1. GERMANY EDITION
December 7, 2010
Dear Friends:
We are getting our first dose of cold weather; however, here in the New York
area but we haven’t had a flake of snow. I can only sympathize with you over the
frigid temperatures and piles of the white stuff you have been suffering in Europe.
I believe that the Great Equalizer usually levels things off. Good for you, not for
us.
Meanwhile, in Israel, as I’m sure you heard, they are having the worse forest fire
in their history with more than 40 deaths. They’ve had to call in help from other
countries to get it under control. They’ve had a terrible drought which makes any
forest fire worse. A sad business!
Snow, droughts…Is Mother Nature sending us a message?
I thought that the fire might slow down the peace process but, frankly, it doesn’t
seem to be going anywhere fire or no fire. With Pres. Obama tied down with tax
issues, Netanyahu taken up with the fire and Abbas still demanding a 3 month
settlement freeze nothing is moving. I have the feeling that almost everything is
frozen (including my poor friends in Germany) until, at least the New Year.
Being that the holiday season is upon us and AJC has asked me to shepherd the
incoming German participants in the annual exchange program we have with the
Adenauer Foundation next week (They’ll be visiting Washington, Atlanta and
New York) this will be the last edition of DuBow Digest until January. You’ll
survive.
I hope that my Jewish readers have had a nice Hanukkah and that the Christians
among you have a great Christmas.
May we all have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
On to the news…
THE WESTERN WALL
It’s not only politics that separate the Israelis and the Palestinians and make any
sort of a peace agreement exceedingly difficult. Religion and religious sites are in
many ways much more difficult, though not impossible, to deal with. When one
side says that the holiest site of the other side really doesn’t belong to them, it
exacerbates the problems and difficulties. Read the story that follows…
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2. The holiest site for religious Jews throughout the world is the Western Wall in
Jerusalem. It is sacred because it is a remnant of the Herodian retaining wall that
once enclosed and supported the Second Temple. It has also been called the
"Wailing Wall" by European observers because for centuries Jews have
gathered here to lament the loss of their temple.
From 1948, during the first Israel – Arab war, the site was captured by the
Jordanian army and stayed in their hands until the Six Day War (1967) when it
was taken by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). During the 1948-67 period Israelis
and almost all Jews from other countries were prohibited from visiting and
praying there.
Recently the Jerusalem Post reported, “The Western Wall belongs to Muslims
and is an integral part of Al-Aksa Mosque and Haram al-Sharif (the Islamic term
for the Temple Mount complex, meaning the Noble Sanctuary), according to an
official paper published on Monday by the Palestinian Authority Ministry of
Information in Ramallah.
The paper, which has been presented as a “study,” was prepared by Al-
Mutawakel Taha, a senior official with the ministry, to “refute” Jews’ claims to the
Western Wall. In the past, PA leaders and officials have also denied Jewish
rights to the Wall, insisting that the Temple Mount never stood in the area.
The new document claims that the Western Wall, or Al- Buraq Wall, as it is
known to Muslims, constitutes Waqf property owned by an Algerian- Moroccan
Muslim family.
It claims there isn’t one stone in the wall that belongs to the era of King Solomon.
The “study” also contends that the path next to the Western Wall was never a
public road, but was established only for the use of Muslims living in the area or
making their way toward the mosques on the Temple Mount.
“The Zionist occupation falsely and unjustly claims that it owns this wall, which it
calls the Western Wall or Kotel,” Taha, who is also a renowned Palestinian poet
and writer, wrote in his project.
“Al-Buraq Wall is in fact the western wall of Al-Aksa Mosque.”
There are 13 million Jews in the world, even those that are not religious, will
strongly (and I mean strongly) disagree with Mr. Taha’s conclusion. It only adds
fuel to the fire. Let’s hope that cooler heads on the Palestinian side will prevail.
For a Western Wall history click here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Wall
For an Israeli reply click here. http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?
id=196485
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3. A week after the original story broke the U.S. State Dept. entered the fray. Philip
J. Crowley, the State Dept. spokesman was quoted as saying, “…regarding a
claim by a senior Palestinian official that the Western Wall is an Islamic Waqf, we
strongly condemn these comments and fully reject them as factually incorrect,
insensitive, and highly provocative. We have repeatedly raised with the
Palestinian Authority leadership the need to consistently combat all forms of
delegitimization of Israel, including denying historic Jewish connections to the
land. As the United States has long maintained, the status of Jerusalem must be
resolved in final status negotiations between the parties. We recognize that
Jerusalem is a deeply important issue to Israelis and Palestinians, to Jews, to
Muslims, and to Christians everywhere. We believe it is possible to reach an
outcome that both realizes the aspirations of all parties for Jerusalem and
safeguards its stature for the future.
And, after a few days and a lot of criticism, (J-Post.com) The Palestinian
Authority on Wednesday removed a report claiming that Jerusalem's Western
Wall is not holy to Jews from an official website, after it provoked furious
reaction. The PA Ministry of Information claimed that hackers had penetrated the
site and removed the post.
However, a few days later, the report resurfaced on the PA website. The
Jerusalem Post noted, “Only days after it was removed from the website of the
Palestinian Authority Information Ministry, a “study” denying Jews’ right to the
Western Wall has resurfaced, this time on the official website of the PA’s news
agency Wafa. By publishing the document on its official website, the PA has sent
a message that its has officially endorsed its findings.
The document accused “Zionist occupation of falsely and unrightfully” claiming
ownership of the Western Wall.
The “study” disappeared from the website of the PA Information Ministry almost
immediately after the US condemned it strongly.
Initially, the ministry claimed that hackers had penetrated its website and
removed the Western Wall report. However, a senior PA official in Ramallah later
admitted that the “study” had been removed under pressure from the US
administration.
Over the weekend, Taha’s document was reposted, this time on the Wafa news
agency's website, the official mouthpiece of the PLO and the PA.
I guess that whoever it was that was responsible for the study’s removal got an
earful from his superiors at the PA so back up it went. With all this political back
and forth to take it down and then put it back up, you can imagine how it rates as
far as being a legitimate piece of scientific research.
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4. The next step is to claim that the Torah doesn’t belong to the Jews either. So it
goes. What is most troubling to me is that the PA is willing to entertain and
promote this sort of religious “warfare” (my term). It is depressing because it
shows the enormous distance that there is between the two sides which will have
to be broached if any kind of peace is to be established. Don’t hold your breath
waiting for it to happen.
OH KANADA!
JTA recently reported, “Canada will boycott the third U.N. conference against
racism, citing the charged anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric at its
predecessors.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney at a Nov. 25 news conference said the U.N.
General Assembly has chosen to "repeat and even augment the mistakes of the
past" by holding an anniversary conference in New York next September, timed
to coincide with the annual opening of the U.N. General Assembly.
"Canada will not participate in this charade," Kenney said. "Canada is clearly
committed to the fight against racism, but the Durban process commemorates an
agenda that actually promotes racism rather than combats it."
"We will not lend our good name to this Durban hate fest," Kenney said.
The conference is slated to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2001 meeting in
South Africa aimed at defeating xenophobia and racism. Canada and several
other countries walked out of that meeting after Iran and several other countries
engaged in Israel-bashing.
The United States led a walkout of the first conference in Durban, South Africa,
in 2001 after it devolved into an anti-Israel hate-fest. A number of Western
nations kept away from its follow-up in 2009.
Canada was the first country to withdraw from Durban II last year in Geneva”
One can only applaud Canada for its principled stance. The two prior Durban
Conferences have focused primarily on Israel and have been loaded with anti-
Semitic rhetoric.
The big question is whether the United States and the EU will follow suit. No
doubt, some of the EU countries will participate. Their records on dealing with
attacks on Israel are not what I would call exemplary. That leaves Germany. Will
the Federal Republic opt out or will it use the tired excuse of “Well fight from
within”. Incidentally, given the fact that the U.S. decided to participate in the UN
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5. Human Rights Council using the same line rather than staying outside, there is
no guarantee what it is Pres. Obama will decide.
With Durban III scheduled to take place in New York in September of 2012, I
think we can count on massive demonstrations opposing it from a whole raft of
both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations. Stay tuned! I’ll keep you updated.
Thanks Canada!
NO JEWISH STATE, NO LAND SWAPS – NO NOTHING!
In the Palestinian world it does not seem that (see above) “cooler heads”, at least
for the time being, are prevailing.
Recently The Jerusalem Post reported, “The Fatah Revolutionary Council
concluded its fifth convention in Ramallah over the weekend by declaring its
refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
The council also urged the Palestinian Authority leadership to work toward foiling
a new Israeli law requiring a referendum before any withdrawal from Jerusalem
and the Golan Heights that has not been passed by two thirds of the Knesset.
The Palestinians are opposed to any understandings between Israel and the US
that could harm their interests, the council said.
“The council affirms its rejection of the so-called Jewish state or any other
formula that could achieve this goal,” said a statement issued by the council.
“The council also renews its refusal for the establishment of any racist state
based on religion in accordance with international law and human rights
conventions.”
The council made its statement as Israel awaits a document from the US which
would set out an incentives package in exchange for a 90-day freeze on new
settlement construction based on the terms of the 10- month moratorium on such
activity which expired on September 26.
The Palestinians have insisted that Israel must halt all settlement activity before
direct negotiations can be resumed.
An Israeli government official on Saturday night called on the Palestinians to
resume direct negotiations without any preconditions.
“Let us meet and talk,” he said.
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6. The official said he was disappointed by the council’s statement with respect to a
Jewish state.
Maybe it’s all just a negotiating ploy but, in the final analysis (at least in my
analysis) no Palestinian leader will (or, perhaps, can) agree to have any part of
what is now Israel considered a “Jewish State”. There is the religious belief that
the land is Arab and there are too many extreme elements that would enforce
that. If the current Fatah/ PA agreed they would be dead in a very short period of
time. It’s really as simple as that.
Therefore, as I have said before, the best we can hope for is a situation of “no
war” and some sort of agreement with very vague language that would map out
the two countries. I think the Israelis might even buy a situation with temporary
boundaries. It would not be a final settlement but “final” is just not in the cards at
the moment so “temporary” would be better than nothing.
To be fair, the Israelis have their own strong right wing but if something could be
worked out I think the citizenry and the leadership could sell it if the word
“temporary” appeared.
In the meantime Pres. Obama and Secy. Clinton are working on a freeze
extension. We’ll have to wait and see what happens with that.
CLAIMS CONFERENCE FOLLOW UP
In my last edition I wrote about the disgraceful fraud that had been perpetrated
on the Claims Conference which handles the funds from the Federal Republic
going to Holocaust survivors.
The Jewish Week reported recently, “As the Conference on Jewish Material
Claims Against Germany seeks to root out additional cases of fraud, the $42.5
million scandal that has rocked the organization has rekindled dissatisfaction
with the group’s annual allocation of tens of millions of dollars.
To address those growing complaints, Julius Berman, the Claims Conference
chairman, told The Jewish Week he plans to announce “in a couple of days”
appointments to a long-delayed special committee that is to review past and
future disbursements.
Berman said the new Allocations Policy Review Committee “would be broadly
represented” by Israeli and American Holocaust survivors.
He said it would “review where the money has gone over the last few years” and
discuss future allocations.
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7. I do not have intimate information regarding how the funds are handled or
disbursed. However, if nothing else, it seems as if the financial oversight that
should have been in place was sadly missing. The fact that the fraud had been
going on for 16 years (at least) and had reached $42.5 million dollars is proof
enough that the whole system needs a re-organization. Let’s hope that Mr.
Berman is able to get the situation resolved and that all the questions about the
allocation of funds can be cleared up shortly.
If you want to read more of the gory details click here.
http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new_york/fresh_scrutiny_claims_conferenc
e_allocations
JONATHAN POLLARD
I’m not sure that anybody in Germany knows about Jonathan Pollard – and there
is no reason why you should. He is an American Jewish disgrace. Pollard was a
U.S. civilian military intelligence analyst, who was arrested and convicted of
spying for Israel and, in 1987, was sentenced to life in prison. He is still there.
The Israeli government claimed that he was not sanctioned by the government
but was spying for a “lone wolf” operation and did not have any officially
connection to the government. The entire story is long and involved and you can
read the details by clicking here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Pollard
To many, it seemed that the punishment was too severe when compared to other
such cases. For some years now there have been efforts both in the U.S. and
Israel to have him released. In 1995 Pollard was granted Israeli citizenship and, if
released, would probably move there permanently.
According to JTA, “A combination of timing, diplomatic considerations and,
above all, good old-fashioned noodging has culminated in the biggest push in
years to free Jonathan Pollard.
Insiders associated with the push, which resulted last week in a congressional
letter to President Obama asking for clemency for the American Jew convicted in
1987 of spying for Israel, say the main factor was one man: David Nyer, an
Orthodox activist from Monsey, N.Y.
Nyer, working under the auspices of the National Council of Young Israel and the
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, repeatedly
called dozens of congressional offices and pressed Jewish groups asking for a
leader to take on the case of Pollard, the former U.S. Navy analyst who has
spent 25 years in prison as part of a life sentence -- the longest sentence for
spying for an ally.
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8. Launching the initiative at a Capitol Hill news conference Nov. 18, (Congressman
Barney) Frank listed two factors that made the matter timely: Pollard's 25 years
in prison as of Sunday and the parlous state of the Israeli-Palestinian peace
process.
"The justification of this is the humanitarian one and the notion that the American
justice system should be a fair one," Frank said. "We believe that clemency after
25 years for the offenses of Jonathan Pollard would do that.
"My own hope is that if the president would do this, it would contribute to the
political climate within the democracy of Israel and would enhance the peace
process."
Frank alluded to Obama's low popularity in Israel where, fairly or not, the
president has been saddled with a reputation as cool to Israeli interests.
"There are clearly people in Israel who are concerned about the nature of the
American-Israeli relationship," Frank said. "An affirmation of that relationship
would go forward" to alleviating such concern.
I believe that the feeling about Pollard in the Jewish community is somewhat
conflicted. Those that know about it and have followed it (not everyone has)
understand that Pollard put the American Jewish community in a very
embarrassing position. Any action that puts distance between the U.S. and Israel
is seen as a danger. An admitted criminal (spying) act is even worse. However,
almost 25 years has passed and a more sympathetic feeling has emerged. There
is little doubt that the criminal justice system has treated him more harshly than,
perhaps, he deserved and the time for a little compassion is somewhat overdue.
After all, Pollard was not spying for any enemy and, today he is certainly no
longer a threat to society or American security. Whether a plea for release should
be mixed up with President Obama’s role in the Middle East peace process is
germane to the case is questionable.
Most Presidential pardons or commutations are usually issued near the end of
the year or at the end of a Presidential term. The latter is not due for quite a long
time. So, we’ll just have to wait to see what Pres. Obama does by December 31st.
Stay tuned!
HANUKKAH IN BERLIN & TOBY AXELROD
I was delighted to see that the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah in Berlin made
quite a splash in the Anglo-Jewish media here in the U.S. The story by JTA
correspondent Toby Axelrod (a friend and a wonderful journalist) noted, “It wasn’t
just any menorah among the thousands that the Chabad-Lubavitch movement
erects every Chanukah in public locations around the world. (Yehudah)Teichtal,
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9. the Chabad rabbi in the German capital, was erecting this one at the
Brandenburg Gate, once a symbol of Nazi power.
By nightfall on the first night of Chanukah, the gate through which the Nazis
marched and which for 28 years marked the dividing line between East and West
Berlin had been transformed into a Jewish symbol.
In what was “the cold, dark center” of Nazi Germany, “we are here to say Am
Yisrael Chai!’” -- the Jewish people live, said Teichtal, his voice booming across
Unter den Linden Boulevard. A few hundred revelers answered in kind.
The message is clear: In Germany, the Jews live again.
More than 200,000 Jews are living now in Germany, the majority of them
immigrants from the former Soviet Union who came after 1990.
“Twenty or 30 years ago, nobody would believe that this would happen here,”
said Arkady Schwarz, deputy chair of Konigs Wusterhausen, a Jewish
congregation in Brandenburg.
Being that Toby’s story is on the JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) wire (sort of a
Jewish dpa) it will appear in many local Jewish community newspapers
throughout the U.S., Canada and Israel. Frankly, it is this sort of a story that does
more to bring a clearer understanding of Germany to the American Jewish public
than a dozen political stories.
Toby, the Germany correspondent for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and
London Jewish Chronicle, was born in New York City in 1956. From 1988 to
1997, she was a staff writer at the New York Jewish Week. She came to
Germany in 1997 as a Fulbright scholar and stayed. She is also an author of
books dealing with Germany. She also worked for a while at AJC Berlin.
In her own quiet way she is one of the most important “bridges” between
American Jewry and Germany. People in Germany should get to know her
better.
THREE CHEERS FOR PRESIDENT WULFF
There are symbolic acts that sometimes have greater impact than sweeping
physical actions. One of these has to do with the Israeli Soldier, Gilad Shalit, who
was kidnapped and is being held by Hamas in Gaza as a bargaining for the
release on many Palestinian prisoners (many of them terrorists) who are being
held in Israel after legal convictions.
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10. The Israelis and, indeed, Jews around the world have been lobbying for Shalit’s
release and, indeed, Germany has been very helpful with a BND operative
working as a go-between trying to make some sort of a deal.
The JTA recently reported, “German President Christian Wulff's unprecedented
visit to the family of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit sends an important
signal to the International Red Cross, Jewish activists in Germany said.
Peter Diedrich, head of the German branch of the International Association of
Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, said he hoped Wulff's visit Monday in Jerusalem
would boost his group's efforts to press for the soldier's release. The
organization has a rally calling for Shalit's release from captivity in Gaza planned
for Dec. 10 outside the offices of the German Red Cross.
The rally, to mark the 62nd anniversary of the passage of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, is part of an international effort coordinated by the
Israel-based parent association of Jewish lawyers and jurists to draw attention to
the case of Shalit, who was captured by Hamas in a cross-border raid from Gaza
in June 2006.
Shalit has not been permitted to receive any Red Cross visits in contravention of
the international body's mandate to "visit prisoners of war and civilian internees
to verify whether they are being treated according to relevant international
standards."
During his meeting with the soldier's family, Wulff pressed for a Red Cross visit
to the soldier and for his release. The German president's visit included meetings
with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
Wulff is the first head of a state to visit the family and address the issue of the
Red Cross, Diedrich told JTA in a telephone interview from his Berlin office. The
presidential visit underscored that this "is just a human rights issue, and
everyone has not only the right but also the duty to go for it."
When the German President visits the family of a kidnap victim, in my opinion,
there is more to it than just a message to the Red Cross. It is a moral message
and puts the Federal Republic behind it. Joseph Stalin is famously said to have
asked an adviser, dismissively, “How many divisions does the Pope have?” The
answer, of course, should have been, “How many does he need?” Pres. Wulff
has no divisions either but he is the moral voice of Germany and that says a lot
more than having a massive army.
So, three cheers for Pres. Wulff.
P.S. We don’t forget our friends.
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