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Thursday, August 31, 2006

ADL Headlines: A Bi-Weekly News Bulletin from the Anti-Defamation League

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August 31, 2006   
 
Kofi Annan's Blind Spot on Israel and Iran

During the first leg of his Mideast tour, the U.N. Secretary General strongly condemned Israel’s actions in the recent war, while largely reserving judgment for Hezbollah. "Kofi Annan clearly has a blind spot when it comes to Israel," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, who is currently in Israel. "Why doesn't he understand what the Israelis have gone through?" ADL also questioned why Mr. Annan would meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel’s destruction and openly questions the Holocaust, to discuss the situation in south Lebanon.
More >>

In the News:
Cybercast News Service
Ha’aretz

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Anti-Semitism In The Arab World
Cartoon of the Week

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  • U.S. Newspapers and Political Cartoonists Support Israel
    In a survey of 33 of the nation's largest circulation daily newspapers, ADL found an overwhelming majority of editorials and political cartoons clearly labeled Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and supported Israel's response to Hezbollah’s unprovoked attacks.   More >>

  • Arab Media Cartoons Depict "Jewish Control" Of U.N. and U.S.
    Editorial cartoonists in the Arab world returned to "rehashing and reinventing their tired conspiracy" that portrays Israelis and Jews as controlling the U.N. and U.S. foreign policy.   More >>


  • Anti-Israel Professors Cross The Line
    The appearance of prominent academics John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and Stephen Walt of Harvard under the auspices of an American Muslim group with ties to Hamas demonstrates "they have crossed the line from academia to advocacy.”   More >>

    In the News: JTA

  • Amnesty International Slams Israel
    ADL criticized the human rights group Amnesty International for its “bigoted, biased and borderline anti-Semitic” report on the Israeli-Hezbollah war.   More >>

    In the News: Christian Science Monitor

  • El Salvador and Costa Rica Urged to Reverse Embassy Decisions
    Deeply distressed at announcements by El Salvador and Costa Rica that both intend to move their embassies in Israel from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, ADL called on the leaders of both nations to maintain their official diplomatic offices in the capital city of Jerusalem.   More >>

  • Name Change Welcomed for Hitler-Themed Restaurant In India
    In response to international outrage over a new eatery named, “Hitler’s Cross,” the owner of the Mumbai restaurant apologized and said he would remove the Nazi imagery and theme from his establishment.  More >>

    In the News: International Herald Tribune

  • Civil Rights Leader Andrew Young Makes Bigoted Comment
    Andrew Young, a longtime African-American civil rights leader, resigned from his position as a public advocate for Wal-Mart after making derogatory and offensive comments about Jews, Koreans and Arabs. Young has since apologized.   More >>

    In the News: International Herald Tribune

  • Canadian Church Rejects Israel Divestment
    ADL applauded the leaders of the United Church of Canada for rejecting an anti-Israel divestment resolution and instead approving a strategy of positive investment in the region.  More >>

  • Christian TV Special Blames Darwin for Hitler’s Genocidal Policies
    A television documentary produced by Christian broadcaster Dr. D. James Kennedy's Coral Ridge Ministries outrageously attempted to link Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to Adolf Hitler and his genocidal policies.   More >>

    In the News: Christian Post

  • Polish Prosecutor Drops Case Against Anti-Semitic Station
    ADL strongly criticized the decision of a Polish prosecutor for dropping the case against a well-known anti-Semitic radio station for broadcasting an anti-Semitic rant, calling it "disgraceful." More >>

  • Santa Barbara: Early Childhood Education Launched
    ADL’s Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties Regional Office launched The Miller Early Childhood Initiative of A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute at the Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center. The Santa Barbara School District has committed to implementing The Initiative in 28 preschools. The Initiative Workshops count toward Santa Barbara’s No Place for Hate® certification, which has already reached 27 schools and college campuses, community and religious organizations in the county.  More >>

  • Pennsylvania Declared ‘No Place for Hate’
    Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell officially endorsed ADL’s No Place for Hate® program, and sent a letter to all school superintendents urging them to adopt No Place for Hate® in their districts. Meanwhile, the city of Philadelphia was confronted with new concerns about the formation of a local chapter of anti-Semitic and racist New Black Panther Party. 

    In the News: Philadelphia Inquirer

  • New England: Teens Promoting Diversity
    More than 80 Jewish, Christian and Muslim high school students gathered in August for one week in New Hampshire to launch ADL’s Interfaith Youth Leadership Program with “Camp IF.” The program calls young people to action in the fight against anti-Semitism, religious intolerance, prejudice and bigotry in all forms.  

    In the News:
    Boston Globe
    WBUR

  • New Hampshire: ADL Exposes Hate Group
    ADL exposed the link between Jaffrey, New Hampshire’s “Live Free or Die” Celebration and a White Supremacist group, the Council of Conservative Citizens. The ensuing controversy caused the racist group to disavow its connections to the event and to remove promotions of the event from its Web site. 

    In the News: Concord Monitor


  • Media Watch
    Op-Eds:
    Testing Time In Region (YNet News) 8/24/06
    Israel must have right to defend itself against Hezbollah's readying for a new war in Lebanon, and Iran's threat to Israel's very existence  

    We Are One, But Not The Same (Forward) 8/24/06
    Relations between Israel and American Jews, by now an old and recurring subject for discussion, have come to the surface again, this time on the editorial page of the Forward.

    Hatred Contradicts Core Values (Jewish News Weekly of Northern CA) 8/18/06
    Hate is not kosher. It doesn't take long for hatred toward one group of people to redirect itself as hatred toward Jews.

    Letters to the Editor:
    Start Talking to Hezbollah (NY Times) 08/18/06
    Lakhdar Brahimi's line of reasoning ignores history and is a sure formula for more violence and extremism in the Middle East.

    Avoid Muslim Stereotypes 08/23/06
    Not all Muslims are violent, ADL says in response to a commentary piece by Dick Holt in the Ventura County Star.



    Editor's Note: The next edition of ADL Headlines will appear on September 14, 2006.

2006 Anti-Defamation League. All rights reserved.

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JINSA Report #599 "Mexico or Iran?"



August 31, 2006
Number 599
JINSA Report
http://www.jinsa.org

"Mexico or Iran?"

The radio host asked, "Which is a greater national security threat to
the United States, the insecurity of America's southern border or Iran's
nuclear ambition?" It wasn't a trick question. True, Iran poses an
international apocalyptic sort of threat; one JINSA takes most
seriously. But at the end of the diplomatic day, we - and even our
reticent allies - will know what to do with a country threatening us
with nuclear weapons.

Mexico, our friend and neighbor, poses a different kind of problem.
Mexico has been roiled by strikes and protests since July, when Andres
Manuel Lopez Obrador claimed fraud in the presidential election he
appears to have lost to Felipe Calderon. Several challenges to the
process have been reviewed and denied, and by next week, Mexico's top
electoral court must either declare the winner or annul the election.

Assuming Calderon will win, Lopez Obrador has vowed to create a
"parallel government." He will not recognize Calderon's administration
and his legislators will not cooperate in Parliament. He urged his
supporters to stay in the streets to protest and strike against Calderon
and pay taxes to his movement. He is planning a "parallel inauguration"
and, according to The Washington Post, "People close to Lopez Obrador
say he is assuming the role of his hero, 18th century President Benito
Juarez, who led a roving, 'unofficial' presidency from 1863 to 1867
during the French invasion, before driving out the invaders and
executing the French-installed Emperor Maximilian."

Lopez Obrador doesn't have to do much to make Mexico ungovernable.
Calderon will have few palatable choices for exerting control and the
protest movement could turn violent - there have already been clashes
with police. The Mexican economy will go south and our neighbors will
come north in vastly increased numbers.

In the meantime, in an odd accident of timing (?), proponents of illegal
immigration and easy access to American citizenship are planning a march
on Washington that will coincide with the declaration by the Mexican
court of a winner in the election. They expect, they say, a million
people. On the other hand, Members of Congress report that their
constituencies at home demand stronger border controls.

It is not apocalyptic the way Iran is apocalyptic. But it is immediate,
real and could create a flood of political and economic refugees and the
possibility that political violence will come accompany them. It has the
potential for a different kind of violence if the U.S. tries to secure
the border amid an ever-greater wave of people trying to flee upheaval
at home. It has the potential for a U.S.-Mexican confrontation of the
sort we have not seen in nearly a century. We are not used to thinking
of Mexico this way.

Two other points: Texas law enforcement officers have warned that
Arabic-speaking people are learning Spanish and integrating into Mexican
culture, then paying smugglers to sneak them into the U.S. Yesterday,
Syria and Venezuela signed a "no visa" agreement - how many Syrians will
transit Venezuela on their way north and to what end?

So, Iran or Mexico? Unfortunately, the U.S. is ill-prepared for either.

The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW * Suite 515 * Washington, DC, 20036
Ph (202) 667-3900 * F (202) 667-0601
Comments? Send an email to feedback@jinsa.org <mailto:feedback@jinsa.org>
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Wednesday, August 30, 2006

AJC News Update

 
 American Jewish Committee News Update

Update 221  |  August 30, 2006

AJC Podcasting Now Available

AJC has launched podcasting. Now you can download to your computer and Ipods audio produced by AJC, beginning with David Harris's weekly radio messages. We will soon provide interviews with leading figures and AJC experts around the world. Much more audio material is being planned for the coming months. To get started, please subscribe to the AJC podcast feature at www.ajc.org. You will find there instructions on this exciting new feature.


Solidarity Mission to Israel

More than 120 AJC members and guests are participating in the AJC Solidarity Mission to Israel, September 4 to 7, the second mission since the Hezbollah war began in mid-July. The large delegation will meet with Israeli officials, academics and journalists in Jerusalem. They will travel to Haifa, Nahariya, and Kiryat Shemonah to visit communities that took direct hits from the Hezbollah rockets, and also will spend a day in the south to visit, among other places, Sderot, which has been the target of Hamas rockets from Gaza. The mission will visit several of the communities and organizations that have been the beneficiaries of the AJC Israel Emergency Assistance Fund. Watch the AJC website for reports from the mission.


Israel Emergency Assistance Fund

With the generous support of donors to AJC's Israel Emergency Assistance Fund, we have been able to provide life-saving medical equipment to three hospitals damaged by Hezbollah rockets – Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya and Seiff Hospital in Safed. AJC is purchasing search and rescue vehicles for the highly respected Israeli relief organization, F.I.R.S.T, which has been a leader in carrying out rescue operations in collapsed buildings. In addition, as previously announced, AJC is purchasing two cardiac care ambulances for Magen David Adom, and has delivered 500 first-aid kits to bomb shelters across the north. AJC will continue to deliver assistance as the rebuilding begins. DONATE NOW.


AJC Diplomatic Mission to Italy

An AJC senior leadership delegation arrived in Rome today for a series of meetings with top Italian officials. Italy's role in the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, and Europe's strategy for dealing with Iran will be high on the agenda. The AJC group will be meeting with Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Interior Minister Giuliano Amato, and high-level Foreign Ministry officials. Meetings also are planned with Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni, as well as with American and Israeli Embassy officials, and leaders of the Italian Jewish community.


Iranian Schools Teach Hatred of Christians, Jews, United States

Iranian children are indoctrinated in basic hatred of Christians, Jews and the West, concludes a new study of textbooks used in Iran, prepared by AJC and the Center for Monitoring Peace in the Middle East (CMIP). Researchers with the CMIP analyzed 115 textbooks and teachers' guides currently used in grades 1 to 12 in Iran. The full report, which will be released later this year by AJC and CMIP, offers a comprehensive survey of the official Iranian worldview to which school-age children are exposed. "Examining Iranian schoolbooks is a chilling reminder that the words of violent confrontation espoused by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are not mere rhetoric, but need to be regarded with the utmost gravity," said David Harris. AJC and CMIP have previously jointly published studies of schoolbooks used in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Read news release.


UN Watch Calls for Investigation of UNIFIL Aiding Hezbollah

UN Watch is urging UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to investigate allegations that UNIFIL aided Hezbollah forces as they fired more than 4,000 deadly rockets at Israeli civilians. "We are deeply troubled by new evidence that the supposedly neutral United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) assisted Hezbollah terrorists by publishing detailed, sensitive information on Israeli troop movements on its website during the recent Israel/Hezbollah conflict," wrote Ambassador Alfred H. Moses, chair of UN Watch, and Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, in their letter to Annan. "If true, such conduct is unconscionable — although not entirely surprising, given UNIFIL's sad history of both tacit and active bias towards Hezbollah and against Israel — and raises troubling questions as to whether UN forces can be trusted to even-handedly police this area, just as more are being readied to deploy."


Transatlantic Institute Names New Director

The Transatlantic Institute has named Emanuele Ottolenghi as its new executive director. The Oxford University scholar, a recognized expert on transatlantic relations and Middle East affairs, will join the institute's staff in Brussels on September 4. "The Transatlantic Institute is a unique initiative that has made an indelible mark on relations between Europe and the United States, deepening mutual understanding in the cause of our shared interests as western democracies," said Ottolenghi. "I am a strong believer in the importance of transatlantic relations," said Ottolenghi. "Despite recent tensions, I am convinced that what binds Europe and the U.S. is stronger than what may occasionally divide them." Read news release.


Letter of Appreciation to German Chancellor

AJC sent a letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to express deep appreciation for her "unwavering stand on Germany's partnership with Israel and unflinching support of Israel's self-defensive actions." The AJC letter praised Germany for offering military assistance to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, and for Germany's resolute stance regarding Iran. "We are confident that Germany will stand strong on its opposition to Iranian nuclear ambitions and play a continued role in UN attempts to counter Iran's nuclear build-up," AJC wrote.


AJC Atlanta Hosts Meeting with Andrew Young

Atlanta Chapter President Kent Alexander and Past President Steve Selig met with Ambassador Andrew Young at a meeting at the chapter's office to discuss his recent controversial comments about Jewish and Korean storeowners. Members of the AJC Atlanta Chapter, the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition and the Korean American Coalition attended. Ambassador Young reiterated his apology and discussed with the Jewish, Korean and African American leaders ways that all of the communities can move forward together.


AJC Executive Director Addresses European Jewish Students

David Harris was a keynote speaker at the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) Summer University, held near Barcelona, Spain. The weeklong annual event drew 500 Jewish students from 40 countries. This is the fourth year Harris has spoken. Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, AJC's affiliate in Geneva, led a workshop on the UN. EUJS and AJC signed an association agreement in 2005. A number of EUJS members participated in AJC's 100th Annual Meeting. Each summer an AJC fellow works in the EUJS office in Brussels. Five EUJS students have been invited to join the AJC Solidarity Mission to Israel that begins on September 4.


AJC Briefs Students for Israel Advocacy on Campus

Rebecca Neuwirth, AJC's representative to the Israel on Campus Coalition, spoke about ICC and AJC opportunities at a meeting for former and current participants in the New York Jewish Week's Write on Israel program, which works to prepare student writers to be active in campus journalism on behalf of Israel. AJC also convened a meeting of Jewish organizations, the Israeli Consulate, and New York-area Hillels under the banner of the New York Israel Roundtable to discuss how to face campus challenges in the upcoming academic year.


AJC in Kyoto for World Interfaith Gathering

Rabbi David Rosen, AJC's international director of interreligious affairs, addressed the 8th assembly of the World Conference of Religions for Peace. He spoke about why religious conflicts so often seem insoluble. In his remarks, Rosen urged the 2,000 in attendance to acknowledge that terrible things have been done in the name of religion and referred to the Holy Land as an area where conflict resolution has failed because politicians did not work together with religious leaders.


Florida Chapter Director Honored

Bill Gralnick, director of AJC's Palm Beach County Chapter, was honored by the Hispanic Jewish Committee for his "foresight" in establishing the first ongoing contact between Hispanics and Jews in Palm Beach County. Speakers reminisced about the many projects and conferences, including the first multi-ethnic advocacy mission to the state capital. Gralnick was presented an album that traced the history of the Hispanic Jewish Committee and contained personal reflections of members about their work with him.


AJC Mideast Briefing: Understanding Israel's Budget

Eran Lerman, director of AJC's Israel/Middle East Office in Jerusalem, assesses the emerging debate over Israel's budget and offers his insights into the demands for defense expenditures in order to prepare Israel for the continuing threats from Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas. Read briefing.


In the Media

The Jerusalem Post published an op-ed article by David Harris on the importance of U.S. support for Israel during the recent war in Lebanon.

The Miami Herald quoted Eran Lerman on Syria's arming of Hezbollah after the recent war.

In his New York Post column, in which he described the heroism and challenges of Israel's navy, Ralph Peters mentioned his visit to Israel, sponsored by AJC's Project Interchange, during which he and other military analysts met with the deputy commander-in-chief of the Israeli Navy.

The Japan Times interviewed Rabbi David Rosen during his visit to Kyoto to address the World Conference of Religions for Peace. Rosen also was quoted in the Inter Press Service News Agency article on the conference, and did an extensive interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation .

The New York Times quoted Rabbi Andrew Baker, AJC's director of international Jewish affairs, in an article on a survivor's efforts to retrieve paintings she made while at Auschwitz.

The New York Jewish Week quoted David Harris in an article on possible peace process moves in the wake of the Lebanon war.

The International Herald Tribune published a letter by Maxine Kaye, senior assistant to AJC's executive director, on Hezbollah. Read letter.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel published a letter by Harriet McKinney, director of AJC's Milwaukee Chapter, on Hezbollah.

CNS News and The Press Trust of India cited UN Watch's new email campaign for Darfur victims, in which the AJC affiliate is calling for Sudan's expulsion from the UN.

NOTE: The next issue of AJC News Update will be published on September 13.

Please contact Kenneth Bandler, AJC's Director of Communications,
at bandlerk@ajc.org with any questions or comments.
© 2006 American Jewish Committee


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JINSA Report Notice "Suicide Killers"



August 30, 2006
Notice
JINSA Report
http://www.jinsa.org

"Suicide Killers"

For our New York readers - please go to the movies today!

For our other readers - please try to bring this film to your city.

"Suicide Killers"
Aug. 25-31
25 Times Square (234 W. 42nd St.)
For information call (212) 398-3939

Filmmaker Pierre Rehov went to Israel intending to have a vacation. Life
intervened.

I had the opportunity, at the last minute, to get the exclusive
interview of this candidate to suicide bombing. No television in the
world ever got that! This is the real scoop of the film, and the
scariest part is that it was shot a week ago, meaning that the
terrorist is still on the loose, waiting for an order. It was like
having access to a serial killer ready to kill his 20th victim, and
not being able to do anything about it. I believed that exposing him
was much more moral and ethical than refusing to doing it. So I sent
a team. They were taken to the terrorist with [blindfolds] on the
eyes, in very uncomfortable conditions. This terrorist is still on
the run, waiting for orders. He lives in Gaza.

In an e-mail interview with The New York Jewish Week, Rehov acknowledged
an ethical dilemma. But Israeli authorities know who the bomber was and
have him under surveillance. Production executive Lisa Magnas told
TNYJW, "He's not a randomly chosen person. He is at the top of Israel's
security list and there's no way he can cross the border into Israel
without being known."

To our benefit, Rehov came down on the side of educating the rest of us
about the life and psychology of a person we hope we will never meet.
Parts of the thesis will surprise you as Rehov deals with the societal
pressures that culminate in the willingness of a person to stand among
others and pull the cord.

This is a "small film," not distributed through a major chain. The only
theater showing it is in New York, and only for a limited time. It is
crucial for those in New York to prove that there is an audience for
such a movie in order to ensure that it be shown elsewhere.

You have nothing better to do than go to the movies.

Really.

The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW * Suite 515 * Washington, DC, 20036
Ph (202) 667-3900 * F (202) 667-0601
Comments? Send an email to feedback@jinsa.org <mailto:feedback@jinsa.org>
___________________________________________________
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http://www.jinsa.org/member/member.html

Free Israel's Kidnapped Soldiers

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On Thursday August 31, 2006, thousands of Israelis will join the families of the three IDF soldiers held hostage by Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists at a rally in Tel Aviv to demand the release of their loved ones.

Cpl. Gilad Shalit was kidnapped two months ago in Gaza. Monday marked his 65th day in captivity and also his 20th birthday.

Reservist soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser were kidnapped by Hezbollah in a cross-border assault July 12th.

Join ADL in demanding the release of the three kidnapped soldiers.
Show your support by signing our pledge of solidarity today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tuesday, August 29, 2006

JINSA Report #598 Russia's Terrorist Road Map

JINSA
1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Suite 515
Washington, DC 20036

202-667-3900
202-667-0601 Fax

August 29, 2006

JINSA Report #598

Russia's Terrorist Road Map

Westerners, Americans in particular, often ask what we did to engender
the violent hatred of Islamic terrorists. [Not us, by the way. Well
aware of Western shortcomings and always interested in national
self-improvement, we nevertheless believe nothing we have done or are
likely to do justifies 9-11, the Sbarro pizzeria bombing in Jerusalem,
or the perversion of Muslim children to believe that their lives are
best spent preparing for a violent death.] Others wonder why, even
though the USSR invaded and decimated Afghanistan, the particular fury
of Islamists is directed at the U.S. and Israel.

Regnar Rasmussen, a former military interpreter and interrogation
specialist trained at the Danish Armed Forces' Specialist School, worked
as a Farsi translator in the immigration department of Danish Central
Police. In the mid-1980s, he interviewed Iranians fleeing the Islamic
Revolution and discovered that many had been communists in the time of
the Shah and received guerrilla/explosives/terrorism training in the
USSR. In an interview with Insight Magazine, Rasmussen described them:

After I had been face to face with a number of these, it dawned upon me
that the step from being a glowing red communist to becoming a
bloodthirsty Muslim fundamentalist is actually a distance equal to zero.
Since then, I have seen these two categories as the two sides of the
same coin. Communism and Islamic fundamentalism have more in common than
what meets the eye. They share the same fundamental hatred against
individualism and against individuals who wish to be happy and just
enjoy life.

Romanian Ion Mihai Pacepa, the highest-ranking intelligence officer to
have defected from the Soviet bloc, provided details in a recent article
in the National Review.

In 1972, the Kremlin decided to turn the whole Islamic world against
Israel and the U.S. ... Andropov told me ...The Islamic world was a
waiting petri dish in which we could nurture a virulent strain of
America-hatred, grown from the bacterium of Marxist-Leninist thought.
Islamic anti-Semitism ran deep... Terrorism and violence against Israel
and her master, American Zionism, would flow naturally from the Muslims'
religious fervor, Andropov sermonized. We had only to keep repeating our
themes - that the United States and Israel were "fascist,
imperial-Zionist countries" bankrolled by rich Jews. Islam was obsessed
with preventing the infidels' occupation of its territory."

What to do with the information? Ramussen notes:

The Soviet system had a solid tradition of registering everything. We
saw all the details meticulously noted down in every STASI report that
came out after the fall of communism in 1989. I know that all the files
of each and every single foreign student ever trained in the Soviet
Union are still intact... If the new Russia wants to show her good
intentions in the war against terror she should brush the dust off these
old archives. If you trace down each and every single graduate you will
also be able to see who in turn became his students or followers. The
entire network that was set up by that generation in those days would
become clearly visible.

It is crucial for the West to sever the relationship between terrorists
and the states that harbor and support them. A road map provided by the
Russian government would make it a lot easier.

To view this JINSA Report online click on the link below.
http://www.jinsa.org/JINSAReports/3522

___________________________________________________
Have a comment on this JINSA Report? Send an email to feedback@jinsa.org to let us know.

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Friday, August 25, 2006

AJC Mideast Briefing

   
     
 
 

"Off with their Heads"-
Or the Beginning of the Healing Process? Israel Prepares
 for an Inquiry into What Went Wrong with the War
A Special Report

August 25, 2006
Dr. Eran Lerman
Director Israel/Middle East Office

One need not be a devotee of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni, or Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz to wonder aloud if the call for commission(s) of inquiry is what Israel needs right now: Another self-inflicted wound? Another rich mine of evidence about Israel's "fatal weakness" for Hassan Nasrallah to dig into as he prepares for the PSYOPs of the day after?

And yet the establishment of an official commission is now all but certain. Too much has happened; too many people feel they were abandoned, betrayed, sold short, or held back when they were just ready to go on the decisive offensive. Too many keen and credible observers, from Ari Shavit of Ha'aretz to Ralph Peters of the New York Post (who visited here as an AJC Project Interchange guest), came to the conclusion that the IDF may be a good fighting (and learning) force, but the outcome reflected a country poorly served by its military and political leadership. Glib dismissals will no longer do: Some kind of a mechanism must be found to assign responsibility, if not guilt. "The old ladies are already knitting by the guillotine," and the wider public wants some answers. There is a price to be paid for being the only self-searching democracy in the region, but it is worth paying, in the long run.

There are five different configurations possible for such an inquiry:

1. An internal commission within the Ministry of Defense , already created (in what many saw as a quick but clumsy political gambit) under the chairmanship of a former chief of staff, Amnon Lipkin-Shahak. It has good persons on its roster; but, given that Shahak was himself a close personal adviser to Peretz during the fighting, there are questions raised as to the scope of its inquiry-too narrowly focused on the performance of the IDF rather than the government as a whole.

2. A mandate given to the State Comptroller-General (mevaker hamedinah , roughly equivalent to the GAO in the U.S.) to ask questions and seek answers. Unlike his polite predecessors, the present holder of this position, Micha Lindenstrauss, is an abrasive (some say, self-aggrandizing) former district judge who does not hesitate to call culprits by name and suggest legal proceedings when necessary. He is already tooling his office to do the work, whatever Olmert decides.

3. A Special Knesset Commission , probably mandated by legislation (or simply constituted for the purpose by the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee), which could summon witnesses, hold public and classified hearings, and write a report (without legal implications, but politically significant).

4. A "governmental" commission , not unlike the U.S. 9/11 Commission, appointed by the cabinet as a whole and given a much broader scope, but with limited or no legal powers or binding authority (which may be what Olmert would like to create, if he could safely get away with it).

5. A National Commission of Inquiry (va'adat hakirah mamlakhtit ), a unique Israeli institution with a formal status under law. Such commissions have made themselves famous over the years:

  • In 1973-74 it was Chief Justice Shimon Agranat's commission that exonerated the political level, Golda Meir and Moshe Dayan, of failings in the run-up to and the first disastrous days of the Yom Kippur War, but did require the chief of staff, David (Dado) Elazar, to leave his post-he died, heartbroken, soon afterwards, and to many Israelis remained a tragic hero-and also damned the head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, Eli Zeira, and some of his officers, for failing to see the writing on the wall.
  • In 1982, it was Judge Yitzhak Kahan's commission that did cross the political threshold, and directly blamed the minister of defense at the time, Ariel Sharon, for failing to prevent the massacre (by Lebanese militias) of Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps; he was barred from the position (and indeed, even when elected prime minister, never held it again), and other army and intelligence officers were also held responsible. 
  • In 2002, another Supreme Court justice, Theodor Orr, presided over a commission that looked into the events in Arab areas of Israel at the onset of the violent conflict with the Palestinians, in which fourteen were killed by police. Again, personal conclusions were drawn: Shlomo Ben-Ami, by then no longer in government, was barred from holding the position of minister for internal security in the future; former Prime Minister Ehud Barak was censured; and several police officers had their careers curtailed.

This last aspect of the vaadat hakirah mamlakhtit commission's powers-the capacity to assign personal responsibility-is at the root of the demand for this form of inquiry (and there are certainly political aspirations driving some who call for it), but is also the reason why some noninterested voices are raised against it. They warn that it would turn the conduct of national security affairs, at this crucial moment, into a tangle of personal fears and evasions (to judge by history, Israeli leaders almost never resign under such pressures), complete with the introduction of lawyers and media consultants into the process (which has already begun to happen). But the momentum may be irresistible.

What will be on the inquirers' agenda? There are three concrete issues-enumerated below-and a broader, less defined, but profound sense that the truly important question has less to do with "what we did" and more with "who we thought we were." It is this deep undercurrent that troubles Ari Shavit (and in a mirror image, was celebrated by Thomas Friedman): Were we all swept away-myself included, at times, as some of my weekly reports will attest-by the notion that it was all about Warren Buffet and "the economy, stupid"; the image of Israel as an investors' paradise, surging ahead as a high-tech power. The obverse side of this coin was a state, and a government, less and less attentive to the dangers around it (hence the decision to give a labor union leader, Amir Peretz, the Ministry of Defense, "as if this were Norway," so that the Ministry of Finance would remain in the hands of one of Olmert's loyalists); and at the same time, often alienated from the needs of the poor and the peripheral groups in society. It is this fixation with the needs of the so-called "Tel Aviv bubble" and the Stock Exchange that may explain much of what has happened, and it has already led to a rebellion by some Labor Party members of Knesset-led by Avishai Braverman-against the decision to shift the costs of the war to budget cuts in social services.

Still, the specific mandate of any commission will probably encompass this aspect of our lives only indirectly, through an inquiry into what is coming to be perceived as "what went wrong":

1. Readiness: It is now beyond dispute that there were problems with the preparation of the IDF for war. This time-and this is not simply the assessment of a former practitioner-it was not Intelligence, per se, which was to blame (except in some cases, such as the failure to warn that Hezbollah possessed C-802 anti-ship missiles); the information was there, even about the transfer of state-of-the-art Russian anti-tank missiles from Syria to Hezbollah. But it was not always disseminated to those who needed it; it was not acted upon, for budgetary reasons, by providing expensive countermeasures to the tank units (which accounts for the high proportion of their loss of lives in battle); and more generally, it was not translated into a systematic plan to have the reserve tank divisions, the backbone of the IDF in wartime, ready for a northern mission. Provisions were reduced, and reservists found their storage units in poor condition; much was missing, and there were also failures of supply during the fighting, including food and water. Above all, the extent of call-ups for reservist training fell in recent years-again, largely for budgetary and larger economic reasons (not to disrupt the work of highly productive men in key industries)-well below the minimal levels necessary to enable units to fight coherently once mobilized.

2. Operations: Paradoxically, what feeds the anger of the reservists-and the bereaved parents-who are now calling for Olmert and Peretz to go is not that their units were sent into harm's way, but that they were not sent far enough. The people in the towns of the North, too, were willing to suffer, if only the outcome would be a decisive removal of Hezbollah from the areas from which they were being shelled. This did not happen. The soldiers who went in, and out, and in again; the huge reservist forces held, coiled and ready to spring, until it was almost too late, with plans changing by the day and hour-among them, bitter criticism is now directed at the vacillation, indecision, delay, and repeated reversal of orders, as well as at costly tactical mistakes (such as the manner in which infantry units were sent piecemeal into a town the size of Avishai Bravermann).

Overall, there is a feeling among many experts that the basic operational framework in which the fighting was conducted-whether because too much was expected of the Air Force; or because of the political level's interest in bringing about a diplomatic solution, based on the Lebanese Army and a strong UN presence-violated some of the most basic rules of warfare, such as the full utilization of force and the need to maintain momentum in the battlefield. Any inquiry is bound to look, in this context, at the decisions made at the political level, by Olmert and Peretz; at the IDF headquarters level, by the chief of staff and his colleagues; as well as at the Northern Command and the divisional level (and there are strong indications of recurrent disconnects between the four levels). Such work is likely to focus on why the plan for a large, enveloping movement, which was used in an IDF exercise just a few months earlier, was ultimately rejected in favor of a much more tank-heavy grind through South Lebanon.

3. The "rear areas" (i.e., civilians under fire): Some government ministers have dismissed as "nonsense" the claim that the North was "neglected"-a claim made by, among many others, none other than the serving head of the Security Service (Shin Bet), Yuval Diskin. But the evidence-as the associate director of the AJC office in Jerusalem, Rabbi Ed Rettig, can attest from his personal experience traveling to the North to disseminate the Emergency Fund provisions-is overwhelming: The government was not there when needed, and the municipal authorities (strong and resilient in Haifa; much weaker, and in places, incompetent or worse, elsewhere) were largely left to fend for themselves. At the root of all this was a simple decision by Olmert's cabinet not to define this as a war, and thus, to avoid the implementation of extensive (and costly) measures required and provided for under the "Emergency Economy" system (MELAH, Mesheq L'Sh'at Herum , by its Hebrew acronym), which would have bound workers to their positions in the vital services, prevented any wartime dismissals, secured provisions for people in the shelters, and empowered the Rear Areas Command to extend safety measures to sensitive areas, such as the chemical stores in the industrial areas north of Haifa.

Will all of this destroy Olmert? It is hard to tell, at this stage. A change in the murky pattern of cowardice by the international community; some robust action on the Syrian-Lebanese border to prevent resupply; a prolonged period of stability-all of these might restore some of his government's prestige in the public eye (albeit not enough, for the foreseeable future, for him to carry the country on to a renewed "Convergence" plan, or to peace talks offering concessions on the Golan). But once the commissions get under way, it may well be this very last point-the decision, probably for economic reasons, not to declare that the country was at war and to activate MELAH-that might raise the most profound questions as to his priorities, and those of our present political system as a whole.
 
     
 


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AJC OPED IN JPOST

 
The Jerusalem Post published today an article by AJC Executive Director David A. Harris. 


The Jerusalem Post
August 25, 2006
 
Nurture the alliance
David A. Harris

In the wake of the recent war with Hizbullah, Israel is going through a difficult but necessary process of self-examination. The questions are many, as are the lessons to be learned.

But if American Jews do nothing more than follow the process in Israel with interest, they are losing an essential opportunity to learn a lesson of their own. The role of the United States was critical during this past month, as it has been for most of Israel's life. It's a lesson we need to take to heart.

Nowhere in the United States Constitution is it written that the special US-Israel relationship is part and parcel of America's foundational principles. That's why I have never, not for a single moment, taken for granted America's unique ties with Israel, and why I have spent a good part of my professional life urging fellow American Jews never to succumb to complacency or the mistaken notion that the link is on automatic pilot.

Nations have been known to reassess their geopolitical interests and do turnarounds. The best such example is France, which played a critical role in Israel's life in the 1950s and early 1960s and then concluded that its long-term objectives were best served by distancing itself from Israel and cozying up to the Arab world. That decision cost Israel dearly, but Israel was lucky. The United States stepped into the breach and has, particularly over the past four decades, played a unique, indeed indispensable, role in the life of Israel.

But imagine that the US had instead chosen to pursue an "evenhanded" approach to the region or, worse, followed France's example, arguing that the realpolitik of sheer Arab numbers, energy resources and export markets dictated such a turn.

What would have been the impact on Israel? To be sure, Israel enjoys friendly relations with a number of countries, and, it should be added, a special link with Germany. But, truth be told, no nation could - or can - substitute for the US role.

No other nation has been prepared to define such an intimate relationship with Israel in all bilateral spheres - from arms sales, foreign aid, and intelligence-sharing to a free-trade zone, scientific cooperation and diplomatic support. No other nation has the capacity, by dint of its size and stature, to help ensure Israel's quest for a secure and lasting peace and normalization in the community of nations.

Has there been another permanent member of the UN Security Council prepared to exercise its right of veto, even if it stands alone, to ensure that Israel is not singled out unfairly by the one UN body that has legally enforceable powers? Was there another nation prepared to stand with Israel - and then walk out with Israel - when the UN Conference Against Racism, held in Durban on the eve of 9/11, turned into an anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist hatefest? Was there another nation ready to resupply the Israeli military during the Yom Kippur War, at a moment when Israel's fate hung in the balance?

In the recent conflict with Hizbullah, once again the United States demonstrated its willingness to stand by Israel, provide vital support, and withstand the pressure of many US allies who would have wished for an earlier end to the fighting, even if it meant keeping Hizbullah largely intact and in place.

There has long been a debate about the reasons for America's unique relationship with Israel and the strong support Israel enjoys in American public opinion. Some suggest that the primary explanation lies in the role of the American Jewish community; others believe that Israel's impressive record as a democratic nation and dependable US ally spells the difference; still others contend that it is primarily America's religiosity and link to the birthplace of the Judeo-Christian heritage; and still others insist that it largely derives from the personal chemistry between, say, a Lyndon Johnson and a Levi Eshkol or a George W. Bush and an Ariel Sharon.

Whatever the primary factor, there can be no doubt that American Jewry is an essential element of the equation. This is all the more reason why American Jews need to work day in and day out to ensure that the mutually beneficial link goes from strength to strength.

Could the bilateral relationship suffer the French fate? Not anytime soon, but it is obvious that there are those Arab and Muslim groups in the US who believe in the possibility of long-term change in America's Middle East orientation. That's why they are working so energetically in universities, for example, hoping to shape the outlook of future generations of American leaders. And in this, they're helped by the largesse of Saudi benefactors only too happy to establish footholds on elite campuses. And that's why they are trying to build links with labor unions, minority communities, the anti-war movement, former State Department Arabists and academics, believing that one day these efforts will create a new critical mass able to shift US foreign policy away from its special ties with Israel - and thereby undercut America's commitment to the only true democracy in the region.

Friends of Israel in the US, including Jewish organizations, must remain alert to these efforts and mindful of their potential consequences. Let's face facts. Any major wedge driven between the US and Israel could have fateful consequences for Israel.
Israelis, who surely have enough to think about at the moment, should nonetheless bear in mind the importance of the American Jewish community as a key player on this "second front."

A.B. Yehoshua, speaking at the American Jewish Committee 100th anniversary celebration earlier this year, famously dismissed the relevance of American Jews to Israel's life and the Jewish people's future. He could not have been more wrong.

The writer is executive director of the American Jewish Committee.



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AJC NYTimes Letter

 
The Jerusalem Post published today an article by AJC Executive Director David A. Harris. 


The Jerusalem Post
August 25, 2006
 
Nurture the alliance
David A. Harris

In the wake of the recent war with Hizbullah, Israel is going through a difficult but necessary process of self-examination. The questions are many, as are the lessons to be learned.

But if American Jews do nothing more than follow the process in Israel with interest, they are losing an essential opportunity to learn a lesson of their own. The role of the United States was critical during this past month, as it has been for most of Israel's life. It's a lesson we need to take to heart.

Nowhere in the United States Constitution is it written that the special US-Israel relationship is part and parcel of America's foundational principles. That's why I have never, not for a single moment, taken for granted America's unique ties with Israel, and why I have spent a good part of my professional life urging fellow American Jews never to succumb to complacency or the mistaken notion that the link is on automatic pilot.

Nations have been known to reassess their geopolitical interests and do turnarounds. The best such example is France, which played a critical role in Israel's life in the 1950s and early 1960s and then concluded that its long-term objectives were best served by distancing itself from Israel and cozying up to the Arab world. That decision cost Israel dearly, but Israel was lucky. The United States stepped into the breach and has, particularly over the past four decades, played a unique, indeed indispensable, role in the life of Israel.

But imagine that the US had instead chosen to pursue an "evenhanded" approach to the region or, worse, followed France's example, arguing that the realpolitik of sheer Arab numbers, energy resources and export markets dictated such a turn.

What would have been the impact on Israel? To be sure, Israel enjoys friendly relations with a number of countries, and, it should be added, a special link with Germany. But, truth be told, no nation could - or can - substitute for the US role.

No other nation has been prepared to define such an intimate relationship with Israel in all bilateral spheres - from arms sales, foreign aid, and intelligence-sharing to a free-trade zone, scientific cooperation and diplomatic support. No other nation has the capacity, by dint of its size and stature, to help ensure Israel's quest for a secure and lasting peace and normalization in the community of nations.

Has there been another permanent member of the UN Security Council prepared to exercise its right of veto, even if it stands alone, to ensure that Israel is not singled out unfairly by the one UN body that has legally enforceable powers? Was there another nation prepared to stand with Israel - and then walk out with Israel - when the UN Conference Against Racism, held in Durban on the eve of 9/11, turned into an anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist hatefest? Was there another nation ready to resupply the Israeli military during the Yom Kippur War, at a moment when Israel's fate hung in the balance?

In the recent conflict with Hizbullah, once again the United States demonstrated its willingness to stand by Israel, provide vital support, and withstand the pressure of many US allies who would have wished for an earlier end to the fighting, even if it meant keeping Hizbullah largely intact and in place.

There has long been a debate about the reasons for America's unique relationship with Israel and the strong support Israel enjoys in American public opinion. Some suggest that the primary explanation lies in the role of the American Jewish community; others believe that Israel's impressive record as a democratic nation and dependable US ally spells the difference; still others contend that it is primarily America's religiosity and link to the birthplace of the Judeo-Christian heritage; and still others insist that it largely derives from the personal chemistry between, say, a Lyndon Johnson and a Levi Eshkol or a George W. Bush and an Ariel Sharon.

Whatever the primary factor, there can be no doubt that American Jewry is an essential element of the equation. This is all the more reason why American Jews need to work day in and day out to ensure that the mutually beneficial link goes from strength to strength.

Could the bilateral relationship suffer the French fate? Not anytime soon, but it is obvious that there are those Arab and Muslim groups in the US who believe in the possibility of long-term change in America's Middle East orientation. That's why they are working so energetically in universities, for example, hoping to shape the outlook of future generations of American leaders. And in this, they're helped by the largesse of Saudi benefactors only too happy to establish footholds on elite campuses. And that's why they are trying to build links with labor unions, minority communities, the anti-war movement, former State Department Arabists and academics, believing that one day these efforts will create a new critical mass able to shift US foreign policy away from its special ties with Israel - and thereby undercut America's commitment to the only true democracy in the region.

Friends of Israel in the US, including Jewish organizations, must remain alert to these efforts and mindful of their potential consequences. Let's face facts. Any major wedge driven between the US and Israel could have fateful consequences for Israel.
Israelis, who surely have enough to think about at the moment, should nonetheless bear in mind the importance of the American Jewish community as a key player on this "second front."

A.B. Yehoshua, speaking at the American Jewish Committee 100th anniversary celebration earlier this year, famously dismissed the relevance of American Jews to Israel's life and the Jewish people's future. He could not have been more wrong.

The writer is executive director of the American Jewish Committee.



Remove yourself from all mailings from American Jewish Committee.

Modify your profile.

JINSA Article Digest for August, 25th

Articles added to JINSA Online from August, 18th to August, 25th.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#596 Weakening Deterrence

(2006-08-18) The Israeli government under Prime Minister Olmert and the
Kadima/Labor coalition stopped short of achieving Hezbollahrsquo;s defeat
through military operations, and it is very unlikely they will achieve them
by political means. The U.S. government expended much political capital in
terms of time and political support hoping for a decidedly different outcome.
The consequences remain to be seen. Read the analysis in JINSA Report #596.

Read more @ http://www.jinsa.org/articles/view.html?documentid=3519
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#597 They Sold Them WHAT? For WHAT?

(2006-08-23) Western countries have an obligation to manage and direct
licensing for military equipment sold abroad with an eye toward the risks of
meeting ones own or allied technology in the hands of an enemy. British
decision making in the case of the night vision equipment ending up in
Hezbollah's hands should be considered carefully by the Bush Administration.
The implications of their behavior are frightening for all of us. Read the
analysis in JINSA Report #597.

Read more @ http://www.jinsa.org/articles/view.html?documentid=3520

_______________________________________________
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Wednesday, August 23, 2006

AJC News Update

American Jewish Committee News Update

Update 220  |  August 23, 2006

JBI Report on Hezbollah Destruction in Israel

The extensive damage to lives and property in northern Israel wrought by Hezbollah’s barrage of rocket attacks is documented in a new study published by AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights. The report, “lsrael Under Rocket Attack: A Profile of Displacement and Destruction,” presents the first comprehensive overview of Israel’s displaced population and the impact of the war on them, and calls upon the international community to assist the Israeli people. The report was prepared by Frances Raday, professor of Labor Law at the Hebrew University and director of the Concord Research Center for Integration of International Law in Israel. Download report.


AJC Mideast Briefing: Does Syria Hold the Keys?

Without risking the life of a single Syrian soldier, President Bashar al-Asad has repositioned himself as a key player, writes Eran Lerman, director of AJC’s Israel Office, in his weekly analysis. Lerman provides a cogent assessment of how Syria fares in the region and on the international stage in the wake of Hezbollah’s four-week assault on Israel. Lerman argues against proposals to reopen peace negotiations with Syria, and says the world now must “focus like a laser beam” on the Iranian nuclear challenge. Read briefing.


AJC Israel Emergency Assistance Fund Tops $1.7 million

Thank you to all who have generously contributed to our fund to assist victims of the rocket attacks. Thus far, AJC has been able to purchase two ambulances for Magen David Adom, deliver hundreds of first-aid kits to bomb shelters in the north, hundreds of packages of toys and baby supplies to Jewish and Arab communities in the north, and provide aid to displaced families relocated to Eilat. In the coming days we expect to announce the purchase of medical equipment for damaged hospitals in the north as well as search and rescue vehicles. The damage has been extensive (see the JBI report item above), so the needs are great, reports Rabbi Ed Rettig, associate director of AJC's Israel Office, who has been coordinating our relief efforts. DONATE NOW.


AJC Radio Message: Everyday Solutions Made in Israel

Good news about Israel often is neglected or lost amidst the focus on news surrounding conflict in the Middle East, says David Harris in his national message broadcast on the CBS radio network. “Every time you log onto your computer, chances are Israeli technology is helping you. Every time you use your cell phone or voice mail, chances are Israeli technology is there too. And every time you enter a hospital for a procedure, chances are Israeli technology is probably there as well,” says Harris, who reminds listeners that Israel continues to be a pioneer in technology, science and medicine. Listen.


El Salvador Thanked for Embassy in Jerusalem

AJC sent a letter to El Salvador President Antonio Elías Saca González recognizing his courageous and principled statement regarding the Costa Rican decision to move its embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, and thanking him for maintaining his nation’s embassy in Israel’s capital city. President Saca stated that his country will not follow the Costa Rican move. AJC voiced last week deep disappointment with Costa Rica’s decision.


Effort to Get UN to Recognize Terrorism as Human Rights Violation

UN Watch, AJC’s affiliate in Geneva, led a coalition of 13 non-governmental organizations calling on the UN Human Rights Council to recognize terrorism as a human rights violation. Iran sent one of its diplomats to respond after UN Watch named it as a sponsor of terror. Pablo Kapusta, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fellow at UN Watch, delivered the speech on behalf of the coalition. Click for full text and Iran´s reply.


Central American Group Honors AJC Institute Director

Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC’s Latin America and Latino Institute, will be honored on Friday by the Central American Coalition of Nevada with the Friend of Central America award, given in recognition of AJC’s work with immigrants from Central American countries. AJC has sponsored a series of advocacy workshops for leaders in those communities across the U.S. Guests of honor at the ceremony in Las Vegas will include top business and civic leaders in Nevada; U.S. Senator Harry Reid; Manuel Zelaya, President of Honduras; Vivian Fernandez de Torrijo, First Lady of Panama; and, Julio Palacios Zambrano, President of the Central American Parliament.


In the Media

The New York Times published a letter by AJC President E. Robert Goodkind regarding an op-ed article advocating talks with Hezbollah. Read letter.

The Jewish Standard (New Jersey) published an op-ed article by David Harris on the Mike Wallace interview with Iran’s president. The New York Sun last week published a similar piece. Read.

The Chicago Jewish News ran a cover story feature article on the Chicago Coalition for Interreligious Learning: Catholics, Jews and Muslims Working Together, a three-year-old initiative of AJC’s Chicago Chapter led by board member Esta Star.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Sherry Frank, director of AJC’s Atlanta Chapter, in an article on Andrew Young’s apology for remarks he made regarding Jewish, Korean and Arab shop owners.

The Kansas City Star quoted extensively Judy Hellman, special projects coordinator for the AJC office in Kansas City, on Andrew Young’s remarks, and on her own efforts to advance intergroup relations.

The Los Angeles Times published a column by Max Boot, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, on the Syrian threat to Israel. Boot referenced AJC in the opening of his piece. Boot recently visited Israel on a Project Interchange mission for leading military and security analysts. This was his second column since the trip.

Yahoo News quoted Sherry Weinman, president of AJC’s Los Angeles Chapter, in an online story about the impact of the war on Jewish and Lebanese communities in the U.S.

Please contact Kenneth Bandler, AJC's Director of Communications,
at bandlerk@ajc.org with any questions or comments.
© 2006 American Jewish Committee


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