I am cross-posting a statement issued tonight by the Orange County Independent Task Force on Anti-Semitism regarding the speaking appearance of George S Rishmawi yesterday at the University of California at Irvine.
http://octaskforce.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/ocitf-statement-on-olive-tree-initiative-speakers/
I concur with that assessment. If any student, Jewish or otherwise, wants to go to the Middle East and meet with these people, they can go on their own dime. As far as I am concerned, they can go to Iran and meet with President Ahmadinejad. However, if this travel is being funded by community donations, specifically by Jewish donors, then those donors have every right to know where and how their money is being spent. It is entirely legitimate to investigate and report on who the players are in this Olive Tree Initiative. This entire controversy is a matter of public interest, and there should be no effort to shut down the debate.
Or to shoot the messenger.
Is it true department
Is it true that after speaking to a Jewish audience at Temple Bat Yahm in Newport Beach on November 4, UC President Mark Yudoff told the UCI chancellor that he had a major problem (at UCI)?
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10 comments:
Dear Mr. Fouse and Mr. Bleiewis,
I'd like to take a moment to respond to your concerns:
1.) Olive Tree Initiative is funded by a wide variety of sources, many Jewish, but also many Muslim, Christian, and Nonaffiliated - they have built a strong community of supporters and the vast majority of funding comes from these established sources.
2.) No community-funded Jewish Organization currently funds OTI. Hille doesn't financially support OTI. Jewish Federation doesn't financially support OTI.
A special division of JFed, Rose Project, which is a discrete and small group of donors with a specific purpose, have repeatedly voted as a board to support active and educated Israel advocates to attend the trip.
3.) The trip creates the most active and educated Israel advocates on this campus: Isaac Yerushalmi ("The" Anteater for Israel), Moran Cohen (Past President of AFI), and myself
These students challenge speakers, and engage in round table discussions that educate students about their narrative. OTI's latest trip had even the Palestinian students coming back to recognize Israel's right to exist, and most are firmly against the BDS movement after the trip.
4.) OTI brings one-sided speakers from both narratives: Ron Nachman, the Mayor of Ariel and one of the most radical of the settler movement, is on the trip every year. Just in two weeks, OTI is sponsoring Itzik Yarkoni, Israeli Advoact from the Sderot Media Center, to talk about terrorism, Hamas, and living under rocket attacks.
5.) I was disappointed that neither of you had stuck around for part 2 or 3, in which George S. Rishmawi said the following:
- Israeli water and sanitation companies have been helping him bring up living conditions in the West Bank, and he'd rather work with Israeli companies for agricultural needs: "they are the best in the world"
- BDS has made no positive effect on his community, and he prefers investment in Palestine
Matan
Do you think it's true? How would anyone other than Drake or Yudof know?
.
Matan,
I stated myself that according to Mr Fruchtman, Hillel does not financially support OTI. I have also stated that it is the Rose Project (established by the OC Jewish Federation) that funds travel of Jewish students on OTI.
You may be correct in everything you say, but as I stated to you on your own blog, it is legitimate for donors to ask questions about how the money is being spent. Therefore, I feel it is legitimate to question the true motives of people like George S Rishmawi and his associates.
It is truly sad to see the division within the Jewish community, but that is something I have been observing ever since I got involved in these matters. I can only hope that when it comes to such a crucial-life or death issue- that the community could join together as one against a common enemy that wishes to destroy it.
I have been involved in the UCI controversy for over 4 years now. Since OTI started, I have seen no improvement in the campus climate in regards to this issue. After two years of OTI activity, we had the Oren event. Last May, Malik Ali called the Jews "the new Nazis". He was not talking about Israelis-he was addressing the Jews in the audience.
"You may be correct in everything you say, but as I stated to you on your own blog, it is legitimate for donors to ask questions about how the money is being spent. "
Not a single donor to my knowledge has questioned their commitment to the Olive Tree, as no community funds are used - only individual donors. Every person that is part of the Rose Project is aware of what events and speakers OTI brings, so your statement, while true, isn't relevant.
Miggie,
The shadow knows.
Matan,
I think it might be more appropriate for the Rose Project folks to explain how the money is handled.
Matan, thank you for an informative and sober presentation of the goals and funding sources of OTI. This is one of the most hopeful initiatives surrounding the conflict in the Middle East I have seen in some time.
Gary, what makes you think the Rose Project owes any explanation to anyone? You are certainly not a donor. Nobody has made a well-documented claim that any laws are being violated. This is a private initiative, accountable to nobody but its own participants and donors. If you don't like what they are doing you can say "Gary Fouse disapproves because..." Everyone is entitled to an opinion. That's about all you have offered in this entire discussion.
Siarlys,
You don't know what you are talking about. You read a cople of posts and you are an expert. You don't know half of the story that is going on out here because I have chosen to stay away from much of it.
Gary, that's pathetic. I haven't claimed to be an expert on anything except that there is a difference between the public and private sector. In the public sector, the people are entitled to an accounting for the use of public funds. In the private sector, unless you violate a law, you can do what you want with your own money.
I don't know anything because you have refrained from telling most of the real story? Well, well. You certainly get your back up when you lack a factual basis to refute a sober comment.
Matan,
If you have individual donors that know what they are funding and are happy to continue to do so, then you should have no problem helping the Federation out of this mess with the community by funding the project completely outside of the Federation. Why not go that route?
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