Israel has image problems; anti-Israel professors have scholarship problems

By Ira Sharkansky

JERUSALEM—Israel’s image in the world is less than desirable. How bad? is difficult to answer. There have been no serious threats of sanctions by major governments. The efforts of academics to declare boycotts have failed due to more reasonable colleagues.

None the less, it is troubling to know about shouting against Israelis who have appeared at academic forums, and faculty members at distinguished campuses who use their classrooms to promote extremism as opposed to the provision of knowledge needed to judge conflicting views. The slogans of some students and faculty members recall the vilest anti-Semitism.

It is no surprise that Jews, including traveling Israelis, are prominent in this distortion of the academic mission. Not only are Jews and Israelis heavily represented on leading campuses, but contrariness comes along with Jewish genes.

It would be a mistake to view the anti-Israel campaign as a Jewish plot. Other elements that feed into it are the increasing presence of Muslims throughout western countries and on campuses. There is also academic superficiality and fashion, and the thin knowledge of what happens outside a lecturer’s personal experience and library.

Israeli campuses are not free of the mad screamers, and its media include representatives of the crazy left- and right. Yet this country appears saner than others. Balance comes with considerable knowledge of its problems.

Israelis have paid a heavy price for their sophistication. More than 20,000 soldiers and civilians have died on account of Arab violence. A rough comparison with populations would make that equivalent to 2 million Americans. Add to that the large numbers with family memories of the Holocaust or having to flee from Arab countries.

Americans writing to me claim knowledge about military affairs on the basis of conversations with soldiers, and knowledge of Israel’s problems on the basis of conversations with individuals who have served in the IDF. Their feelings of certainty say something not only about their own superficiality, but hint at the problems of Americans who try to assess what their military should be doing in distant places.

The argument here is not that Americans are not intelligent, but that their situation makes it difficult to do well the tasks they set for themselves. Those include fighting in foreign cultures, or commenting on what Israel should be doing.

When an American claims that he knows a great deal from talking with a few soldiers or former soldiers, I think of the people I know in Israel. Few of them are not former or present soldiers.

Familiarity with Arabic and dealing with close neighbors for more than six decades contribute to Israel’s assets in military intelligence. There is also a willingness to be assiduous in recruiting and managing informants. It is not easy or pleasant work, and accounts for casualties among the handlers and informants.

Military as well as political experience prevails among policymakers. Among the attributes acquired by exposure to military service by civilians and officials is distrust or skepticism. An early lesson is that fewer than 10 percent of soldiers are combatants, and that individual fighters have a worm’s eye view of what happens. Wisdom involves an understanding about the multiple ways of viewing reality, and the biases likely to be associated with individual sources.

Yet another feature of Israeli society is at least a partial freedom from the innocence that prevails in societies with ideological commitments to being multi-cultural and avoiding anything approaching ethnic profiling.

Some Israelis suffer from the sins of those whose ethnicity they share. They are more likely to be stopped by the police for a documents check, and feel themselves harassed where there is a screening of those entering a store, restaurant, government building, or the international airport.

Israelis wonder about the hang ups of Americans who do everything they can to explain Major Hasan’s killings as those of an unbalanced individual rather than an affiliate of Islamic extremism.

In a situation when no one should believe that there is complete and wholly accurate information about an issue of national security, it is essential to tolerate extensive discussions among individuals with information that is relevant, although partial. By this standard, the 2008-09 attack against Gaza was better prepared than the 2006 invasion of Lebanon. The Gaza operation has also enjoyed greater support in the Israeli public. That it comes in for such intense criticism internationally is among our frustrations.

What the distortions of Goldstone and others indicate is not reasonable differences of opinion, but the shallowness and decadence of public bodies, universities, and media personalities that can be so certain of views that are partial at best.

It is sad that Israel’s image suffers so greatly. From an academic perspective, it is even sadder that Americans and Europeans suffer from universities that have lost their commitment to reasoned deliberation.

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Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University

 

Ten accused of plotting to ship U.S. weapons to Hizballah

PHILADELPHIA (Press Release)–Ten individuals were indicted Tuesday, charged with, among other things, conspiring to export weapons from Philadelphia to the Port of Latakia, Syria.

According to the indictment, Hassan Hodroj and Dib Hani Harb attempted to provide material support to Hizballah in the form of approximately 1,200 Colt M4 Carbines (machine guns). Harb and other defendants — including Moussa Ali Hamdan and Hasan Antar Karaki — were also charged with conspiring to provide material support to Hizballah in the form of proceeds from the sale of fraudulent passports, counterfeit money and stolen (genuine) money. In addition, Hamdan and several other defendants (listed below) were charged with several counts of transporting stolen goods, trafficking in counterfeit goods, and making false statements to government officials.

“The allegations contained in this complaint demonstrate how terrorist organizations rely on a variety of underlying criminal activities to fund and arm themselves. I applaud the many agents, analysts, and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring about these charges and arrests,” said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

“This investigation demonstrates the dedication and cooperation of law enforcement agents from numerous agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Michael L. Levy. “These cases show the breadth of criminal activity engaged in by those who oppose us. The crimes charged here range from the purchase of stolen and counterfeit goods, to the purchase of false visas and passports, to the purchase of weapons. I want to compliment the law enforcement agents, the Assistant U.S.Attorneys, and the attorneys in the National Security Division of the Department of Justice for their efforts.”

According to a related criminal complaint that was also unsealed Tuesday, Moussa Ali Hamdan began purchasing purportedly stolen cellular telephones from a cooperating witness acting as an agent of the government (hereinafter “the CW”) in or about late 2007. Over the next several months, Hamdan and other defendants — including Hamze El-Najjar, a/k/a “Hamze Al-Najjar,” Moustafa Habib Kassem, Latif Kamel Hazime, a/k/a “Adanan,” Alaa Allia Ahmed Mohamed, a.k.a. “Alaa Ahmed Mohamed Abouelnagaa,” Maoda Kane, and Michael Katz — participated in the purchase and transportation of purportedly stolen goods on numerous occasions. These stolen goods included cellular telephones, laptop computers, Sony Play Station 2 systems and automobiles, which the conspirators caused to be transported to destinations outside Pennsylvania, including overseas.

At the same time, according to the complaint, the CW sold counterfeit goods — namely, counterfeit Nike® shoes and Mitchell & Ness® sports jerseys — to Hamdan and his associates, including defendants Hamze El-Najjar, Moustafa Habib Kassem, Alaa Allia Ahmed Mohamed, a.k.a “Alaa Ahmed Mohamed Abouelnagaa,” Maodo Kane and Michael Katz.

The complaint details efforts by defendants Moussa Ali Hamdan, Dib Hani Harb, and Hasan Antar Karaki to sell the CW counterfeit United States currency for the purpose of raising funds for Hizballah. In total, the conspirators provided the CW with approximately $9,800 in counterfeit U.S. currency.

In this same vein, the complaint alleges that defendants Moussa Ali Hamdan, Dib Hani Harb and Hasan Antar Karaki generated additional funds for Hizballah by selling fraudulent passports. The CW and the defendants participated in the purchase of two fake passports — one from the United Kingdom and one from Canada — for the benefit of Hizballah.

Finally, the complaint alleges that defendant Dib Hani Harb worked with Hodroj in furtherance of a conspiracy to provide material support to Hizballah in the form of approximately 1,200 Colt M4 Carbines (machine guns).

“The FBI remains resolutely committed to working with our law enforcement partners to find and stop those individuals who commit crimes, such as those alleged today, which are intended to provide financial and other material support for those individuals and groups operating on behalf of designated foreign terrorist organizations,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Janice K. Fedarcyk, of the Philadelphia Division of the FBI. “Today, through the well-coordinated effort of all involved agencies, a blow has been struck to Hizballah’s efforts to fund its terrorism activities.”

“ICE will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to disrupt networks involved in the illegal sale and distribution of weapons and critical technologies,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton. “Today’s arrests are a clear indication of the federal government’s commitment to keeping Americans safe.”

Information regarding the defendants is below:

• Hassan Hodroj, of Beirut, Lebanon, date of birth unknown, faces a potential 15 years in prison if convicted.
• Dib Hani Harb, of Beirut, Lebanon, was born in 1978 and faces a potential 30 years in prison if convicted.
• Hasan Antar Karaki, of Beirut, Lebanon, was born in 1959 and faces a potential 15 years in prison if convicted.
• Moussa Ali Hamdan, of Brooklyn, New York, was born in 1972 and faces a potential 25 years in prison if convicted.
• Hassan El-Najjar, a.k.a “Hassan Al-Najjar,” of Brooklyn, New York, was born in 1982 and faces a potential 10 years in prison if convicted.
• Moustafa Habib Kassem, of Staten Island, New York, was born in 1980 and faces a potential 10 years in prison if convicted.
• Latif Kamel Hazime, a.k.a “Adanan,” of Margarita Island, Venezuela, and Dearborn, Mich., was born in 1980 and faces a potential five years in prison.
• Alaa Allia Ahmed Mohamed, a.k.a Alaa Ahmed Mohamed Abouelnagaa,” of Brooklyn, New York, was born in 1966 and faces a potential five years in prison.
• Maodo Kane, of Bronx, N.Y., was born in 1971 and faces a potential five years in prison.
• Michael Katz, of Plainsboro, N.J., was born in 1942 and faces a potential five years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the New Jersey State Police, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Secret Service, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Department of Commerce, Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Air Marshals, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Department of State.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy Beam Winter and Stephen A. Miller, and National Security Division Counterterrorism Section Trial Attorney Jolie F. Zimmerman.

The public is reminded that an indictment is an allegation. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Preceding provided by the U.S. Justice Department

‘Welcome to Ramallah’ returning to Compass Theatre

SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–Compass Theatre has announced it is bringing back the play Welcome to Ramallah for five performances for five performances December 6, 8, 13, 15 and 20 on its stage at 3704 6th Avenue in the Hillcrest area of San Diego.  Written by Sonja Linden and Adah Kay, the production will again be directed by Charlie Riendeau and feature Allison McDonald, Saiid Zamingir, Haig Koshkarian and Sherri Allen.

San Diego Jewish World‘s drama critic Carol Davis reviewed the play last July.  Here is a link to that review.

Fury over Goldstone report reflects Jewish community disillusionment with one-sided United Nations

By Gary Rotto

SAN DIEGO–The tensions around the Goldstone Report ( Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict) have died down for the moment.  But hard feelings still remain in the community regarding the report and the resulting resolution in Congress.  Congressman Filner clearly communicated his feelings and his thinking around the resolution.  He has “mishpachah” in Israel with whom he consulted.  His response to SDJW questions were fair and well thought out.   And may be factually based.  But politics is – especially geopolitical – are based on perception.

The Jewish community reaction to the Goldstone Report may not be so much about the actual information in the report, but the visceral feeling that the United Nations seems fixated on the Middle East, and in particular, the Arab-Israeli, or Palestinian-Israel conflict.

Back on October 2, 2006, as Kofi Annan’s term as the Secretary General of the United Nations was coming to a close, Human Rights Watch reflected on the tasks ahead for his successor.  While praising Annan’s dedication to human rights and the creation of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), Human Rights Watch openly criticized the HRC. “The Human Rights Council has so far stumbled because of its relative fixation on Israel, while failing to take concrete steps to address other serious human rights situations as well. It has yet to show that it is willing to take firm, collective action against intransigent governments engaged in systemic rights violations.”  The article on its website goes on to say that “The incoming secretary-general must work to ensure that the Human Rights Council is both more credible and more effective than its predecessor.”

One of the giants in the world of Human Rights monitoring, Felice Gaer, severely criticized the Goldstone Report.  Her career in the human rights community has included membership on the Council on Foreign Relations, serving as chair of the steering committee for the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and as a member of the Carter Center’s International Human Rights Council since 1994.  As reported in the New Jersey Jewish News, Gaer called the report “a biased mandate by a biased group of people.”  The biased group of people is the HRC.

Jackson Diehl, Deputy Editorial Page Editor of the Washington Post noted after the HRC’s first year that “Genocide in Sudan, child slavery and religious persecution in China, mass repression in Zimbabwe and Burma, state-sponsored murder in Syria and Russia — and, for that matter, suicide bombings by Arab terrorist movements — will not receive systematic attention from the world body charged with monitoring human rights. That is reserved only for Israel, a democratic country that has been guilty of human rights violations but also has been under sustained assault from terrorists and governments openly committed to its extinction.”  In that first year, Israel and Israel alone was the only government criticized by name – and to the tune of 11 resolutions.

Freedom House, one of the preeminent “peace and democracy” institutions since 1941, in its 2009 Worst of the Worst report, which cites  the World’s Most Repressive Societies, lists Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

While Israel is imperfect, clearly, other nations and hot spots around the world deserve far greater attention from the HRC.  Only once a track record of tackling ongoing, regimented, government sponsored human rights violations in the areas around the world, will the Jewish community will feel that a Goldstone Report maybe even handed and fair and maybe justified.

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Rotto is a freelance writer based in San Diego

U.S. government offers $5 million for capture of terrorist suspect Husayn Muhammed Al-Umari

WASHINGTON, D.C (Press Release)–The following is the text of a joint Rewards For Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation statement on a reward offer for information about terrorist suspect Husayn Muhammed al-Umari:

The U.S. Department of State has authorized a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Husayn Muhammed al-Umari (also known as Abu Ibrahim).

Husayn Muhammed al-Umari is wanted by the FBI for his alleged participation in the August 11, 1982 bombing of Pan American World Airways flight 830, which resulted in the murder of one passenger, the wounding of 16 passengers, and the attempted murder of 267 passengers and the crew on board. Al-Umari was one of three people indicted for the terrorist act and is alleged to have designed and built the explosive device which detonated while the aircraft was in flight from Narita, Japan to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Al-Umari was charged in the District of Columbia’s U.S. District Court with: (1) Conspiracy to commit assault and damage to property; (2) conspiracy to commit murder, (3) murder; (4) aircraft sabotage; (5) damaging aircraft used in foreign commerce (6) placing bombs on aircraft; (7) assault; (8) attempted aircraft sabotage, and (9) aiding and abetting.

In 1998, a co-conspirator, Mohammad Rashed, who placed the bomb on the aircraft, was arrested and brought to the United States. He pleaded guilty to his role in the bombing and signed a cooperation agreement as part of his plea.

Believed to be a master bomb maker and one-time leader of the “15 May” terrorist group, al-Umari also has been indicted by the Government of France for his alleged role in the 1985 bombing of the Marks and Spencer Department store in Paris and the Leumi Bank.

Al-Umari was born in 1936 in Jaffa, in the former British mandate of Palestine. He is about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a medium to large build and light complexion. He is believed to have black or graying hair and may be balding. He has brown eyes and is believed to wear glasses. He has scars on both hands and his right forearm. He may possess a passport from Lebanon, where his wife reportedly lives. He is the father of two sons and two daughters. He lived for several years in Iraq. While his current whereabouts are unknown, it is possible that he is residing in Lebanon or Iraq.

He reportedly travels at all times with a firearm and should be considered armed and dangerous. He is reported to have received training from various terrorist and intelligence groups including the defunct Soviet KGB, German Red Army Faction, Irish Republican Army, Basque Fatherland and Liberty, and the Japanese Red Army.

More information about Husayn Muhammed al-Umari is located on the Rewards for Justice website (www.rewardsforjustice.net/umari). The FBI also has placed al-Umari on its Most Wanted Terrorists website (www.fbi.gov/wanted/terrorists/fugitives.htm).

We encourage anyone with information on Husayn Muhammed al-Umari’s location to contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, any U.S. military commander, or the Rewards for Justice office via the website (www.rewardsforjustice.net), e-mail (RFJ@state.gov) or mail (Rewards for Justice, Washington, DC 20520-0303, USA).

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Since its inception in 1984, the Rewards for Justice Program has paid more than $80 million to more than 50 persons who provided credible information that has resulted in the capture or death of terrorists or prevented acts of international terrorism.

The Pan Am Flight 830 investigation is being handled by the FBI’s Washington Field Office (WFO). Inquiries and information about this investigation should be directed to the FBI WFO’s public information office at 202-278-3519.
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Preceding provided by the U.S. State Department

Dreidel game created for iPhone

LOS ANGELES (Press Release)–One of the first things any iPhone owner notices the moment that they get their phone is that kids want nothing more than to snatch that magical device out of their hands and touch their fingers to the screen for hours.

When Jeff Howard, a Jewish uncle with more nieces and nephews than he can count, noticed this phenomenon, he had a thought.  What if you could hand a child your iPhone and have it play a Jewish game instead of something with explosions?  Howard is a former toy company executive and he discussed the idea with his friend Richard Barry, who holds  an engineering PhD from MIT.  Super Dreidel was born.

“My nieces and nephews, literally, never let me have my iPhone back now,” says Howard.  “And the great thing is that as long as I can see the dreidel spinning on the screen I know that they are not messing up my contacts or email.”

Featuring originally recorded music and vibrant illustrations, Super Dreidel appeals to people of all ages.  The game allows 2 to 8 players to spin a traditional Hanukkah dreidel on the touchscreen while the app does all the work.

“The other night at a Japanese restaurant, my friend’s four year old took Super Dreidel, entered the name of everyone at the table and started spinning that dreidel.  A few minutes later he shouted, ‘Mom, you just won!’  I didn’t get my iPhone back for an hour.”

The innovative Super Dreidel app offers three different versions of the game: Traditional Dreidel, the faster moving Vegas Dreidel, and the super-fast Turbo Dreidel.  All three versions allow you to enter every player’s name, choose how much gelt each player begins with, and even limit the number of rounds to the game.

At a recent family gathering, Richard watched the kids passing his iPhone back and forth to spin the dreidel and said, “My iPhone is officially Jewish now, like it had a Bar Mitzvah.”

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Preceding provided by No Bars of Los Angeles

American Jewish Congress applauds Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision on religious music at school assemblies

NEW YORK (Press Release)–A school district rule barring religious holiday music at holiday assemblies celebrating the same holiday is constitutionally sound, and does not reflect impermissible hostility to religion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held on Tuesday.  The opinion quoted approvingly at length from the amicus brief filed by AJCongress asserting just that proposition.

The case arose out of a school district in East Orange and Maplewood New Jersey. Acting on complaints from parents, the school adopted a rule limiting religious music at holiday assemblies, but explicitly allowing such music to be taught in regular music classes.  Plaintiffs challenged the rule as manifesting hostility to religion, a claim the court rejected, quoting from the AJCongress brief:

“Were that not the case, almost every government action vis-à-vis religion would fall into one of two columns—pro- or anti-religion, promoting or hostile to—and be subject to establishment Clause attack in either event. That is the logic of Plaintiff’s legal theory; indeed, that theory would, ironically, subject actions that sought to allow more religious content to that same black or white analysis.”

AJCongress’ brief was prepared by Robert B. Hoffman of the Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) firm of Eckert, Seamans, Cherin & Mellot, and Marc D. Stern of AJCongress.  The brief was also signed by AJCommittee, ADL, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the National Council of Jewish Women.

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Preceding provided by American Jewish Congress

Fourteen Torahs dedicated at Great Neck Synagogue

AT DEDICATION– New York Governor  David A. Paterson, New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, 64th Assembly District and  Ivan Kaufman, Chairman of the Board, North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, participated in dedication of Torahs, Photo: Elliot Moscowitz, Elliot’s Images
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GREAT NECK, New York (Press Release) –The North Shore Hebrew Academy Schools, in conjunction with thousands of community members, rabbis, students and various government officials gathered at  The Great Neck Synagogue on Sunday, November 22 for the completion of 14 new Sifrei Torah. The historic and unprecedented Sam Aharonoff Memorial “Shivtei Torah” Scholarship Campaign and celebration is believed to be the first time 14 Torahs have been dedicated at one time by one institution.

The scholarship campaign is named after the community’s dear friend and long-time NSHA Board member, Sam Aharonoff, who dedicated many years of his life to serving and advocating for the Academy. The campaign continues; please visit www.shivteitorah.org, for more information or call Arnie Flatow at 516.487.8687, ext 2.

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Preceding provided by North Shore Hebrew Academy Schools

EasyJet apologizes for fashion shoot at Holocaust memorial

LONDON (WJC)–The British airline EasyJet has apologized after fashion photos shot at the Holocaust memorial in Berlin were published in its in-flight magazine. In the pictures, models were photographed among concrete blocks in the Field of Stelae. The airline said that it apologized to anyone who had been offended by the shoot and said that it would withdraw this month’s issue from all flights. EasyJet said that the magazine was published by INK, an external publishing house, and the airline had not been aware of the images until they appeared in print.

As a result, the airline claims to be reviewing their relationship with the publisher and withdrawing this month’s issue from all flights. In a statement, EasyJet said that it prided itself on bringing together a wide range of cultures and beliefs and is appalled by the insensitive and inconsiderate photo shoot.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin is made up of a field of 2700 grey slabs. It was opened to the public in 2005. It has been reported that the production company did not seek permission from the foundation running the memorial to photograph at the site.

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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress

Two arrested in Italy for helping Mumbai terrorists

BRESCIA, Italy (WJC)–Two Pakistanis suspected of helping facilitate the November 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai have been arrested in Italy. The men, a father and son, were arrested Saturday in the northern Italian city of Brescia. Ten terrorists believed to have come from Pakistan carried out the attacks in the India city. Over 170 people were killed in the attacks, including six Jews at Mumbai’s Chabad House. Targets also included hotels and a train station.

Mohammad Yaqub Janjua, 60, and Aamer Yaqub Janjua, 31, are accused of aiding and abetting international terrorism as well as illegal financial activity.  Police on Saturday said the Pakistanis were arrested in Brescia for having transferred about US$ 230 to finance internet telephone lines used by the attackers.  They were identified after leads from India and the FBI, police said.

In July, Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, a 21-year-old Pakistani and the sole surviving attacker, pleaded guilty to 86 charges, including waging war on India, murder and possessing explosives, at his Mumbai trial. He faces the death penalty.

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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress