||
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| Cornell Debates Disengagement by Josh Harris The Middle East came to Cornell last week, as students representing Israelis and Palestinians debated Israel's latest disengagement from the Gaza strip. The discussion, entitled "Debate over Disengagement: Whether It Represents Progress or Not in the Region?" was sponsored by the Cornell-Israel Public Affairs Committee (CIPAC), Student Advocates of Palestine and the Islamic Alliance for Justice. (Cornell Daily Sun) Read More. | |||
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 Edinburgh: Students Seek Ties to Group with Terror LinksMoves to twin Edinburgh University students with an association with links to terrorist group Hamas have sparked protest. Members of the Students Association voted last week to forge closer ties to Birzeit University in the Gaza Strip. But the move has prompted anger amongst some student groups, who have raised fears over the Birzeit Student Council's terrorist links. (Scotsman) Read More. | |||
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Florida: Volunteers Who Fought for Israel by Tom TugendA museum honoring American and Canadian volunteers who fought for Israel's independence will open at the University of Florida. The central exhibit of the Aliyah Bet and Machal Museum, to be dedicated Nov. 20, commemorates the deeds of two groups of volunteers. (JTA News) Read More. | |||
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 Georgetown: Remembering Rabin by Anna BankGeorgetown students held a memorial service commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin last week. At the ceremony sponsored by the Georgetown Israel Alliance, about 50 students gathered to watch video news clips of Rabin's life and death and listen to student reflections about the late prime minister. "Rabin is like the embodiment of the commitment Israelis and Jews have to the peace process," GIA board member Jonathan Aires (SFS '06) said. (Georgetown Voice) Read More. See also Remember Rabin's Will to Sacrifice for Peace by Salomon Kalach Ten years ago, when Rabin was assassinated, he was leading the largest peace rally in Israel's history - a rally that united all Israelis: Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze. Yet, how can it be that I have never heard about a similar rally coming from the Arab side? (Hoya) | |||
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 Georgia: Speaker Provides Firsthand Account, Elucidates Conflict in Middle East by Nick WarlickViolence between Israel and Palestine can be attributed to a combination of social and ideological factors in the Middle East, said an international relations advocate. David Olesker, Director of the Jerusalem Center for Communications and Advocacy Training, outlined his opinions concerning the animosity between Israel and Palestine in a speech sponsored by Dawgs for Israel last week. "Like Olesker, I dream of a period of peace in the region when being pro-Israeli does not mean being anti-Palestinian and vice versa," said Shana Gross, an officer of UGA Hillel. (Red and Black) Read More. | |||
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 Harvard: Jewish Charity Honors Dershowitz by Javier C. HernandezAt a lighthearted roast that included testimonials from singer Carly Simon, President Bill Clinton and "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David, the Jewish National Fund honored Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz for his legal acumen and "unshakable" advocacy for Israel. Upon accepting the award, Dershowitz discussed the prospect for peace in the Middle East and reiterated his support for separate Israeli and Palestinian states. "Justice is on the side of Israel, it is on the side of a two-state solution, and it is on the side of peace," Dershowitz said. "This is the time for peace." (Crimson) Read More. | |||
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James Madison: Israeli Adviser Speaks About Middle East by Lee ZionThe Israeli government says it's holding out a promise of peace - and waiting for the Palestinians to deliver. And attempts to destroy Israel ultimately hurt the Palestinians, as well. Ra'anan Gissin, senior adviser and spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, addressed a crowd of about 200 last week at James Madison University. (Daily News Record) Read More. | |||
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 Oberlin: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Mini-Course by Maxine Kaplan"Dialogue is a risk," said Professor Paul Mendes-Flohr during last week's installment of the Jewish Studies mini-course sponsored by Hillel, "Dialogue and Politics of Reconciliation: Israelis and Palestinians." "Both peoples see the land as their home," Mendes-Flohr said. "We clearly have to learn how to live with each other. Not next to each other, but with each other. We need to learn to be really be aware of and with each other on all levels - personal, cultural, etc." (Oberlin Review) Read More. | |||
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 Penn State: Event Remembers Ex-Israeli Leader by Tess MarinoStudents gathered last week to commemorate and discuss the 10th anniversary of the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The event featured four Israeli college students who are currently touring universities in the United States to promote awareness and understanding of issues relating to Israel. Noam Dinur, an Israeli student studying at Hebrew University, said the assassination alerted him to religious and secular issues in Israel at the time. (Digital Collegian) Read More. | |||
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 York: Martin Upstages Sharon with Speech Reaffirming Canada's Support for Israel by Jeff JustizDozens of York University Jewish students were in downtown Toronto this past week to take part of the United Jewish Communities' annual General Assembly. One of the main highlights of the show was Paul Martin's address to the crowd at this past weekend's plenary session, reaffirming his commitment to strengthening relations with Canada's Jewish Community, as well as Canada's relations with Israel. (Excalibur) Read More. | |||
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 Israel: Beyond the ConflictThrough programs like iFest, students are taking a proactive approach that focuses on Israel's relevancy to a modern, sophisticated world rather than a place of conflict. Introducing students to the "softer" side of Israel is the focus of the new "Israel Starts with I" campaign, developed earlier this semester by the Israel on Campus Coalition. Music, film and culture are hallmarks of the initiative. Another ICC campaign, "Let Our Students Go!," has also made a profound impact on college campuses. (Hillel) Read More. | |||
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Birthright Helps Campus Groups by Sue FishkoffJewish activists on several campuses acknowledge that they look at birthright as a marketing tool for their own organizations, especially when it comes to first-year students. Students who say they're "not interested" in anything Jewish are nevertheless often eager to sign up for a free trip to Israel. "One hundred percent of them come back and get involved," says Mike Fuld, Hillel president at New York University and a Reform student activist. (Baltimore Jewish Times) Read More. | |||
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UC Irvine: A Student Journalist Travels the World by Sonia PatelThe bazaar on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem was any shopaholic's paradise. Almost every shop entrance bore a handwritten sign that said Welcome, Brave American Tourists. True, there weren't many American tourists, but I certainly didn't feel like I was being brave. Of course, I recall a time when I let fear get to me and was scared to go to Israel in the first place. Before I got there, I wasn't sure what might happen to me in a terrorist attack or a violent protest, it was all possible. But perpetual fear was my biggest misconception of the country. (New University) Read More. | |||
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 UC Irvine: Israeli Soldier Speaks of Politics and Personal War Experiences by Linda DomingoMichael Oren, a senior fellow at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem and a former paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces, delivered an account of recent Israeli-Palestinian conflicts from both a historical and personal perspective last week. In his presentation, Oren contrasted the characteristics of the current conflict to previous conflicts. Palestinians sought to destroy Israel in the conflict, according to Oren. "[The Palestinian attackers] aspired to wreck Israel's economy, to unravel civil society, to break its civil morale, and ultimately unwind the state itself...to annihilate the state." (New University) Read More. | |||
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 Columbia: MEALAC Controversy Lies Low for Fall Semester by Lisa HirschmannThe turmoil that accompanied the academic freedom controversy surrounding the Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures Department that erupted in the spring may have halted, but it has not been forgotten. This fall has seen none of the inflammatory public discussion that characterized last semester, but a number of initiatives that were prompted by the controversy have quietly continued. The three main professors criticized in the underground film "Columbia Unbecoming" are currently on leave. (Columbia Spectator) Read More. | |||
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 Columbia: Idan Raichel Joins Fund-Raising Concert for Pakistan Relief by Yelena ShusterAn estimated 1,200 to 1,400 people clapped along to the Middle Eastern beat of the multi-platinum Israeli band, the Idan Raichel Project, and Palestinian-Tunisian artist Anath at the Music Beyond Borders Pakistan Earthquake Benefit Concert last week. After the concert, Idan Raichel (pictured) said that they came to perform because, "We believe that our music presents the real Israeli melting pot of 2005-the music of the street, the new society of Israel." He added that "even though Israel and Pakistan have no political relationship, it's all about the people. There's a side effect to music-to make people come together." (Columbia Spectator) Read More. | |||
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 Israel: Punching Above Its Weight. The Secret of Israel's Tech SuccessIsrael is third only to America and Canada in the number of companies listed on NASDAQ, and the country attracts twice the number of venture-capital (VC) investments as the whole of Europe. Tech giants such as IBM, Motorola, and Cisco have research centers in Israel, which is also where Intel developed its Centrino chip. The army gets hold of everybody at age 18, and if they have a glimmer of potential, it catalyzes their transformation into engineers or scientists. Israel has 135 engineers per 10,000 employees, compared with 70 in America, 65 in Japan, and 28 in Britain. (Economist-UK) Read More. | |||
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 Arsenal Uses Soccer to Build Bridges in Israel by Trevor HugginsThe Arsenal Soccer team will start next week with the twin aims of building momentum in the Champions League and building bridges between young Jews and Arabs in Israel. Arsenal's involvement in Israel began at the request of the Misgav regional council in a previously untroubled area of Galilee which was hit by the intifada five years ago. (Reuters) Read More. | |||
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 American and Israeli Students Show That All the World's a Stage by Allison Kaplan SommerAs the minutes ticked down till performance time, Dr. Barbara Rose-Haum stood on the stage at New York University giving the cast and crew of her play "Trespassing Boundaries" last-minute instructions. What made this different and far more technically complicated than the preparations for a typical stage performance was the large screen behind her - showing Dr. Sharon Aronson-Lehavi at Tel Aviv University, who was also preparing for the curtain to rise on the same play. See video of performance. (Israel21c) Read More. | |||
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| Foreign Words Invade Hebrew Dictionary by Karin Laub The English "spin" becomes "speen," plural "speenim." The language of Moses has also absorbed "blind date," "under control" and "hacker" (pronounced hah-cker), along with some 10,000 other words and expressions that have been compiled in a dictionary of Israeli slang, a best seller since it came out this fall. Arabic rules emotional expression - "ahla" (great), "walla" (true), "sababa" (cool), "ashkara" (for real) - as well as the most emphatic curses. English dominates computers, high-tech, dating, fashion and sports. (AP/News & Observer) Read More. | |||
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 Reflections: One Year after Arafat's Death | |||
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