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International
B
R I E F S |
December 2003
Terrorism
Secretary of State Colin Powell, while visiting Syria a few months ago,
relayed the message that Congress was considering a bill that would put
sanctions on Syria unless it ceases and desists from its support of
terrorism. At that time, Syria promised to close down the offices of
Palestinian terrorist groups based in Damascus. Despite many promises,
these offices are still open and the activities of many terrorist groups,
including Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas, continue to be financed by
Syria. Syria also continues its high-level support for Hezbollah whose
military capabilities are being built up for a future struggle against
Israel by the transfer of Iranian arms through Damascus. Hezbollah acts as
a puppet for Syria by attacking Israel from Lebanon, with more than 10,000
Katuysha rockets pointed towards Israel.
The IPA/OU strongly advocated the passage of the Syria Accountability Act
and recently applauded its passage in the House and the Senate. The
economic and diplomatic sanctions described in the Syria Accountability
Act will help to weaken Syria’s support for terrorism and the development
of weapons of mass destruction. The IPA/OU commends Senators Rick Santorum
(R-PA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representatives Eliot Engle (D-NY) and
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) for their initiative and resolve in helping to
pass the Syria Accountability Act.
Organization of the Islamic Conference
The IPA/OU condemned Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammed’s
anti-Semitic speech at the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The
fact that what amounted to a call for jihad against the entire Jewish
people by the Muslim world was applauded by 57 leaders of the Muslim
world, including some considered moderate, is an unacceptable outrage. In
letters sent to the leaders of all the entities in the Organization of the
Islamic Conference, the IPA/OU called the vicious and anti-Semitic remarks
and racist accusations made by Mahatir contrary to “any civilized
society’s notion of respect and tolerance”. The letter called upon the
Muslim leaders to exercise responsibility and repudiate the hateful speech
and asked them to issue public statements denouncing the incitement to
hatred.
Anti-Semitism – Europe
The continuing tide of anti-Semitic attacks and activities in Europe is
increasingly cause for concern, as illustrated by anti-Semitic statements
made by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, in which in the presence of
government ministers, he called Israel “the root of evil”. Jewish
cemeteries continue to be vandalized in Eastern Europe.
During his recent visit to Rome, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met
with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who promised to help combat the
increasing surge of anti-Semitism in Europe. Since the Italians have also
been the target of terrorists in Iraq, Berlusconi has exhibited
willingness to help urge the EU to take a more balanced approach to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Berlusconi has also proposed that Israel
join the European Union. An event recently held in New York in
Berlusconi’s honor was attended by the IPA/OU.
United Nations
The IPA/OU protested the glaring omission of anti-Semitism in a resolution
on religious intolerance in the United Nations General Assembly Third
Committee, which singled out Jews in what should be a resolution that
condemns all kinds of religious intolerance. This, in effect, is implying
that all religious prejudices are to be condemned with the exception of
the prejudice against Jews. The IPA/OU contacted United Nations leaders
and delegates to insist on the inclusion of anti-Semitism in the
resolution.
The General Assembly passed a blatantly anti-Israel resolution on concern
for the safety of Palestinian children, which totally ignored the safety
of Israeli children and protection from suicide bombers. The Israeli
delegation, for the first time, proposed a resolution on the protection of
Israeli children, which it was forced to withdraw, due to an Egyptian
amendment that eviscerated the content by deleting the word “Israeli” from
the entire text. The fact that Egypt would render this resolution useless
and refuse to recognize the rights of Israeli children to peace and
security is unacceptable from a peace partner. Other countries opposed to
the Israeli resolution were Bahrain, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa,
Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. The resolution had also demanded that
the Palestinian Authority carry out its commitments to dismantle the
terrorist infrastructure and mentioned the names of several Palestinian
terror organizations. This sentence was deleted as well. The IPA/OU
applauded Israel’s courageous efforts and the American vote against the
Palestinian children resolution.
As a response to the resolution on religious intolerance, a resolution has
been proposed by Ireland condemning anti-Semitism. The IPA is pressing the
European Union delegation to pass the Irish resolution as well as to
include anti-Semitism in the religious tolerance resolution.
The IPA/OU condemned the passage of a UN Security Council resolution
endorsing the “road map”. This resolution, introduced by Russia despite
strong Israeli objections, is an effort to impose a Middle East solution
by the UN and will be used as a tool for more anti-Israel activity. The
resolution makes no mention of Israel’s fourteen reservations and will
increase UN involvement in the process to the detriment of the U.S. role.
A UN report was released criticizing Israel’s security barrier meant to
prevent the infiltration of terrorists. This system has worked
successfully in Gaza and has helped thwart hundreds of attempts by
terrorists to infiltrate Israel. Contrary to accusations, the fence has
not hindered any economic prospects while an improved security situation
has enabled more Palestinians to work in Israel. The United Nations report
claims that hundreds of thousands of Palestinian lives will be disrupted,
an incorrect and misleading assumption. It ignores the fact that Israel is
doing everything it can to minimize how it affects the Palestinians while
making sure its citizens are protected.
An Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly has been scheduled at
the request of the Arab states following the pronouncement by Secretary
General Kofi Annan who called Israel’s security fence a breach of
international law that will increase Palestinian suffering. The purpose of
this Session is to adopt a resolution calling for an advisory opinion from
the International Court of Justice, which handles disputes between states.
The General Assembly had already passed a resolution demanding that Israel
halt construction a month ago. The vote at that time was 144 to 4, with 12
abstentions. The Palestinians claim that the fence is a step towards the
annexation of Palestinian land. Israel defends the fence as a necessary
security measure, saying that murder is not reversible, but once the
terrorism will cease, the fence can come down.
“Geneva Accords”
The IPA/OU denounced the so-called
“Geneva Accords”, an initiative launched in a public signing ceremony in
Switzerland by private individuals and strongly opposed by the Sharon
government. Seen as a step taken to circumvent the democratically elected
Israeli government, the IPA called upon “the friends of Israel everywhere
– especially in the United States Department of State and the United
States Congress – to respect the right of a sovereign democratic ally’s
leaders to guide her policies and safeguard her citizens.” The IPA also
opposed a resolution circulated by several U.S. senators including
Feinstein, Leahy, and Chafee in support of the Geneva Accords, citing that
the “Accord” addresses many critical and sensitive issues that affect the
safety and security of Israel and that it is only Israel’s democratically
elected leaders who are empowered to make decisions that will safeguard
the security of the Jewish state. The IPA/OU conveyed its profound concern
on this matter to members of Congress and the Administration
Terror Attacks in Turkey
The IPA/OU expressed its solidarity
with Turkey and with the Turkish Jewish community at the terrorist attacks
that took place against two synagogues in Istanbul. These attacks were
followed by another set of terrorist bombings in other areas of Istanbul
shortly after. The silence of Muslim leaders even as these attacks take
Muslim lives, and even as they occurred during Islam’s holiest month of
Ramadan, has long been the subject of IPA criticism. The war against
terrorism must be global, since terrorism is not limited to any one region
of the world. The IPA participated in meetings with the Turkish
Consul-General and with the leaders of the Turkish Jewish community who
expressed a need for more updated security measures in synagogues and in
the Jewish school. Synagogues and individuals interested in contributing
to the relief of the Turkish synagogues should contact the JDC at (212)
687-6200.
U.S.-Israel Cooperation
Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to the members
of the U.S. House requesting President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld to continue funding the Arrow missile defense system, a joint
U.S.-Israel project. The Arrow missile defense system is an excellent
example of U.S.-Israel cooperation as both countries, in the forefront of
the global war against terrorism, face the real threat of chemical and
biological missile attacks. To deal with this threat, Boeing and Israel
aircraft industries signed an agreement to jointly manufacture the Arrow
interceptor, which has been successfully tested. The IPA/OU requested
representatives to sign Representative Kirk’s letter urging the President
to ensure that the funds needed to increase production are available by
including the U.S. portion of the co-production funds in the FY2005
defense budget request. This will help fight the terrorist threat as well
as strengthen the U.S-Israel strategic relationship.
Argentina
In 1994, the Argentine Israelite Mutual Aid Association (AMIA) building
was destroyed in a terrorist attack which killed 85 people and wounded
hundreds. Since then, the investigation has dragged on due in no small
measure to ineptitude and efforts to undermine justice.
The failure of the Argentine government to uncover important details of
this terrorist attack is extremely frustrating. Despite evidence that this
bombing was organized abroad and carried out by non-Argentines with local
help, the 20 Argentines who are suspected of involvement in the AMIA
bombing are on trial which may continue into its third year. Even after
this case concludes, questions regarding the true role of the Central
Argentine Intelligence Agency and the country’s political leadership will
likely remain open. Suspicions include the involvement of Iranian
terrorist elements and the role that high-level officials played in
obscuring the truth about the attack on the AMIA. The same goes for the
terrorist bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires two years
earlier.
On the positive side, President Nestor Kirchner of Argentina has made
several moves to rid the justice system of some corrupt elements and has
ordered the release of documents held by the Argentine intelligence agency
SIDE. These may reveal that SIDE had been warned of the attacks several
days before the bombing. President Kirchner has promised to punish those
responsible if foreknowledge of this attack is uncovered.
There are also reports of Argentinean intelligence agents who filmed an
Iranian diplomat shopping for a van similar to the one that was used in
that bombing, and allowed him to escape to Iran, as well as indications
that there were tips to government officials about a likely Lebanese/Hezbollah
connection.
It is long past due that justice and closure be brought to this case. The
IPA/OU will continue to closely monitor developments in Argentina.
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