_
|
International
B
R I E F S |
February 2004
International Court of Justice and Israel Security Fence
The UN General Assembly, by a narrow
vote and without a majority, recently referred the question of the
legality of Israel’s security fence under international law to the
International Court of Justice. The IPA/OU strongly criticized this
measure as yet another attempt by the Palestinians to “politicize” the
court and to bypass the negotiating process. It makes no mention of the
terrorism that necessitated the building of this fence in the first place
and attempts to involve the Court in a highly charged political issue.
Repeatedly using the phrase “occupied Palestinian territories and
Jerusalem”, the resolution prejudges that the disputed territory belongs
to the Palestinians, despite the fact that the 1967 lines were only
armistice lines, and not fixed political boundaries.
Israel is making the case that the ICJ cannot render an opinion on this
issue and has no authority to do so. Israel has sought to persuade other
countries to file similar statements and about twenty-five have already
done so, including members of the EU, Russia, the US, Canada, and
Australia. Many of these countries that supported Israel did not do so as
an expression of support of the security fence, but because they recognize
that this could set a precedent that can be used against them as well.
Many of those countries that oppose the fence and want the Court to rule
that it violates international law have totalitarian regimes and/or ties
to terrorism and they view this move as another
opportunity to undermine Israel’s status in the international community.
The courts will begin hearing oral
arguments on February 23, 2004 and the Palestinians are preparing to turn
the proceedings into a media circus that may create an atmosphere similar
to that of the Durbin UN Conference on Racism.
At a recent press conference in New
York City, Senator Hillary Clinton announced that a focused initiative
will soon come from the leadership of the US Congress. The IPA/OU will
notify all our members as soon as that measure is agreed upon and will
provide all the information necessary to help support it.
IPA/OU members in the meantime can convey their concerns to UN
representatives and to members of Congress using the following points:
Israel’s security fence is a response to the suicide bombings and other
acts of terrorism carried out by Palestinian groups against Israeli
civilians for more than three years. Israel’s government has repeatedly
indicated that the fence is not an attempt to set up a defacto political
border, nor is it intended to be permanent. It is simply the most
effective way Israel can find to protect the lives of its citizens from
violence. If the Palestinians would stop the terror, the fence would come
down.
Bringing the matter of the security
fence before the ICJ is an initiative to use the Court as a vehicle in the
campaign to delegitimize Israel. Bringing a political dispute before the
ICJ is an abuse of international law that will undercut the credibility of
the institution itself.
The Court’s involvement with this issue
will only serve to undermine prospects for a true peace by attempting to
circumvent direct negotiations. The only effective way to resolve concerns
over the security fence and the land disputes is through direct
negotiations between the parties, not by attempting to have a third party
impose a settlement.
Israeli-Palestinian Peace Enhancement Act 2003 – S.1944
The principles set out by President Bush on June 24, 2000 that must serve
as the basis of any Middle East peace process are now more important than
ever. There can be no sensible basis for moving ahead with the peace
process unless the Palestinians stop the terror and violence and dismantle
the terrorist network. As demanded by President Bush, the Palestinians
security apparatus must truly fight terrorism and not engaged in it, for
without an end to violence, no peace is possible.
To ensure that the Palestinians live up to these reforms, legislation was
introduced by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) and Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
that would codify the June 24th principles as a freestanding bill. The
purpose of the bill is to demonstrate that the United States is only
willing to provide assistance to a peaceful and democratic Palestinian
state after it has achieved these reforms outlined by President Bush and
has achieved peace with Israel. These reforms must be in place if Congress
is to recognize any Palestinian state. This bill also seeks to coordinate
other countries and NGO’s in monitoring aid to the Palestinians in order
to assure that it is used for the purposes for which it was provided and
not for terrorist organizations and activities.
Please write to your Senators and urge them to cosponsor and help pass
S.1944, the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Enhancement Act of 2003. Or call
your Senators at 202-224-3121. Ask for the office of your Senator and urge
him/her to cosponsor and support S.1944. Senators can be written at:
Senator ______
United States Senate
Washington DC, 20510.
International Studies in Higher Education Act, H.R.3077
As concern increases about anti-Israel attitudes on campuses across the
country, it is clear that an anti-Israel and anti-West ideology pervades
Middle East Centers funded under Title VI of the Higher Education Act.
This distressing phenomenon undermines support of American foreign policy
and security interests.
Title VI of the Higher Education Act provides federal funds to selected
international studies in foreign language centers in universities across
the country. This was enacted by Congress to help meet vital national
needs including training experts for national security and other
government service. Unfortunately, far too many Title VI centers fail to
serve the basic objectives of the program and many centers commonly
exclude scholars who hold other viewpoints. As a result, an anti-American
perspective dominates our federally funded centers. Many Title VI centers
discourage students from entering US government service or supporting
American policy.
The problem is most acute in Middle East studies. Rather than encouraging
academic objectivity, Title VI centers have a political agenda. Before
September 11th, for example, scholars characterized radical Islamism as a
movement for democratic reform. Few focused on Islamist terrorism because
that was considered to “reinforce negative stereotypes.” These centers do
not produce the kind of realistic depiction and analysis that students,
the public, and the government need in order to properly assess the
situation in the Middle East. The large influx of Saudi and other
politically motivated funds to some of the Title VI Middle East centers
casts further doubt on their independence and objectivity.
H.R.3077 is meant to address the flaws in the Title VI funding program.
This bill provides that international study centers selected to receive
Title VI funds would have to demonstrate that their activities advance US
national interests and foster debate from diverse perspectives. An
independent advisory board would be established to make
recommendations to the Secretary of Education and the Congress for
improving the Title VI program to ensure that it meets its objectives.
H.R.3077 would make sure that those purposes for which Title VI tax
dollars are provided are served, namely instructing, educating, and
training experts for national security and other government service and
educating the public on international affairs.
We urge all our members to contact their Senators and ask them to support
H.R.3077, the International Studies in Higher Education Act. This would
help ensure that Title VI centers would help the US government meet
national security and foreign policy needs. Senators can be contacted at
(202)-224-3121.
Israeli MIA’s
As a result of a recent prisoner swap
with Hezballah, Israeli businessman and IDF reserve army colonel Elchanan
Tenenbaum who was kidnapped in October of 2000 was returned to Israel.
Also returned were the bodies of Israeli soldiers Binyamin Avraham, Adi
Avitan, and Omar Souad who were kidnapped along Israel’s border with
Lebanon on October 7th, 2000 and murdered shortly after. This exchange was
facilitated by a German mediator who had been allowed to meet with
Tenenbaum in captivity.
The IPA/OU is reminding its members that not all of the MIA’s have been
returned and that Syria continues to hold Israeli hostages. Ron Arad,
Zachary Baumel, Tzvi Feldman, Yosef Katz, and Guy Hever are still missing
and unaccounted for. In 1999, the IPA/OU helped pass S.676 and H.R.1175,
the Zachary Baumel Law, that specifies that the State Department must
raise the plight of these missing soldiers in all relevant Middle East
discussions and report the findings to Congress. More than twenty-one
years have passed since these Israeli soldiers have disappeared. Please
contact your Senators and Representatives and urge them to implement these
laws and keep this issue on the agenda of Middle East talks. Senators can
be reached at (202)-224-3121 (ask for the office of your Senator) and
Representative can be reached at (202)-225-3121 (ask for the office of
your Representative).
“The Passion” - Film
The IPA/OU has been concerned about the reports surrounding the soon-to-be
released film, “The Passion of the Christ” and the impact it may have on
both Jews and non- Jews. Passion plays, dramas about the death of Jesus,
date from the Middle Ages when they often led to attacks on European Jews.
By the end of World War II and the Holocaust, and the later positive
teachings of the Second Vatican Council in 1965, many Christian leaders
publicly taught that traditional Passion plays are a source of negative
and false teachings about Jews and Judaism. This view was supported by
Pope John Paul II who declared in 1985, “we should aim, in this field,
that Catholic teaching at its different levels presents Jews and Judaism
not only in an honest and objective manner, free from prejudices and
without any offenses…” In 1988, the National Conference of Catholic
Bishops published a strongly worded teaching document that urged all
“depictions of the sacred mysteries conform to the highest possible
standards of biblical interpretation and theological sensitivity. The
greatest caution is advised in all cases where it is a question of
passages that seem to show the Jewish people in an unfavorable light.”
Troubled by reports of versions of the new film, the Inter-religious
Committee of the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America met
with Bishop Murphy and representatives of the New York Archdiocese to
discuss this issue, among others. We expressed particular concern about
the possible impact of the film on the Jewish communities in Europe and
Latin America. We were assured that the National Conference of Catholic
Bishops will issue a volume in keeping with the 1988 teaching document
that will help Catholic leaders and teachers teach about their faith in
ways that will avoid legitimating anti-Semitic rhetoric and behavior. The
Catholic leaders reiterated the Catholic Church position that condemns
anti-Semitism and committed to doing their utmost to discourage any
negative attitudes that may be transmitted by the film.
The IPA/OU will continue to be in contact with Catholic and other
Christian leaders regarding this and other concerns. Materials are being
developed by the OU and will be distributed soon to rabbis and lay leaders
in order to help address various aspects of the film and answer questions
that may be raised by members of our and other communities.
Synagogue Bombings in Turkey
The IPA/OU recently participated in a meeting with the Prime Minister of
Turkey discuss Turkey’s relationship with the US, Turkish-Israel
relations, terrorism, and anti-Semitism. The Prime Minister said that the
terrorists who attacked the two synagogues in Istanbul did not show any
mercy, not even on the occasion of a Moslem holy day, and murdered both
Moslem and Jews. He assured us that Turkey is doing its utmost to confront
terrorism and anti-Semitism but fears that terrorism will still continue
to be a threat. He stated that Turkey remains a strong ally of the US and
will continue to be a strategic partner and ally in NATO. He added that
the state of Turkish-Israeli relations remains solid. Turkey and Israel
have recently cemented an agreement that will enable Israel to buy water
from Turkey and details are being worked out to make this happen soon. The
Prime Minister committed to continue strengthening relations with both the
US and Israel, emphasizing that Turkey is the only Moslem and democratic
state in the region.
|
