AJC at Presbyterian Church General Assembly AJC national and chapter staff and lay leaders have worked closely with Presbyterian officials across the country regarding the decision two years ago to endorse divesting from companies doing business in Israel. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA is meeting again this week in Birmingham, Alabama, and the divestment issue is on the agenda with many in the church pressing for a more positive approach to Israel. Two AJC officials, David Bernstein of AJC's Washington Chapter, and Jonathan Schwartz, of AJC's Chicago Chapter, have been attending the conference. As the AJC News Update goes to press today, we are still awaiting word from Birmingham on the outcome of the vote. Please watch the AJC website, www.ajc.org, for breaking news.
 UN Human Rights Council UN Watch, AJC's Geneva-based affiliate, released a report documenting how Jean Ziegler should be disqualified from serving on the new UN Human Rights Council. The UN Watch report documents Ziegler's ties to repressive regimes, in particular his role in helping to establish a fund to set up the Moammar Khaddafi Prize for Human Rights. "UN human rights experts are meant to be impartial, independent, and of high integrity," concludes the UN Watch report. "Mr. Ziegler's conduct during his current UN mandate has not met these standards and should disqualify him from appointment to a new UN position." Ziegler has served as the UN human rights body's expert on the right to food, and in that capacity has been consistently criticized by UN Watch. UN Watch called on the Swiss government to rescind its nomination of Ziegler to serve on the Human Rights Council. Read report.
JESNA Gives High Marks for AJC Fellows Program AJC's Fellowship in International and Domestic Affairs has received an outstanding program evaluation in an independent study conducted by the Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA). Now in its seventh year, the highly competitive program places college and graduate students in AJC offices across the U.S. and around the world, and with AJC's international partners. Former fellows interviewed for the study reported that they played substantial roles at AJC and the organization's partner offices. Many stated that they experienced an increase in political awareness and a greater understanding of political issues, as well as a renewal in Jewish identity. "Judaism plays a much bigger role in my life now," one former fellow told her interviewer. Read news release.
Mideast Briefing — World Cup In his weekly analysis, Eran Lerman looks at the World Cup and its impact on Israelis. Notable was the performance of John Pentsil, a member of the Ghana team, who also has been playing for a prominent soccer team in Israel, Hapoel Tel Aviv. Read more.
Recommendations on Religion Offered to U.S. Air Force AJC joined with the ADL, American Jewish Congress and Religion Action Center in submitting a series of recommendations to the U.S. Air Force to assist in implementing a training program for Air Force personnel pursuant to the recently issued Guidelines on the Free Exercise of Religion in the military. In a letter sent to General Robert R. Allardice, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel, the Jewish groups commended the Air Force for the guidelines and the development of the training program. Both initiatives have substantially alleviated concerns that followed reports of religious proselytization and anti-Semitism at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Read news release.
AJC Joins Spanish Partner in Celebrations Jason Isaacson, director of AJC's Office of Government and International Affairs, attend in Madrid the annual dinner of the Federacion de Comunidades Israelitas de España (FCIE) , one of AJC's international partners. While in Spain, he also met with a senior Spanish official, Rafael Dezcallar de Mazarredo, Political Director of the Foreign Ministry. They discussed Spain-Israel relations and recent developments in the Middle East. Spain and Israel are marking the twentieth anniversary of diplomatic relations.
AJC President Meets Italian Foreign Minister AJC President E. Robert Goodkind met in Washington, D.C., with Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema. The challenge of dealing with a Palestinian Authority led by Hamas topped the agenda. The foreign ministers reiterated his government's position that Hamas must meet the conditions set forth by the Quartet – recognize Israel, end terrorism and honor previously signed agreements. He said he plans to visit soon Israel, Egypt and Jordan. AJC was the only Jewish organization the foreign minister met during his U.S. visit.
Support U.S.-Israel Energy Cooperation Act AJC is urging the House Energy and Commerce Committee to support the United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act (H.R. 2730). It would create a $20 million per year program to provide grants to joint U.S. and Israeli businesses and academic ventures for alternative-energy and energy efficient projects. The Act would help the U.S. to reduce its dependence on foreign oil by drawing upon Israel's significant scientific and engineering talent, AJC wrote in a letter to members of Congress. Read letter.
AJC Opposes Sectarian Prayer in State Legislature In an amicus brief filed with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, AJC argued that sectarian prayers have no place in state legislatures. The case, Hinrichs v. Bosma, is an appeal brought by the Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives of a lower court decision prohibiting the opening of legislative sessions with Christian prayers. The brief, which AJC filed in coalition with the ADL and the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council, states that the practice of opening legislative sessions with Christian prayers is contrary to the intention of our nation's Founders. Read news release.
Project Interchange Expands International Programs In recent weeks AJC's Project Interchange has brought a series of high-level officials from Europe to Israel for weeklong educational seminars. The seminars included a group of Italian journalists and academics involved with mainstream, Protestant, Catholic and Muslim media outlets. The trip was staffed by Lisa Palmieri-Billig, AJC's representative in Rome. Another group from Greece, including journalists from major Greek newspapers as well as members of Parliament traveled with Project Interchange on a mission staffed by Leon Saltiel, a native of Thessaloniki and member of the UN Watch staff in Geneva.
In the Media The New York Jewish Week, New Jersey Jewish News and Forward reported on AJC's newly launched bonus program for employees to purchase fuel-efficient cars. The New York Times, International Herald Tribune , New York Sun and Agence France Presse quoted UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer on the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva. The Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale) quoted David Bernstein in an article on the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA The Houston Chronicle published an op-ed on Hamas and its impact on Israel's hopes for peace co-authored by Randall Czarlinksy, director of AJC's Houston Chapter. The Los Angeles Times quoted Deidre Berger in an article on Germany's decision to open Holocaust-era files at the Red Cross International Tracing Service in Bad Arolsen, Germany. The Chicago Tribune quoted Emily Soloff in an article on a Palestinian student dance troupe from Ramallah currently performing in the U.S. The JTA quoted Richard Foltin, AJC's legislative director and counsel, on the joint letter sent to the U.S. Air Force (see news brief above). Belgium's Radio Judaica interviewed Jason Isaacson, and Marta Mucznik, program director of the Transatlantic Institute, on the institute, AJC, and recent developments in the Middle East. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment