AJC News Update

Update 203  |  April 12, 2006 Click to Register Online Centennial Annual Meeting Opens in 20 Days President Bush is expected to address the May 4 gala dinner celebrating AJC's Centennial. It will be the second time the president has addressed an AJC Annual Dinner. Other world leaders confirmed for the Washington event include UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The week-long Annual Meeting will be full of dynamic speakers and substantive sessions covering AJC's agenda that will engage members and guests from around the world. Haven't registered yet? Join the more than 1,200 AJC members and friends who already have. Click for more information. AJC Praises President Bush for Firm Stance on Hamas-led Government In a letter to President Bush, AJC praised him for suspending U.S. aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. AJC also welcomed the Administration's plan to increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. AJC continues to support President Bush's vision of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "We continue to hope that responsible Palestinian leadership will ultimately emerge, and, with continued strong American support, peaceful coexistence will one day take root between Israel and the Palestinians," wrote AJC President E Robert Goodkind and Executive Director David A. Harris. Read letter. Praise for European Union Stance on Hamas AJC sent a letter to Javier Solana, Secretary General/High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy of the Council of the European Union, expressing appreciation for the council's decision to suspend assistance to the Hamas-led Palestinian government. "We firmly believe that the international community must remain consistent and united in its stance toward Hamas – dealing with it only if it agrees to recognize Israel's right to exist, to abandon terrorism, and to respect existing agreements and obligations," AJC wrote. "Any deviation from these principles, which have been set by the Quartet, would only strengthen the radicals who are opposed to peace, and further marginalize moderates." Read letter. AJC Meets Air Force Secretary AJC President E. Robert Goodkind led an AJC delegation in an intraorganizational meeting with Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne. Focus of the discussion was on the air force's recently issued guidelines on religious tolerance. The guidelines, developed in response to claims of proselytizing and religious discrimination at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, were drafted by Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff, Special Assistant to the Secretary and former director of interreligious affairs at AJC. Goodkind also met privately with Air Force Chief of Staff Michael "Buzz" Moseley (see photo) to discuss Iran, the war in Iraq, and relations between the Israeli and U.S. armed forces. Richard Foltin, AJC's legislative director, and Barry Jacobs, AJC's director of Strategic Studies, also participated. AJC to Launch Africa Institute AJC will launch at the Annual Meeting its latest international diplomatic initiative, the Africa Institute. "Our vision is to bridge the gulf of understanding between Americans and the peoples and nations of Africa," said Stanley Bergman, a member of AJC's national board and founding chair of the Africa Institute. A special panel discussion has been organized for May 5 in Washington, at which time AJC will release a book on Israel's relations with Africa. Eliseo Neuman is director of the Africa Institute. Click for news release. European Students Thank AJC The European Union of Jewish Students sent a letter a letter of thanks to AJC for supporting the organization's recent mission to Geneva, which brought together Jewish students from across Europe to discuss international advocacy activities. "One hundred and twenty Jewish students at the UN, whether in Geneva or in New York, is not a sight one sees every day, yet due to your support our strength and our voice will undoubtedly become part of the Geneva diplomatic world," wrote EUJS leaders. "Since the inception of our growing relationship, AJC has continuously recognized creativity, initiative and courage." EUJS is an international partner of AJC. Hillel Recognizes AJC Campus Initiatives AJC's pilot program at Princeton University, the AJC Princeton Society, was selected as one of six projects across the country to be showcased interactively at a Hillel summit on the state of the college campus in May. Booklet Tells Story of AJC's Relations with Germany AJC in Germany: A Continuous Tradition of Dialogue and Tolerance by Georgetown University Professor Jeffrey Peck, traces the roots and history of this important relationship, which spans the post-war era. At the gala dinner in Berlin last month celebrating AJC's Centennial, attended by members of AJC's Board of Governors, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid tribute to this very special friendship. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will address the AJC Annual Dinner on May 4, in Washington. Download AJC in Germany . Why Do Non-Jewish Spouses Convert? Choosing Jewish: Conversations about Conversion by Brandeis University Professor Sylvia Barack Fishman is now available. Fishman presented her findings at a lunch program at AJC headquarters attended by more than 50 national Jewish leaders and media. The pioneering study, based on dozens of interviews with Jewish and non-Jewish men and women involved in mixed marriages, provides for the first time insights into why conversions to Judaism take place and their impact on the community. Copies can be ordered online from the AJC Store. AJC Chapters Hold Intergroup Seders In major cities across the country, people of different faiths and ethnicities joined with local AJC leadership in model Passover Seders. More than 80 UN ambassadors, consuls general, and other diplomats attended the New York Chapter's 16th annual Diplomatic Seder. The Cincinnati Chapter hosed its 13th Annual Community Intergroup Seder. The Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition celebrated a symbolic Seder, which has been held annually for more than 20 years, commemorating the Jewish Exodus from slavery and remembered the African-American struggle for freedom. The Milwaukee Chapter held its 11th annual African American-Jewish Seder. New Web Site Features The AJC Web Site has a new look on the homepage, with Breaking News featured at the top. Other new features that are informative and interactive include Quote of the Day, which offers citations from Jewish sources, and the Question of the Week. Check out the new question every week in the right-hand column, and come back the following week to get the answer and to answer the next one. In the Media Yediot Achronot and the Jerusalem Post ran stories on the AJC study on conversion, Choosing Jewish . Other articles on the study are expected in this week's Forward and New York Jewish Week. The Jerusalem Post quoted Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC's Latino and Latin America Institute, extensively in an article about Peru's recent elections. Haaretz quoted Siegel Vann in a lengthy article about an AJC mission to Israel for high-level U.S. Latino leaders. The trip was organized by AJC's Project Interchange. New York Jewish Week editor Gary Rosenblatt cited AJC Executive Director David Harris in a column about Jewish leaders. New York Jewish Week quoted Rabbi James Rudin, AJC senior advisor on interreligious affair, in a story on Evangelical Christian support of Israel. Rudin is also quoted in the Hartford Courant on his book, The Baptizing of America , and in a story from the Associated Press on the New Testament. The Financial Times published two letters to the editor about AJC's full-page ad in the paper on Iran's nuclear threat. (A response from David Harris has been submitted to the FT for publication.) The New York Times quoted Felice Gaer, director of AJC's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, in a story on the new UN Human Rights Council. UN Watch Director Hillel Neuer was quoted in stories about the new UN Human Rights Council in Reuters, The Scotsman, Swissinfo, IPS News, and CNS News International, and also was interviewed by Radio Marti and Wordt Vervolgd, the Dutch magazine of Amnesty International. The Latham and Watkins International Legal Journal ran a story about AJC's New Orleans relief trip for ACCESS: AJC's New Generation Program, written by a participant, Efraim Chalamish. The Cincinnati Enquirer ran a story on the AJC Cincinnati Chapter's intergroup community Passover Seder. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted AJC Atlanta Chapter Director Sherry Frank in an article about the chapter's black-Jewish Seder. EDITOR'S NOTE: The next issue of AJC News Update will appear on April 26. 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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ADL Connections - April 2006

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Neo-Nazis Cast Clouds over the Sunshine State Neo-Nazis came face-to-face with angry protesters in Orlando, Florida recently. A skirmish ensued, resulting several arrests. On the surface, a skinhead is a skinhead. However, there are special symbols that Neo-Nazis use to differentiate each other. ADL tracks this menace by deciphering their code of hate. ADL Honors Englishman for Saving Holocaust Children Sir Nicholas Winton saved hundreds of Czechoslovakian children from the Nazis during World War II. ADL will honor him with its Courage to Care Award for his heroic efforts. Winton had kept his amazing story a secret for almost 50 years. Now it will be preserved and teach future generations that one person can battle anti-Semitism and make a difference. Massachusetts Educates on Ditching Hate Needham, Massachusetts is the newest town in the U.S. to become a certified ADL No Place for Hate® community. A number of events took place as part of the celebration, including: a workshop titled Diversity through the Eyes of Our Youth, directed by students from local schools and a seminar called Human Rights After 9/11: From Darfur to the Patriot Act, led by Susannah Sirkin, Director of Physicians for Human Rights. Holocaust Denial: A War Crime in Itself The Holocaust left a permanent scar on humanity. Hate-mongers obsessed with re-opening the wounds include David Irving, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and David Duke. With these dangerous people spreading their Holocaust denial lies across the world, ADL is dedicated to educating present and future generations, to ensure they learn the truth about what really happened. Get ADL’s Free Online Security Newsletter Get information you need to keep your synagogue or other Jewish institution safe. On Guard, ADL's quarterly security newsletter will help you gather the tools to form a security plan, establish relationships with law enforcement, and thwart violence and vandalism. Security is more than installing hardware or hiring additional staff. You need to be On Guard. Subscribe today! ©2006 Anti-Defamation League. All rights reserved. Donate | Change Your E-mail Address | Update your E-mail Preferences Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy Support ADL   Did You Know? Last month, ADL instructed over 400 FBI and law enforcement agents at the Advanced Training School in Humble, Texas.

AJC Mideast Briefing

Far More than Four: Questions Crowd our Seder Table A Weekly Briefing on Israeli and Middle Eastern Affairs April 10, 2006 Dr. Eran Lerman Director Israel/Middle East Office As we sit (or, as we should, slouch) at our heavily-laden Seder tables this week, the questions will be there—whether in the forefront of animated political conversations, or at the back of our minds, as we solemnly read our ancient texts of slavery and redemption: many more than the traditional four, and focused on our immediate future course rather than on our storied past. In almost every way, this is a time of troubling uncertainties. The outcome of the Knesset elections may have secured for Ehud Olmert, a seasoned and sophisticated politician, the helm of the ship of state and the statesman's stature he has long dreamt of, but the specific party balance, the prospects for stable governance, the matching of people to portfolios, and the policy guidelines on the key issues are all still in flux. How profoundly will the course of social and economic policy change, compared with the rough-edged budget cutting of Binyamin Netanyahu's years as minister of finance, now that the Labor Party and the new and not-quite-so-grandfatherly prodigy, the Pensioners Party, led by former spymaster Rafi Eitan) have a claim on fiscal decisions? How many of the gains in religious pluralism and tolerance, painstakingly achieved when Shinui shared power with Ariel Sharon, will now be undone with Shas back on board? Will Kadima, a quickly created list of ambitious men—and one prominent woman—hold together as a party of governance when the daily grind of political life comes to bear upon it? Meanwhile, immense questions posed by regional and international developments loom large on the near horizon. Can Iran under Ali Khamene'i and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad be trusted with the bomb? (At least we know the answer to that one!) Will the world act effectively? (Well, maybe ... and then again, maybe not.) What should we be prepared for, if Iran decides to use terrorist proxies such as Islamic Jihad or Hizballah in the north to lash out? (The worst—all the way up to a full-scale conflict, involving Syria as well as Lebanon.) Will the acrid smoke from the fires of fitna (Arabic for civil strife) fanned by the insurgents in Iraq, and by those dragged into their homicidal trap of communal hatred, obscure or even strangle the few signs of hope for change in the region? If that happens, what will become of the authority and prestige of the U.S.? Will our peace partners in the Arab world survive? All this before we even mention the Palestinian question(s). Here, a peculiar paradox, or should we say, one more paradox, is at work. As Israeli public opinion faces the consequences of the August 2005 Disengagement—and the prospects for the 2007- 2009 "Consolidation" (or, as the Orange camp calls it, the next "eviction" or "expulsion"), firmly put forward by Olmert—one would expect some bitter second thoughts: The intensifying barrage of Qassam rockets and even an occasional Katyusha (with a 21-km. range) aimed at Ashkelon—with Islamic Jihad, subsidized and prodded by Iran, taking the lead—seems to confirm the dire warnings of the right, ever since Oslo, that any concession to the Palestinians brings death and ruin a step closer top our homes and industrial centers; The supposedly solid front of friends in the world, gained by the painful and brave sacrifices made this summer, seems to be in danger of fraying at any moment, as second thoughts about the attitude toward Hamas are weighed in policy circles (at least in Europe). Politically, Kadima and the other parties that strongly supported the unilateral disengagement, Labor and Meretz, did not do as well as they may have hoped in the Knesset elections—with 44 percent of the votes (53 seats) among them, so that even the ideologically lukewarm pensioners (with 7) are not enough to bring them to 61 out of 120. (The nationalist right has 32, in three parties, and the ultra-Orthodox, who are not likely to be any happier with the "uprooting of Jews," have 18; the three Arab parties, with 10 seats between them, will oppose any unilateral step they see as consolidating Israeli rule in the areas not evacuated.) The process of compensation and resettlement for the evacuees—while costing huge sums of money—has gone badly in many respects and left hundreds of families angry and frustrated: not a good "promo" for the far larger project planned for some 40,000–70,000 settlers now living in the inner areas of the West Bank. The violence in Amona indicates that the relatively calm evictions in August may not repeat themselves. And yet Olmert's vision (still laid out in general terms, but there are indications that some specific planning—maps, dates, money—is already underway) remains the "only game in town," so much so that neither Shas nor Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu tried too hard to subvert it in their initial negotiations with Kadima. On the contrary, they both seemed eager to redefine their positions to fit with what is increasingly the mainstream position in Israeli public life. The reasons are equally clear—and sad: As we watch the bloody anarchy on the other side—a bifurcated "government" (the term itself begins to sound ironic); dozens of armed groups; irresponsible firing of Qassams; theft and corruption; terrorist murderers sitting in the cabinet; the usual charade of weasel words in English complemented by poisonous propaganda in Arabic, as if we are still as naïve as we once were; and this list is far from exhaustive—the instinctive response is quite simply that the time has come for us to go our separate ways. These are not people—by which I mean the reckless political class, not the hard-working ordinary Palestinians—whom we want to share our future with, nor trust to honor any paper they might sign. Call it "Consolidation," "Convergence," Disengagement, separation, eviction, even (as the radical right-wingers would suggest) "ethnic cleansing"—what we really want is a divorce. We tried; it did not work. This matrimony was not made in heaven. A two-state solution is no longer a favor we offer "them," but rather it is about "us" and who we want to be. We need to be, in the words of the Haggada, "b'nei horin,"—children of freedom, free to choose our fate, no longer chained to the will (and in this case, ill will) of others—even if freedom comes, as it often does, at a heartbreaking cost, and in this case, with a painful carving of our ancestral homeland. Then we shall let our reliable IDF and intelligence agencies deal with the residual threats, but first, we need to make our own decisions. Many Israelis will be raising their glasses on Seder night with this thought in mind.

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FIRE News: Victory for Freedom of Speech at the University of Southern California

Dear Mr. Levy: FIRE has won yet another victory for freedom of speech, this time at the University of Southern California (USC). In a relatively short amount of time, USC went from shutting down a performance and detaining a protestor to making a full and public apology for its actions. We commend USC for quickly, clearly, and publicly repudiating its mistake. FIRE’s full press release on this case appears below, but if your e-mail client does not support HTML, you can view a link-rich version at http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/6959.html. Sincerely, Greg Lukianoff, President Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) 601 Walnut Street, Suite 510 Philadelphia, PA 19106 Phone: 215-717-3473; Fax: 215-717-3440 ------------------------  Victory for Freedom of Speech at the University of Southern California   LOS ANGELES, April 10, 2006—The University of Southern California (USC) has publicly reaffirmed its commitment to freedom of speech and repudiated two instances of censorship. USC’s renewed embrace of liberty came after the intervention of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).   “We are impressed with USC’s response,” said FIRE President Greg Lukianoff. “While we would prefer that universities not censor their students in the first place, a real willingness to address and repudiate censorship will go a long way toward restoring liberty on our campuses.”   The trouble at USC began in January when George Weiss Vando performed his one-man show ManLady. After receiving some complaints about Vando’s use of a profanity, a Student Affairs staff member shut down the performance, explaining that “we don’t want to offend anyone.” Administrators also asked some students who attempted to protest the censorship of Vando to lower their signs because they used “obscene” language. At least one such protestor was detained by campus security.   FIRE wrote to USC President Steven B. Sample on February 22, asking USC to publicly repudiate the staff member’s comments and to reaffirm its commitment to free speech. While USC is a private university, it is bound by California’s Leonard Law, which requires that state’s private, secular universities to grant their students the same free-speech rights they are guaranteed under the Constitution. USC’s own policies also promise its students expansive free-speech rights.   In response, Vice President for Student Affairs Michael L. Jackson published a March 6 open letter in USC’s student newspaper calling the censorship “[a] very unfortunate mistake in judgment” and stated that freedom of speech is “one of the most fundamental tenets of a university community.” Next, in a March 8 letter to FIRE, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Lori White wrote that “our university continues to uphold the highest standard for free speech and expression” and promised to review USC’s troubling speech code.   “As John Stuart Mill pointed out in On Liberty, we all believe that some speech is wrong, or without value, but the most effective way to deal with speech that we dislike is with more speech,” Lukianoff noted. “USC should be commended for understanding and trusting in the ‘open marketplace of ideas’ rather than relying, as do too many universities, on repressive speech codes and suppression.”   FIRE is also watching USC to make certain that it does not backslide on its reaffirmation of freedom this week, when a student group hosts a display and panel discussion of the Danish cartoons of Mohammed. As has been widely reported, New York University muzzled a similar event on March 29.   “USC has a chance here to prove once again that it means its recent words,” Lukianoff concluded. “Given the recent encouraging developments, we believe USC will refuse to join NYU as an exemplar of censorship, and we look forward to seeing how things go this week.”   FIRE is a nonprofit educational foundation that unites civil rights and civil liberties leaders, scholars, journalists, and public intellectuals from across the political and ideological spectrum on behalf of individual rights, due process, freedom of expression, academic freedom, and rights of conscience at our nation’s colleges and universities. FIRE’s efforts to preserve liberty at the University of Southern California can be viewed at thefire.org/usc.   CONTACT: Greg Lukianoff, President, FIRE: 215-717-3473; greg_lukianoff@thefire.org Steven B. Sample, President, University of Southern California: 213-740-2111; presofc@usc.edu     FIRE's work is made possible by the generosity of our individual supporters. Please click here to make your tax-deductible contribution.

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Israel Campus Beat - April 9, 2006

Dateline: April 09, 2006Subscribe | My Subscription | Search | Archives | About ICB | Contact Us

Top Stories Analysis & Commentary Campus News Campus Analysis & Commentary Point-Counterpoint

Business Science & Technology Arts and Entertainment Sports Domestic Israel News Suggest a Story Educational Resources Israel Study & Travel Additional News Sources Research Institutes NGOs Israeli Universities Israeli Government & IDF Featured this week Bar-Ilan Baruch Cornell George Washington Haifa Hamilton College Harvard Hebrew Indiana Interdisciplinary Center Herzilya John Hopkins London - UK Maryland Northwestern Pennsylvania Rutgers Swarthmore College UCLA US Naval Academy Washington State York	Conversation with Ehud Olmert by Lally Weymouth I declared before the elections what my plans are [for withdrawing from the territories] in a most explicit manner. And I certainly intend now to go ahead and not waste time.     The idea is that most of the settlements that would have to be removed from where they are now will be converged into the blocs of settlements that will remain under Israeli control. The time has come for a change, and I am absolutely determined to accomplish it. I think the time is right, and I think the Israeli electorate is ready. The fact that, after having said in the most explicit way what my ideas are, we came out of these elections as the largest party is, I think, a testament to the determination of the Israeli electorate to move forward. (Washington Post) Additional Headlines U.S., Europe Cut Aid to Palestinians Debunking the Newest - and Oldest - Jewish Conspiracy: A Reply to Mearsheimer-Walt "Working Paper" Hamas Foreign Minister: "I Dream of a Map Without Israel" Israel's President Asks Olmert to Form Government Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received the formal nod last week to form a government, which he has pledged would set Israel's permanent borders within four years with or without Palestinian consent. "I have the honor to announce that I have decided to ask member of parliament Ehud Olmert to form the government," President Moshe Katsav said after meeting Olmert. (Reuters) Buying Time by Ze'ev Schiff Tactically, at this stage, the most important thing for Hamas is buying time. The movement needs quiet in order to get organized, to strengthen itself, to nurture its rare, first victory, in the wake of which a Sunni Muslim regime has been established. Yet it will maintain quiet only for a limited period.  One possibility is that the government of Israel will make a massive disengagement-convergence move. Hamas will see this as Israel running away again. The Palestinians will refuse to see the line of the new "convergence" as an agreed-upon border. It is clear that the new line that will be drawn will also be a new basis for the continuation of the war against Israel, as happened in Gaza. (Ha'aretz) Anti-Israel Bias at Colleges Scrutinized by Mary Beth Marklein The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, responding to allegations that an anti-Israel bias is rampant on college campuses, approved recommendations last week aimed at ensuring that Jewish college students are protected from anti-Semitic harassment. The recommendations grew out of a November hearing at which speakers cited examples of anti-Semitic incidents. One frequently cited involved a 2004 documentary that said Middle East Studies faculty at Columbia University were intimidating Jewish students who defended Israel. (USA Today) Carnegie Mellon: Students Hope Mideast Video Game Will Produce Insights, Investors The complex choices facing leaders in the Middle East have long confounded observers. But two graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University are hoping their video game based on the conflict will help players find solutions - and raise capital for their new company. Asi Burak and Eric Brown, along with a team of fellow students, have spent more than a year building , a computer game that attempts to simulate the violence and political turbulence of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle. (Israel Insider) UCLA: Jewish Student Protection Advised by Udeitha Srimushnam After receiving reports from various Jewish groups that anti-Semitic and anti-Israel sentiments are rampant on college campuses, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights voted to recommend that the Department of Education take steps to protect Jewish students. Of the many universities he has visited, Rabbi Yonason Quinn, with the Jewish Awareness Movement, said he finds UCLA students to be significantly different from students at other schools.  "Maybe it's the weather," he said jokingly. "But students at UCLA are very open and warm. Never, except for once, have I seen any incidents (of anti-Semitism) during my time here." (Daily Bruin) Haifa U. Prof: Pensioners Party Restores Human Capital by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich The spectacular showing made by the Gil Pensioners Party in the recent election was a victory for all senior citizens - or at least for those in Israel, according to one expert on aging. Prof. Ariela Lowenstein, head of the University of Haifa's Center for the Study and Research of Aging, said the newly elected retirees represented "human capital that society had lost. This was an opportunity to correct the situation," she said. (Jerusalem Post) Point-Counterpoint - Does Acting Prime Minister Olmert Have a Mandate for Territorial Withdrawal? Borderline Support by Meyrav Wurmser The Kadima victory has been touted as a vindication of "convergence," Kadima's new title for unilateral Israeli withdrawal from large areas of the West Bank. Not all Israelis - not even a significant majority -support such a policy. And this could pose quite a challenge for Olmert's soon-to-be-formed government.  Instead of gaining the hoped-for 36-45 seats, Kadima won the elections with only 29. This result was disappointing to many in Kadima if only because they hoped the party would have more positions to hand out. But the results are most disappointing to the advocates of unilateral withdrawal. Although many Israel observers in Washington interpret Kadima's election as a mandate for unilateral withdrawals, the fact is that there is not a strong, reliable Zionist majority to support such a move. No matter how wide a temporary coalition Olmert will be able to establish, his ability to maneuver and carry out his political plan will face strong opposition. The disengagement plan may just disengage the flimsy coalition. (National Review) A Decisive Election - Editorial Though Mr. Olmert's Kadima party won fewer parliamentary seats than it hoped for, up to two-thirds of the new Knesset will probably support a West Bank withdrawal. The Israeli parties that favor holding on to all of the remaining occupied territories and settlements were devastated by the election. The Likud Party, which governed Israel for most of the past 30 years and pursued the cause of a "greater Israel" during most of that time, won only 11 of the 120 Knesset seats. Even among right-wing parties, it took second place to one that favors a territorial separation of Israelis and Palestinians. Mr. Olmert should have little trouble forming a coalition, though he may have to agree to some big government spending on social programs and pensions. (Washington Post) To unsubscribe from Israel Campus Beat, click here
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JINSA Article Digest for April, 7th

Articles added to JINSA Online from March, 31st to April, 7th.
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#561 Dont Weep for Palestinian Suffering

(2006-03-31) America funded the Palestinian Authority while it tried to
destroy Israel. The people did not pick that government. The people picked
this government, however, and should not be allowed to expect that the
civilized world will feed, house and shelter them while Hamas picks up its
check from Iran and uses it to enhance its terrorist capabilities. Read the
analysis in JINSA Report #561.

Read more @ http://www.jinsa.org/articles/view.html?documentid=3374
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#562 "Other than Mexican" and "Special Interest OTM Apprehensions"

(2006-04-06) OTM is a catch phrase for a U.S. immigration problem that
presents a gaping vulnerability unaddressed by the recent Congressional
debate on immigration. Every year, tens of thousands of "non-Mexicans" enter
the U.S. illegally and disappear into the ether. Amid an increasing number of
OTM's and revelations that the Iranian-backed Hezballah had succeeded in
smuggling operatives across the Mexican border into the U.S., there is no
solution to be found. Read the analysis in JINSA Report #562.

Read more @ http://www.jinsa.org/articles/view.html?documentid=3376

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

     

ADL’s Annual Audit: In the News Thousands Reached Through Interfaith Seders Iran Steps Up Persecution of Bahais Boston: ADL Testifies on Need for Bias Free Campuses Florida: ADL Partners with School Districts on Holocaust Education Colorado and Nebraska Teens Return from Mission to Washington, DC San Diego: Conference Inspires Students to Reject Hate Media Watch April 6, 2006      Anti-Semitic Incidents Decline, but Levels Still of Concern Despite a slight decline, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. remained at disturbing levels in 2005, according to ADL’s annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, issued this week. Public activity by organized neo-Nazi and other hate groups, harassment and intimidation in the schools, and anti-Semitic activity on the college campus all contributed to the numbers.  More >> Slide Show: Anti-Semitism: The Year in Pictures     Anti-Semitism In The Arab World Cartoon of the Week Al-Watan, March 25, 2006 (Qatar) On the left from top to bottom: “Iran, Iraq and Syria.” The Jew is shouting “War.” Click to Enlarge ADL’s Annual Audit: In the News Both locally and nationally, the release of ADL’s annual snapshot of anti-Jewish acts in America received a wide array of interest and media coverage. The following is a roundup of links to news articles from across the country where the Audit is the focus of ongoing news coverage, discussion and analysis:  National: JTA Boston Chicago Colorado Florida New York New Jersey Los Angeles Thousands Reached Through Interfaith Seders In the weeks leading up to Passover, thousands of people from diverse faiths and ethnic backgrounds came together in different parts of the country to celebrate the Jewish tradition of the Passover Seder in events sponsored by ADL. This year, in cities across the country, Interfaith Seders have brought together Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, Catholics, religious and community leaders, and others, to share in the experience of the Seder.  More >> Iran Steps Up Persecution of Bahais Disturbed at reports that the Iranian regime issued orders to state police forces to identify members of the Bahai community and monitor their activities, ADL said the directive "sets a dangerous precedent" and is reminiscent of the laws imposed on European Jews in the 1930s  More>> Boston: ADL Testifies on Need for Bias Free Campuses Representatives from ADL’s New England Region recently appeared before the U.S. Secretary of Education’s Commission on the Future of Higher Education. While applauding the Commission’s focus on issues of access, accountability and quality of education, the League urged the Commission to ensure that all universities and colleges provide an educational environment where students feel safe and do not feel marginalized because of their race, national orientation, disability or religion. Florida: ADL Partners with School Districts on Holocaust Education In partnership with the Broward County School District, Miami-Dade County School District, Broward CAJE, and Miami CAJE, the League introduced the new Echoes and Reflections Holocaust curriculum to 45 teachers and administrators representing 31 public and private schools throughout Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Each school will receive a free Echoes and Reflections multimedia curriculum, which includes ten multi-part comprehensive lessons, illustrated with maps, photographs, timelines, glossary, and primary source material. Echoes and Reflections was developed by ADL in partnership with Yad Vashem and Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation.  Colorado and Nebraska Teens Return from Mission to Washington, DC Forty high school students, including 20 from Colorado and 20 from Nebraska, returned home on March 29 after participating in ADL’s 7th annual Robert B. Sturm Youth Leadership Mission to Washington, D.C. During the three-day mission, the teens toured the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, met with a Holocaust survivor and discussed immigration and civil rights issues with Colorado Senator Ken Salazar. The Colorado students, representing 17 different high schools, will participate in a yearlong follow-up program challenging them to teach their peers about the value of diversity and consequences of hatred, prejudice and bigotry. The mission is named after businessman Robert B. Sturm, who underwrites the trip.  In the News: Rocky Mountain News San Diego: Conference Inspires Students to Reject Hate ADL held its 15th annual Student Human Relations Conference at the Price Center at UC San Diego on March 22. The approximately 100 students attended a series of workshops on personal biases and identifying and responding to prejudice, bigotry and hate. ADL encouraged the students to bring those lessons back to their schools and to implement diversity programming on their campuses.  Media Watch LA Times Columnist Misses the Obvious 03/28/06 Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Nicholas Goldberg reports on, but fails to sufficiently analyze the anti-Israel screed by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt. Anti-Jewish Screed Cited in Editorial 03/31/06 An editorial in the Christian Science Monitor editorial went far off base by citing a paper that invokes the canards of Jewish power and Jewish control over American foreign policy. Editor's Note: Due to the Passover holidays, the next edition of ADL Headlines will appear on Thursday, April 27, 2006. Happy Passover! ©2006 Anti-Defamation League. All rights reserved. Donate | Change Your E-mail Address | Update your E-mail Preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy

JINSA Report #562 "Other than Mexican" and "Special Interest OTM Apprehensions"

JINSA
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April 6, 2006

JINSA Report #562

"Other than Mexican" and "Special Interest OTM Apprehensions"

The Senate is likely to vote on an immigration reform bill tomorrow.
Particularly in the south, but increasingly in the north, we must
reinstitute American laws and American control of America's borders. And
crucial to the debate and the security of our country are the phrases
"OTM" and "Special Interest OTM Apprehensions."

Google the phrase, "Other Than Mexican," and you get 55 MILLION hits.
"OTM" is a catch phrase for an immigration problem that, while tracked
diligently by the U.S. Government and others, remains almost entirely
without a solution and thus contributes to American vulnerability to
terrorism.

First, the process. Mexicans trying to enter the U.S. illegally are
often simply processed at the border and sent back. But Mexico won't
allow us to send citizens from other countries back through Mexico, and
under U.S. law, they're entitled to a formal deportation hearing. The
immigration service lacks beds to hold them, so the vast majority of
OTMs are released from custody and asked to voluntarily return for their
court date.

Second, the numbers. The Washington Times reported last year, "Of the
estimated 465,000 fugitive absconders (people caught then released on
their own recognizance into the U.S. but failed to return for their
deportation hearing; different from people who enter illegally and are
never caught) currently living in the United States, 71,000 are thought
to be 'other than Mexican' – among whom terrorists lurk… federal agents
in Texas have detected a threefold increase in non-Mexican numbers this
year. The U.S. Border Patrol had detained 98,000 non-Mexican nationals
across the country by early June, but about 70 percent of them were
released immediately owing to lack of detention facilities."

Most of the OTMs are OL – Other Latin – but "Special Interest OTM
Apprehensions" are defined as emanating from countries that would seek
to do harm to American interests; terrorist supporting (and exporting)
countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, Syria and so on. This
week, FBI Director Robert Muller announced that the Iranian-backed
Hezballah had succeeded in smuggling operatives across the Mexican
border into the U.S. Mr. Muller claimed the FBI had dismantled the
smuggling ring, identified the people who had been smuggled in and
"addressed" them. Or at least "addressed" those we knew about. Or
something.

A word about immigrants: we like them – our families were immigrants –
and immigration ensures our future. We vastly prefer the immigration
demonstrations rolling across the U.S. right now to the angry French
riots. Ours are generally because people believe their economic future
is better here and feature lots of high school students taking an
impromptu "Spring break." Theirs are generally because the future looks
bleak and "twenty-something" students demand a secure economic future
they are unlikely to get.

But our generally positive feelings about immigrants cannot be a
substitute for a bottom-line – it is the obligation of the American
government to control who enters our country and under what circumstances.

To view this JINSA Report online click on the link below.
http://www.jinsa.org/JINSAReports/3376

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