|
The most recent campaign, currently running on 50 municipal buses in the Washington, D.C. area through the end of July, directs viewers to a Web site called "WhyIslam," which includes a list of "resources" linking to various sites that feature extreme anti-Semitic and anti-Israel invective.
"The 'WhyIslam' campaign is ostensibly an effort to clear up misperceptions and to educate the general public about Islam," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "This endeavor would on its face appear to be the right thing to do. Unfortunately, when one follows through to learn more, the Web site provides links to conspiratorial anti-Semitic material as resources.
"We have always said that our concern is with extremists who promote hatred in the name of Islam," said Mr. Foxman. "In this 'WhyIslam' campaign, an otherwise positive effort to promote public awareness about Islam, providing links to sites that would be considered extreme by any measure in their expressions of hatred for Jews and Israel taints their message."
The "WhyIslam" campaign was created by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) in 2008 to educate the public about Islam and to "clarify many of the misconceptions" about the religion. The campaign's Web site calls for interfaith dialogue, stating that, "Religious hostility can be greatly diminished, if not completely eliminated, if we make a sincere attempt to understand the 'other.'"
But under "resources on Islam," the site provides links to external sites that promote anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel. Those links include:
•Jews for Allah (JFA), an anti-Semitic and extreme anti-Israel Web site that aims to convert Jews to Islam. The site includes the article, "Islam: A Religion of Terror?" which says: "It is the Jewish influenced media of the West which has portrayed Islam to be something that it is not … . Whilst trying to destroy Islam through this instrument of the media, the Jews clearly try to portray an image of themselves as being the oppressed people… ."
• IslamOnline, a Web-based publication connected to Sheik Yusuf Qaradawi, a radical Muslim brotherhood ideologue based in Qatar. The publication promotes anti-Israel terrorist groups, has referred to Zionism as a "cancer," and has repeatedly claimed that the close ties between the U.S. and Israel demonstrate their mutual desire to oppress Muslims. In January 2008, IslamOnline published a poem in its Arts and Culture section that gave graphic instructions on how to behead someone.
• Harun Yahya, an anti-Semitic Turkish writer whose articles demonize Jews who support Israel as "godless" and blames them for committing atrocities. One article penned by Yahya quotes French Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy and another cites Yahya's own book titled "The Holocaust Deception."
"WhyIslam" is not the only public awareness campaign on Islam to provide links to anti-Semitic Web sites. The South Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which ran a similar campaign dubbed "Calling Islam" last November on buses in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, also provided links to Jews for Allah and articles by Harun Yahya as part of its online effort.
The "WhyIslam" campaign, created by the New York and New Jersey chapters of INCA, has had significant national exposure since fall 2008. The campaign has run advertisements on buses and billboards in Seattle, San Francisco, New York City, Washington, D.C. and 18 other cities across the United States.
Lauder urges Europeans to stop Iran's nuclear program, and refrain from pressuring Israel
 BRUSSELS, Belgium (Press Release)-- The president of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), Ronald S. Lauder, has called on the European Union to do more to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability and posing a threat to the entire region. Lauder is holding talks in Brussels with the EU Council's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, the president of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, and External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
In a contribution for the German newspaper 'Financial Times Deutschland' on Thursday, Lauder calls the results of the West's policy of engagement with Iran on the nuclear program "sobering." He added: "A reality check and an honest evaluation of four years of intensive, but ineffective shuttle diplomacy are urgently required at this stage."
In Brussels, he called on European governments and businesses to show restraint in dealing with Iran and respect not just the latter, but also the spirit of the international sanctions regime. "Unfortunately, some Western governments -- but also China and Russia -- have either deluded themselves that Tehran is a serious partner for negotiations, or have knowingly gone along with this fiction in pursuit of their own parochial economic and political interests," the WJC president declared. He urged the international community not to accept Tehran's stonewalling tactics any longer: "Time is of essence. Europe should take the nuclear threat more seriously because Iran is continuously expanding the range and quality of its missiles."
With regard to the Middle East peace process, Lauder said the European Union leadership should not put unilateral pressure on Israel. "Europe needs to play a constructive role in solving the conflict in the Middle East and be an honest broker. However, it is clear that currently the Palestinians are unable, in the case of the Palestinian Authority, and unwilling, in the case of Hamas, to guarantee Israel's safety and integrity, which has to be a crucial point in any peace agreement," he said.
Now he's Lord Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
.jpg) LONDON (WJC) —Britain’s chief rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks has been given a life peerage and will take his seat in the upper chamber of the British Parliament, the House of Lords, after the parliamentary summer recess. He will sit as a 'crossbencher' and not take a party whip. Sacks follows in the footsteps of his predecessor, Lord Jakobovits.
The chief rabbi said he was honored by the appointment because it would allow him to combine his rabbinical responsibilities with the opportunities that membership of the House of Lords provided. "The crossbenches of the House of Lords have a significance in providing objective, independent, considered thought to debate," he said. "The moral and faith voice needs to be heard in our national conversation and I look forward to taking part in ensuring that voice is heard."
Vivian Wineman, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “I send warm congratulations to the chief rabbi on this richly deserved honor. This is an honor for the community as a whole as well as a reflection of the chief’s extraordinary talents. A towering figure both inside and outside the community, the chief rabbi is a role model in pure decency, offering unique intellectual insights and moral clarity as a great communicator.”
|
|
Haifa University solves a 19th century 'whatdunnit' mystery
HAIFA, Israel (Press Release)—A joint experiment carried out by researchers from the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies at the University of Haifa and staff of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has solved the riddle that has been puzzling researchers ever since they first observed the thick wooden sides of the sunken ship opposite the shore of Acre: could cannon fire have penetrated the hull?
The ship was discovered in 1966, but only since University of Haifa researchers began examining it about three years ago have its mysteries been exposed. The initial matters of interest related to the ship's origins, date and the reason why it sank. A map drawn up by a British officer in 1799, during Napoleon's siege of Acre, led the researchers to assume that this was a blockship sunk by the British to bar French vessels from entering the port.
Another puzzle that has occupied the researchers, however, relates to the thickness of the ship's hull. According to Dr. Yaacov Kahanov, who heads the research team, it was evident at first glance that the hull, which was constructed of oak, was unusually thick, leading the team to question the possibility of cannon-ball penetration. Experimental firings of cannons at replicas of wooden warships have been carried out in other countries, but due to the cost and complexity of such experiments, they have been few and far between. In general, they were only firing demonstrations, and scientific data has not always been obtained. So it was still hard to tell for sure whether the cannon balls found in the wreck would have been capable of sinking this particular ship.
The University of Haifa marine researchers received assistance from a team of Rafael engineers, who developed a unique model that enabled firing experiments to be carried out on a reduced scale, thereby reducing costs, and enabling controlled, measured and documented experimentation. The present experiment was carried out at a scale of 1:2, for which five models of the ship's hull, based on the archaeological findings, were constructed at the University. In parallel, Rafael adapted an experimental gun to fire steel balls, modeling the cannon balls. Meticulous measurements were taken to ensure setting the range of muzzle velocities of the period; 100-500 meters per second.
The experiments showed in the most dramatic way that, despite the hull's strength, it could not withstand the impact of the cannon fire, which penetrated it even at the lowest velocities. It also became evident that the lower the velocity, the more energy was absorbed in causing damage to the hull, and the more the wood splintered, which would have caused more harm to the ship's personnel. The results of this experiment, according to the researchers, are of much significance to the study of the vessel and to the study of naval battles in this period.
Minister wants transliterated Hebrew names on road signs
JERUSALEM (WJC)—Israel’s transportation minister wants to change the Arabic and English spelling on road signs leading to major cities and ancient holy sites, an Israeli newspaper reports. Historic sites in the Holy Land often have parallel, not always entirely identical, names in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Road signs are generally topped with Hebrew names, then Arabic, which is the second official language of the state, and English.
But instead of their age-old names in Arabic and English, the government plans to use the Hebrew transliteration for new signs, ‘Yediot Ahronot’ reported. Jerusalem will no longer be written as such in English, nor as al-Quds in Arabic, but only as Yerushalayim – both in Hebrew, Arabic and English letters.
Nazareth would become Natsrat, as pronounced in Hebrew, and, the ancient Roman port of Caesaria Kesariya. Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee, becomes Tveria. The initiative was authorized by Transportation Minister Israel Katz of the Likud party. "If someone wants to use a road sign to turn Jewish Jerusalem into the Palestinian al-Quds - that won't happen under this government, and certainly not under this minister," Katz told the paper.
His decision sparked scorn among Arab-Israeli lawmakers, including Ahmed Tibi, of the United Arab List - in the Knesset. "Al-Quds remains al-Quds," he said. "The minister errs if he thinks that word laundering can erase the Arabs' existence in Israel and their link to the land." The move also sparked criticism within the government. "Street signs are no political theme. Arabic is an official language in Israel," said Minorities Minister Avishai Braverman of the Labor Party.
U.S. Ku Klux Klansman arrested
in Tel Aviv, of all places
TEL AVIV (WJC)—A Ku Klux Klan member who figures on the FBI's '100 Most Wanted' list was arrested in Tel Aviv by Israeli police. Micky Louis Mayon was apprehended on Sunday by a new Israeli task force targeting illegal immigration. He is wanted in the United States for numerous violent crimes, including racist assaults and firearms-related offenses. He is expected to be deported shortly.
According to intelligence received by Interpol, Mayon arrived in Israel in 2008 and had been moving frequently and changing identities. The white supremacist Mayon is wanted in the U.S. on a number of charges, including racist assaults and firearms-related offenses.
Schneider has worked for the organization for 14 years, mostly as its chief operating officer. He has also overseen the Institutional Allocations Program since its inception in 1995, facilitating its growth from US$ 90 million allocated in 24 countries to the US$ 190 million allocated in 2009 to benefit Nazi victims in 43 countries.
The Board of Directors elected Schneider unanimously. “I am confident that Mr. Schneider will be an exemplary executive vice-president, guiding the staff with vision for the challenges that lie ahead, and continuing the Claims Conference tradition of strong executive leadership,” said the organization’s chairman, Julius Berman. “He is unquestionably dedicated to serving Jewish victims of Nazism, with a drive and commitment that has resulted in payments to hundreds of thousands of them and groundbreaking social care in more than 40 countries. Mr. Schneider is highly respected by the entire board for his foresight, intellect, and creativity."
|
NEW YORK (Press Release)— A national campaign to educate the general public about Islam through a series of advertisements on buses is tainted by the fact that a Web site related to the campaign links out to sites that contain anti-Semitic materials, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said on Wednesday