Top: George N Rishmawi
Bottom: George S Rishmawi
As part of the on-going controversy over the recent appearance of George S Rishmawi in front of the UC-Irvine Olive Tree Initiative, I have been doing some checking into his cousin, George N Rishmawi. The two are often confused. Below is a link to the pro-Palestinian website Palestine: Information with Provenance which links to stories by Middle East Report (MERIP), which in turn describes George N Rishmawi as "an International Solidarity Movement activist (not to be confused with his cousin, George S Rishmawi)."
http://cosmos.ucc.ie/cs1064/jabowen/IPSC/php/authors.php?auid=1352
On the above site, there is a link to articles which mention George N Rishmawi. The below article about Rachel Corrie was written by anti-Israel activist and Stanford professor Joel Beinin. That article mentions a George Rishmawi (nmi) who was involved with the ISM when Rachel Corrie, a young American activist came to the disputed territories to engage in protests. She was subsequently killed while being run over by a bulldozer as it attempted to demolish a Palestinian house suspected of being used to smuggle weapons by underground tunnels (a point not mentioned by Beinin). The below article questions the Israeli investigation of Corrie's death and the opposition to showing a film about Corrie at the Jewish Film Festival by Jewish groups in San Francisco.
http://www.merip.org/mero/interventions/beininINT2.html
The parents of Rachel Corrie travel the world giving presentations in front of pro-Palestinian groups. I have seen and heard them speak at UC-Iirvine. They come across as decent people who desire peace, but make no mistake, they oppose Israel. As for Beinin's comments about any feelings of shame on the part of San Francisco Jews and his comments about the foundations and pillars of American Jews being based on money, Holocaust commemoration, and support for Israel, I think that is beneath contempt. I also find it highly questionable when Beinin claims the Corries actually wanted to be present at their daughter's autopsy. Really??
In addition, the MERIP page on George N Rishmawi contains another story in which he is mentioned (as George Rishmawi nmi). This concerns an Israeli army raid on the International Solidarity Movement hqs in 2003-days after two British Muslim suicide bombers blew up Mike's Place, a Tel Aviv bar. It was later determined that the two had stayed at an ISM house prior to the attack. (The ISM denies any connection to the attack saying that the two bombers paid a social visit to ISM prior to their attack.)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/may/10/israel1
Here is an official version of the attack on Mike's Place by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2003/Details+of+April+30-+2003+Tel+Aviv+suicide+bombing.htm
Here is another report on the incident by Arutz Sheva, a conservative Israel news organ.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/44473
And here is David Horowitz's Frontpage article on Mike's Place and the ISM. Note the revelation that the two bombers entered the region under the guise of "alternative tourism".
http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=17706
Below is an article co-authored by George N Rishmawi apparently under the aegis of the ISM. It appears to be copyrighted in 2003.
http://books.google.com/books?id=flX6VOW_5LsC&pg=PA62&lpg=PA62&dq=george+n+rishmawi&source=bl&ots=hUTqRqTm3u&sig=ITwpuTBFnWc3x2PYiHTeR0nDYQo&hl=en&ei=80gBTYuVHYXssgbj8OjyDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&sqi=2&ved=0CE4Q6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=george%20n%20rishmawi&f=false
So we have George N Rishmawi, George S Rishmawi and George Rishmawi nmi, which would appear to be George N Rishmawi. Both individuals were listed on the 2008 and 2010 itinerary for the UCI Olive Tree Initiative I am informed by OTI that the itineraries previously quoted were later revised and certain names may have been deleted or added during the actual visit. There is no mention of whether or not George S Rishmawi and/or George N Rishmawi were deleted.
One thing we do know is that both Rishmawis are connected to the Palestine Center for Rapprochement Between Peoples, which, according to Wikipedia (perhaps out-dated), is a subsidiary of ISM.
The George S Rishmawi in the above-linked page is the one who spoke at UC-Irvine a couple of weeks ago. The George N Rishmawi in that page is the one the Jewish Federation of Orange County described as a "despicable character".
George S Rishmawi-George N Rishmawi; peace activists or something else?
To be continued.
11 comments:
Anonymous,
I think you miss my point(s). The first point is that in my mind, there is a legitimate question as to whether these people are really peace activists or working toward the delitimatization and destruction of Israel and whether they may or may not have links to terrorists (I am not acussing them of that at this point.) The possible ISM connections are also a legitimate topic of discussion.
If that is the case, however, then those who are contributing monetarily to this venture have every right to know the facts and make their own decisions.
It is true that college students have the right to hear all sides. I don't argue with that. If students want to go to Iran, for example, and meet with Ahmadinejad to get his perspective, go right ahead. However, donors might decide not on their dime. That is also their right.
I wasn't the previous anonymous whose post you deleted, but I wanted to remind you:
it was previously pointed out to you by someone involved with OTI that their funding comes from very specific donors in the Jewish Federation Rose Project who are SPECIFICALLY donating to support OTI. Other peoples' donations are NOT going towards OTI. Why is this so hard for you to understand?
Anonymous,
First, I don't recall deleting any comments recently except one that was posted twice and I cut out the extra one. I welcome disagreements as long as they are civil.
My point still remains. Whoever the specific donors are, do they not have a right to know who these individuals are that are involved? Or does no one have a right to know?
As I write, I have a OTI pamphlet in front of me which I was given last week. It says this:
"Please help support the OTI by making a donation today.
OTI is funded through 80% private donations (Your donations may be tax deductible.)
Mail a check made payable to UC Regents: The Olive Tree Initiative: Attn Rosemarie Swatez,
University of California Irvine
3151 Social Science Plaza,
Irvine, 92697-5100"
So what else is there that I don't understand?
Dear Gary,
As mentioned by Anon, the only donors that support OTI via the Jewish Federation are the Rose Project, a small and select group of people who know exactly what speakers OTI brings, their mission, and actually work with OTI to help them meet speakers.
You (and others) are suggesting "community" money is sponsoring these events, which is 100.0% false. That is the contention point that I believe Anon is bringing up.
Matan
Matan,
Let me add some more from the aforementioned pamphlet:
"Where Your Donations Go
$3,700.00 sponsors 1 student trip (18 days) including:
$1,500 1 plane ticket
$700.00 1 student lodging
$500.00 Complete meals for 1 student"
If community donors are not involved, why does your flyer ask for donations?
By the way, here is a link to a 2008 pamphlet listing supporters:
http:octaskforce.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/beyond20stereotypes20program.pdf
The important thing remains transparency. Is not OTI a 501 C3?
If I have already said it before here, I will say it again. My role in this issue is delving into the nature of these figures on the Palestine side. I am not much interested in getting into the middle of this name-calling battle going on within the Jewish community. I would say, however, "Don't shoot the messenger". I think it is unworthy for national Jewish organizations to try and bring down a private individual who has chosen to speak out and question the OTI and their backers. It is sort of David and Goliath, in my view. It was also wrong for one organization to post a letter listing the names of some 100 students, many of whom were unaware their names were being attached. It is also my understanding- correct me if I am wrong-that Chabad had refused to sign the letter but had their name affixed anyway. And that "retraction" posted on the OC Jewish Experience in no way addressed what was done.
I too hope that the divisions within the community can be resolved. However, the questions will still continue. If the attacks on this individual continue from big, well-financed organizations, I will definitely stand in support of this person.
Matan,
Not sure if the link was complete. Here it is again.
http:octaskforce.files.wordpress.
com/2010/11/beyond20stereotypes20program
http:octaskforce.files.wordpress.
com/2010/11/beyond20stereotypes20program.pdf
Rishmawi Shmishmawi, don't you have anything better to talk about?
The point Matan is making, which you obtusely refuse to comprehend, is the same one I've made before:
Donors to the Rose Project know exactly what they are donating to. Money from broadly based Jewish organizations is not being diverted behind the backs of Jewish donors who might not support OTI. The fact that donations are solicited, openly and honestly, for OTI, is not a crime.
IF you could show that money donated to general Jewish causes was being allocated (without donors's knowledge and against their intentions) to OTI, then you would have a valid point. Jews, contrary to the propaganda of Jewish nationalists and al Qaeda/Hamas/Hezbullah, are not robots and do not march in lockstep in accordance with a single Overmind.
Siarlys,
When did you become an expert on this issue?
I am not suggesting that anyone has committed a crime. Further, I am not asking people not to contribute to anything. What I am doing is looking into the figures who are meeting and guiding the students around on the OTI trips. It's called transparency.
If what you say is so clear, then why are we having a big fuss out here in OC?
Perhaps it is because you suffer from tunnel vision - or because you change your ground whenever your point is refuted. When did a down home just plain folks decent citizens conservative like you start deferring to "experts"? I'm a well informed citizen of the United States of America. What more do I need?
A while back you argued "However, donors might decide not on their dime. That is also their right."
Now you refocus on "What I am doing is looking into the figures who are meeting and guiding the students around on the OTI trips."
So, its not about diversion of funds, its about educating willing donors that in your seldom humble opinion, they are donating to an unworthy cause? I've been trying to tell registered Republicans that for years.
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