AFI Digest

27 November 2006

Contents:

1. Three essays from the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs:

1.1 How to Fight Anti-Israeli Campaigns on Campus by Manfred Gerstenfeld     

1.2 Anti-Israeli Bias in the European Parliament and Other European Union Institutions, an Interview with Rijk van Dam 

1.3 Irish Attitudes towards Israel, an Interview with Rory Miller

2. Please Mind the Gap: Israel Experience Meets the British University by Toby Greene

3. Exposed on CNN: The extremist agenda  

4. Middle East Academics Disregard Quest for Balance by Pierre M. Atlas 

5. From Inside Higher education:  Input or Intrusion? By Scott Jaschik

6. An excellent website ideal to use as a resource for information when     countering anti-Israel arguments.

1. Three essays from the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs:

1.1 How to Fight Anti-Israeli Campaigns on Campus

by Manfred Gerstenfeld      

http://www.jcpa.org/phas/phas-051-gerstenfeld.htm 

The first essay suggests that each academic boycott campaign could provoke a counter boycott. Boycotts also provide a further argument for external intervention in the academic world, both political and otherwise. The essay suggests that Israeli universities must play a larger role in fighting anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli discrimination in campuses worldwide. It may be through collaborating with the Israeli government that diaspora organisations, academic institutions and private activists will achieve the best results.

1.2 Anti-Israeli Bias in the European Parliament and Other European Union Institutions, An Interview with Rijk van Dam

http://www.jcpa.org/phas/phas-048-vandam.htm

About 20% of Members of the European Parliament are friends of Israel. Since 1993 the EU and its member states have given over 4 billion euros of financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority. Israel's major enemies in the European Parliament are the communist and other leftist factions. This overview of anti-Israel bias is very illuminating.

1.3 Irish Attitudes towards Israel, an Interview with Rory Miller

http://www.jcpa.org/phas/phas-049-miller.htm

The Irish government has a strong anti-Israel attitude but cannot be faulted as far as protecting the Jewish community is concerned. In Irish politics sympathies lie with the Palestinians and there is clearly a negative attitude towards Israel.

2. Please Mind the Gap: Israel Experience Meets the British University by Toby Greene

This essay published in Covenant, the new Global Jewish Magazine discusses the problems facing young Jews when they go to University.

http://covenant.idc.ac.il/en/2006/issue1/greene.html

3. Exposed on CNN: The extremist agenda 

 From the blog of Tom Gross: This documentary, screened on the American (but not so far on the international) version of CNN, was originally posted on You Tube and then removed it.  CNN host Glenn Beck criticizes the rest of the Western media, including by implication his own station CNN, for drastically failing to properly report on Islamic extremism. Beck says he decided to show some of the remarkable footage the rest of the mainstream media refuses to show because "Islamic extremism is the biggest threat to our way of life since World War Two and we'll never be able to fight it if we can't even see it." His program contains many of the examples cited on this email list over the past seven years – finally shown in a prominent way on a major TV network. It also includes important footage of the Iranian president. Several of those interviewed in the program are subscribers to this email list. Even if you don't have time to watch the full 41 minutes, I suggest you at least watch the opening. Some of the most gripping interviews and footage are to be found in the middle and the end of the program, including the children's cartoons urging children to kill Jews. We can wait in hope for European and other TV networks to rebroadcast this program. Glenn Beck's documentary can be seen in a Windows Media format at:

 http://euphoricreality.com/2006/11/16/video-exposed-the-extremist-agenda 

4. Middle East Academics Disregard Quest for Balance by Pierre M. Atlas

Indianapolis Star    November 23, 2006 

This is report on the MESA conference referred to in the last digest. Professor Atlas attended the 40th annual conference of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA), which is the premier international academic society for those who study all aspects of the Middle East and reports on the activities there. 

 http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061123/OPINION/611230325/-1/ZONES04  

5. From Inside Higher education:  Input or Intrusion? By Scott Jaschik

 Hiring and tenure decisions are typically decided (and appropriately decided, most in academe would say) by academics. A series of lobbying campaigns by pro-Israel groups, however, have some scholars worried that those who criticize Israel are being subjected to political tests and having their jobs endangered…….

to read the full article go to:http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/21/disputes

6. An excellent website ideal to use as a resource for information when countering anti-Israel arguments. 

The Middle East Information Organisation, its site is concerned with the Middle Eastern regimes and terrorism and can be found at http://www.middle-east-info.org 

 Patron: The Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks 

Advisory Board: 

Dr Manfred Gerstenfeld - Chairman of the Board of Fellows, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

Henry Grunwald Q.C. - President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews

Amir Lev

John D A Levy - Director of the Academic Study Group on Israel and the Middle East

Andrew R. Marks, M.D. - Columbia University, USA

Dr Robin StamlerProfessor Leslie Wagner CBE

Rt Hon Lord Young of Graffham 

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