As The "Disengagement" Approaches – What Does It Mean for Israeli Unity?
by Israel HighWay Staff

The Disengagement Plan proposed by Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon now appears as a fait accompli. By the end of summer 2005 it is likely that there will no longer be any Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip or northern Samaria. The Government of Israel voted in favor of the Disengagement Plan, and last month the Knesset passed a law allowing its implementation.

Within Israel, the Disengagement Plan is emerging as one of the most controversial decisions in the history of the State. According to public opinion polls, a majority of Israelis are in favor of the Disengagement Plan (65 percent vs 29 percent), but there are still many who are vehemently against it, seeing it as an abandonment of Zionist ideals and a dangerous precedent of abandoning Jewish homes and communities.

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New Museum, Putting a Human Face on the Holocaust, Opens in Israel by Steven Erlanger

More than 40 heads of state and cabinet ministers, many of them from Europe, gathered in Jerusalem on a chill Tuesday evening for the opening of a new Holocaust history museum at Yad Vashem, the Israeli guardian of the Holocaust and its history.

More than 10 years in the making, the new museum tries to tell the story of the six million Jewish dead, the names of half of them still unknown, through the diaries, images, experiences and testimonies of about a hundred individuals.

Rather than relying on dry histories and photographs, the new museum uses more modern techniques of film and recreation of reality through artifacts, concentrating on the stories of individuals caught up in the horror of a previously unimaginable world.

The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, told some 1,500 guests and dignitaries the story of the annihilation of a single French family, recorded in the museum, and then said: "When you leave this museum, you see the sky of Jerusalem. I know how a Jew feels when he emerges from these depths and breathes the air of Jerusalem. He feels at home. He feels protected. He feels the terrible difference between living in one's own country, in one's homeland, in a country which can provide protection, and standing alone, utterly defenseless, confronting a beast in human form."

Mr. Sharon then added the real message of Yad Vashem: "He knows Israel is the only place in the world where Jews have the right to defend themselves, and that proves the Jewish people will never know another Holocaust." (New York Times)

Jericho Transferred to Palestinian Authority Control by Amos Harel and Arnon Regular

Israel finally transferred security authority for Jericho to the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday, after a month of crisis-ridden negotiations. Following the handover, the Israel Defense Forces will no longer operate inside Jericho, and a checkpoint west of the city has been removed, enabling freedom of movement in the direction of Ramallah. The PA promised to unify its security forces in Jericho, so that the IDF will be able to liaise with a single representative. Israel has agreed to transfer a second city, Tul Karm, to the PA's responsibility next week, and Tul Karm is expected to be followed by Qalqilyah, Ramallah and Bethlehem. (Ha'aretz)

'Palestinian Support for Terror Down' by Ali Waked

Palestinian support for terrorism has declined sharply, despite a boost in the public standing of terror group Hamas, a Palestinian Authority survey shows. The poll, published Monday, shows only 29 percent of Palestinians said they support the recent suicide bombing in Tel Aviv's Stage nightclub , which left five Israelis dead, as opposed to 77 percent who supported the terror attack in Beer Sheva last year, and 65 percent who supported a Haifa terror attack in 2003.

According to the survey, comprised of 1,319 Palestinian respondents, 67 percent opposed the Tel Aviv terror attack, but only 40 percent said they support Palestinian Authority action against those who planned and carried it out. (Ynet News)

America Eats for Israel - Next Week! by Mollie R. Sharfman

On March 21, 2005, restaurants across the United States will join together in donating 10 percent of their gross revenue to benefit victims of terrorism in Israel through a project called America Eats for Israel. The project is being spearheaded by the Israel Action Committee of Yeshivat Rambam of Baltimore, Maryland, whose executive committee includes students Avi Goldberg, Shoshana Pachino, Adina Rosenblatt, Mollie Sharfman, and Avi Staiman. Jewish high schools from all across the country have joined this worthy project and have encouraged the participation of restaurants in their area. All proceeds from this project will be donated to the Terror Victims Association - Almagor in Israel.

America Eats for Israel was started by concerned Yeshivat Rambam High School students who desperately wanted to take action. "On a daily basis, as aware Jewish high school students, we hear about the terrible tragedies that plague our Israeli brethren and we feel that it is our responsibility as future Jewish leaders to get involved." said Project Coordinator Avi Goldberg. "During our class' 11th grade trip to Israel, we realized that we needed to come up with a way to help victims of terrorism," remarked Avi Staiman, the project's Director of Public Relations and Advertising.

As a result of dedicated Jewish high school students from all across the country, there are currently over 130 restaurants in 19 different states signed on for March 21, 2005. "We are working together with 50 schools from across the country. This proves how many people really want to make a difference," said regional director Shoshana Pachino.

"We have two main goals in mind: to unite communities across America as we help Israel and to give as much money as we can to Israel’s Terror Victim’s Association, giving them recognition for their work," said Avi Staiman. The TVA, established in 1986, has become a support group composed of terror victims themselves, whose goal is to provide assistance to other terror victims. The TVA’s activities include visiting those injured in terrorist attacks, helping care for the victims children and household needs, arranging for social workers to counsel the victims families, organizing social gatherings for the families of terror victims, participating in legal battles against the perpetrators of terror, organizing memorial services and projects, and assisting in obtaining maximum government benefits for terror victims.

Bring your family, friends and classmates and eat out at one of the participating restaurants in your area on March 21, 2005. To see the participating restaurants and schools please visit www.americaeatsforisrael.org.

Betayavon!

Mollie R. Sharfman is a junior at Yeshivat Rambam of Baltimore. She serves as Regional Director of the America Eats For Israel project and is an Editorial Intern at the Baltimore Jewish Times.

Click here to read Mollie's entire article

Michigan U Student Assembly Votes Against Divestment
by Jeremy Davidson

Hundreds of anxious students and local community members filled an emotionally charged Michigan Union Ballroom earlier this week, when the Michigan Student Assembly soundly defeated a proposal advocating the creation of a committee to examine University investments in companies that do business with Israel.

The overwhelming margin against the resolution - 11 representatives voted in favor, while 25 voted no - came as a surprise to many MSA officials and observers, who had said in the lead up to the vote that they expected a close outcome. The turnout was so high that the meeting had to be relocated a second time to the larger ballroom and began an hour and half late. The animosity and nervous energy in the room was palpable, leading to spontaneous altercations throughout the ballroom and cramped hallways of the Union.

Opponents of the resolution argued that its effect and intent went beyond merely forming a committee, instead targeting Israel and ultimately seeking divestment from the country. They cited language in the proposal that condemned the state of Israel. (Michigan Daily)

Israeli Doctor-Clowns Help Tsunami Victims

A group of Israeli clowns are in Thailand to help children recover from the trauma of the Tsunami tidal waves. The clowns are part of the Dream Doctors group which works with children in Israel who are victims of cancer and terrorism.

The clowns help the victims through laughter, said Nimrod Eisenberg, one of the clowns. He said the group brought balloons and red noses for the children. The trip was coordinated with the Israeli embassy in Thailand and relief organizations. One of the clowns, Alex Gruber, said they overcame the language and cultural gap by improvising activities with the children. (Israel National News)

Funds Sought for Israeli Robotics Team by Stacey Dresner

The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford has set up a fund to help bring a number of Israeli high school students to the U.S. for Trinity College's 12th Annual Fire Fighting Home Robot Contest, to be held April 9-10.

For the past five years, Israeli students have participated in the robotics contest, often winning top prizes. Last year, Israeli students won seven out of the ten top prizes for their robotic creations.

The purpose of the competition, according to Trinity's robotics website, is to "encourage inventors of all ages and levels of skill to develop an autonomous fire-fighting home robot that can find, and put out as quickly as possible, a fire in a model house." According to Jeff Rudolph of West Hartford, chair of Friends of Israeli Robotic Student Teams, it will cost $1,500 per student to bring the young Israelis to the U.S. to compete. (The Jewish Ledger)

Manitoba, Israeli High Schoolers Pursue Joint Scientific Research by Myron Love

A new pilot program is bringing together high school students in northern Israel with their counterparts in rural Manitoba to study the effects of fermentation and energy crops.

The Manitoba-Israel Life Sciences Project is an extension of the five-year-old Partnership 2000 program, which links Winnipeg's Jewish schools and schools in Kiryat Shmonah and other towns in northern Israel through student and teacher exchanges, as well as e-mail, letters and videoconferences.

The Life Sciences Project is being co-ordinated in Israel by Uri Marchaim and Dina Bartfeld of the Association for the Advancement of Science Education (AASE) in the Galilee – which serves more than 5,000 students at some 30 Galilee-area high schools – and by former high school science teachers Norm Lee and Bob Brown of MindSet, the Manitoba Network for Science and Technology. (Canadian Jewish News)

They're All Abraham's Daughters: Jewish Group Teams Up with Controversial Muslim School to Create Girls Interfaith Project
by Eric Fingerhut

Daughters of Abraham, an interfaith community service project for teenage girls, had its first meeting earlier this month in Potomac, Md. Rockville's Am Kolel is teaming up with the St. James Episcopal Church and the Muslim Community School, both also in Potomac, for the project. Seventeen girls turned out for the initial meeting late last month at the Muslim Community School, where participants discussed ideas for a joint project. One of the organizers said that he hopes interfaith dialogue among the 13-17-year-old girls will naturally grow out of the effort.

Afra Khan, 16, reported that "there wasn't tension" when the Middle East situation came up, and she enjoyed an enlightening exchange with Jewish participant Maya Baum, 13. Khan said Baum, half-Israeli, told her that she feels "safer [in Israel] than over here." That, Khan said, was a pleasant surprise because "you don't usually hear" someone describe Israel as "peaceful." As for Baum, an eighth-grader at Takoma Park Middle School, she was impressed by how "outgoing" and willing to "speak their minds" the Muslim participants were, in contrast to the portrayal of Muslim women often seen in the media. (Washington Jewish Week)

Students Learn About Middle East: Israeli, Palestinian Speakers Visit by Brendan Leonard

Paradise Valley, AZ., students recently got a lesson in conflict resolution from two people who have experienced a long-standing and often deadly dispute in their homeland.

Fadi Elsalameen, a 23-year-old Palestinian from the violence-torn West Bank, and Anna Tunkel, a 23-year-old Israeli from Ashdod, met with Tesseract School students to talk about the conflict between their respective peoples in the Middle East. Ms. Tunkel and Mr. Elsalameen are both graduates of Seeds of Peace, a Maine-based camp for young leaders from regions of conflict, such as the West Bank, the Balkans, and Afghanistan.

To begin the discussion, Mr. Elsalameen and Ms. Tunkel traded sides, with Ms. Tunkel telling the Muslim/Palestinian side of the conflict and Mr. Elsalameen telling the Jewish/Israeli side of the conflict. (Town of Paradise Valley Independent)

Sailing for Peace - Travel Journal of the Skipper's Daughter
by Tali Fucs

Tali Fucs gives a day-by-day account of her experiences during the 50-boat "Red Sea Peace Sail" from Tel Aviv to Egypt and Jordan.

"Just as in every sailing event, the "Red Sea Peace Sail" (also known as the MedRedRally) began with intense preparations. My father, the skipper, began his preparations a month ago, and our yacht, which seven people are supposed to dwell in for nine days, has turned into a sort of portable storeroom full of sailing equipment, navigation technology apparatus, and lots and lots of food. As you may have already guessed, this specific sailing event does not resemble a Love Boat cruise. The yacht is not equipped with a television set, and we shower once every two days.

Following a visit from a dolphin and few failed attempts to catch fish, we reached Port Said, Egypt. Only the following day, Sunday, I finally realized where I was, and where I was sailing to: I was in Egypt, and I was about to sail across the Suez Canal. As someone who has heard stories of the canal all my life, I eagerly awaited the experience. The Egyptians did their best to make us feel at home. (Ynet News)

Dimona To House Conflict Resolution Center

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is setting up an international conflict resolution center in Dimona, in southern Israel, home of the African Hebrew Israelites community.

The organization set its heart on Dimona since "the community itself is an educational model," said Charles Steele Jr., President and CEO of the International SCLC in Atlanta, Georgia. "We wanted to see a place that had the ideals and principles of Martin Luther King," Steele told The International News Hour.

The center, coined a communiversity, espouses the concept that conflicting nations, such as Israelis and Palestinians, have more in common than their differences. "Often the differences are overemphasized and exaggerated," said Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr., board member of the SCLC and a distinguished scholar-in-residence at the University of Rhode Island. "Children are not born with that, they are taught," he said. "We are not going to have an absence of conflict, it's how we respond to conflict that's going to make a difference." (The Media Line)

Apple Trade Boosts Syria-Israel Peace Hope by Albert Aji

Six trucks carrying dozens of cartons of apples grown by Syrian farmers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights passed through a border point on Monday in the first commercial traffic between Israel and Syria in more than three decades.

The first-ever business between Syria - an arch foe of Israel - and residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights was seen by many as a gesture by Damascus toward the possibility of resuming peace talks with Israel. (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

Bloomberg Revels as Leader of U.S. Delegation to Holocaust Museum by Peter Enav

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg expressed pride Tuesday at being selected to head the U.S. delegation to the reopening of Israel's new Holocaust museum, saying it was something that would have amazed his father. Bloomberg was chosen by President Bush to represent the American people at the opening of the $56 million Yad Vashem museum.

Focusing on the deaths of six million Jews who perished in the Nazi genocide, the museum was designed by Israeli-American architect Moshe Safdie, and is 45,000 square feet _ four times larger than the building it replaces.

"I'm just proud that the president invited me to lead the delegation," Bloomberg told reporters. "I grew up in a world where we didn't know presidents, and the thought that somebody from the Bloomberg family is being invited to represent the president of the United States, I suppose would be something my father, who's probably looking down on us now, would find just amazing." Bloomberg, who was born in 1942, said that as a young boy, his father tried to explain what had happened to the Jews of Europe during World War II.

"I do remember us sitting around the table and my father trying to explain to me what had gone on in Europe when it came up in the history books," Bloomberg said. "You can't understand how anyone could do that to other human beings. I don't know if there is an explanation." The delegation Bloomberg heads included Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel and former New York Mayor Ed Koch. (Newsday/AP)

Montana: Modern Israel Survives in Volatile Mideast by Bob Brown

It was after midnight when I was startled from sleep in my hotel room in Jerusalem. The voice on the line was that of the tour director of the America-Israel Friendship League, the organization that arranged for my group of 20 U.S. business and political leaders to visit the embattled nation of Israel.

He told me that a half hour earlier a suicide bomber had killed several people and wounded many at a night club in Tel Aviv. The location was only a few blocks from where our delegation had reservations for the following night. The story would be on the news networks within minutes. I was advised to call my family immediately and tell them I was safe.

I was safe. I felt completely safe in Israel. Israel is on the front line of terrorism, but Israelis have lived with danger for so long that they seem resigned to it as a part of their existence. Their attitude is contagious. They are the world's most notable survivors.

It is said that stability is necessary for democracy. Israel is in the world's toughest neighborhood, surrounded by authoritarian dictators and monarchs little more enlightened than the caliphs and sultans of the Middle Ages. Yet, remarkably, Israel has labor unions, chambers of commerce and intensely competitive political parties. Bob Brown is a senior fellow at the University of Montana's Center for the Rocky Mountain West. (Billings Gazette)

'Flash Mob' Hits Tel Aviv by Dudi Nissim

The heavy rain that poured down on Tel Aviv's Rabin Square did not stop a Flash Mob pillow fight from taking place. The pillow fight is part of a widespread phenomenon that also includes Mobile Clubbing.

Mobile Clubbing started out in the United States and Europe and has been growing in popularity in the past few years. The idea is that participants are invited ahead of time to take part in a seemingly "spontaneous" gathering.

Last week's pillow fight in Tel Aviv was scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Monday. Seconds earlier, the young crowd that had flocked to the square began the countdown to a war that would have no winners and no losers. The pillow fight was scheduled to last for about 18 minutes, but participants had so much fun they continued bashing each other with their pillows for several hours. (Ynet News)

Israeli Jazz Guitarist Needed to Refresh by Dan Bentsur

Ofer Ganor, 34, is regarded as one of the country's leading jazz guitarists. He is a graduate of the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston, and has played with such musical giants as Herbie Hancock, James Moody, and Wynton Marsalis. According to Ganor, "Israeli jazz is witnessing a rejuvenation as we see more musicians that are coming back from New York and passing on their experiences to the younger generation. There are a few talented and dedicated local young musicians that I am sure will make an impact on the global jazz scene." (Ynet News)

There Is No 'Right" of Return by Amnon Rubinstein

The Supreme Court, Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, National Security Council and the Knesset are all considering a difficult question: Is the State of Israel allowed to act to maintain its Jewish majority and, if so, what measures can it legitimately employ for that purpose?

The very discussion offends Israel's Arabs, because after all, every person is entitled to be treated as a full citizen, and it is surely offensive to be viewed as part of a "demographic threat." But responsibility for putting the subject on the table rests primarily with the Palestinian leadership, which brought up the right of the descendants of refugees to return to Israel as a main item on the agenda. It is clear that their intention is to flood Israel so that its character (and name) disappear with the creation of an Arab majority in the country.

Drowning the Jewish state in an Arab majority means there would be two states for one people, thereby denying the Jewish people its right to self-determination. That Palestinian demand is racist. Certainly it is not easy to be a member of the Arab minority in a Jewish state, but it is better to be such a minority in a state governed by the rule of law than a majority in a murderous dictatorship such as Syria, which is actually under a regime of occupation – an Arab occupation, but an occupation all the same.

The Supreme Court justices have already expressed their view about the Jewish majority and stated explicitly that the meaning of a "Jewish state" includes the existence of a Jewish majority. A nation's right of self-definition must include its right to maintain a democratic majority in its country. (Jerusalem Post)

Our Resilient, Strong-Minded Israeli Cousins by Sandie Benitah

I thought about that cool look in my Israeli friends' eyes and their unmistakable attitude toward life. This past summer, my Israeli cousin Simayda surprised me again, showing no fear as she and her husband talked strict Birthright officials into letting me spend an afternoon with them. Now I was with her on her turf and suddenly the look in her eyes didn't seem so out of place. She is a reflection of Israeli youth and their passion, their candor, but most of all their strength. I look at their guns and wonder, and often I stand in the shadows of their strength.

Yes, we're lucky to be able to go out dancing on the weekend without a second thought to all the what-ifs. But it seems that in exchange, we've missed out on becoming the type of people we all look up to – certainly the resilient and strong-minded person I'd like to be. I might never understand the wisdom behind the looks in their eyes, but thankfully we have our Israeli cousins to remind us of what we're missing. (Canadian Jewish News)

Maccabiah and Continuity by Lawrence Hart

Philosophically, the Maccabi Games are essentially about sport. But even more importantly, they are about Zionism and Jewish identity. A great deal has been said, and as much has been written, about the central issue of Jewish continuity in a Diaspora environment where assimilation is so common. And while programs such as Birthright have effectively begun to reconnect young Jews with Israel and with their Judaism, there are many other creative ways to achieve a similar end. One of these is the Maccabiah. (Canadian Jewish News)

Expanding Palestinian Freedom by Natan Sharansky

Albert Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to achieve a different result. We may want to keep this observation in mind when thinking about whether the recently elected Palestinian Authority government presents a new hope for peace. Certainly, the diplomatic "music" coming out of Mahmoud Abbas' PA is very different from that of former president Yasser Arafat's. Palestinian Authority President Abbas, at least, speaks of a ceasefire with Israel, while Arafat egged on holy war through terrorism.

Nevertheless, Abbas' reticence to take on and disarm Palestinian terrorist factions is deeply worrying, as is his pledge to leading terrorists that he will protect them from Israeli reprisals. Israelis paid with their lives recently in yet another terrorist bombing because of Abbas' hesitance in taking concrete action against armed militants. Moreover, Abbas has yet to take any significant steps to expanding freedom within Palestinian society – which, in my view, is the critical test for his administration. (Canadian Jewish News)

Issue of the Week continued

When Ideals and Democratic Principles Collide

In December 2003, Ariel Sharon presented his vision of peace with the Palestinians and stated that Israel would take unilateral measures if the Palestinians failed to meet their commitments. According to Sharon:

…If in a few months the Palestinians still continue to disregard their part in implementing the Roadmap – then Israel will initiate the unilateral security step of disengagement from the Palestinians. The purpose of the "Disengagement Plan" is to reduce terror as much as possible, and grant Israeli citizens the maximum level of security. The process of disengagement will lead to an improvement in the quality of life, and will help strengthen the Israeli economy. …These steps will increase security for the residents of Israel and relieve the pressure on the IDF and security forces in fulfilling the difficult tasks they are faced with. The "Disengagement Plan" is meant to grant maximum security and minimize friction between Israelis and Palestinians.

For many Israelis, Sharon's plan was a bombshell. The Prime Minister was always a champion of strengthening Israel's settlements, not removing them. In the previous election he had defeated a Labor Party candidate who had proposed a similar disengagement plan. Within months of his speech, Ariel Sharon brought the plan to a vote in his party (where he lost), fired ministers from nationalist parties who opposed the plan, and brought the Labor Party into his government. Some of his political associates and allies felt betrayed. Other politicians, including some who had been Sharon's life-long opponents, rallied to his support.

As the Disengagement Plan now moves forward, the rhetoric is increasingly heated. The army and police are preparing plans to carry out the evacuation of Gaza and northern Samaria, and government offices are drawing up programs to compensate thousands of evacuated settlers. Opponents rally, demonstrate, plan acts of civil disobedience and call on soldiers to refuse to carry out orders to remove Israelis from their homes.

On the One Hand, and on the Other

The prospect of uprooting thousands of Israelis from their homes is truly heart wrenching. At the same time, the prospect of Israel controlling millions of Palestinians is abhorrent to most Israelis. Part of the Israeli political world believes that Mahmoud Abbas, the new Palestinian leader, is a partner for peace deserving of a major gesture. Other political groups distrust the Palestinian intentions and believe that withdrawing now rewards four years of Palestinian terrorism and endangers Israel's security. The debate between the two camps goes to basic foundations of Zionism and Israel's ideals.

"Most Israelis now realize that the Left was prophetic about the occupation," wrote columnist Yossi Klein Halevi, "and the Right was prophetic about the peace process. The conceptual conclusion of that realization is that we can't occupy the Palestinians and we can't make peace with them. The operative conclusion is that our only alternative is to unilaterally disengage and impose a border. Ending the occupation will limit the demographic danger to Israel as a Jewish state, and the moral danger to Israel as a democratic state. Drawing a border - along the route of the fence - will preserve settlement blocs and, most of all, preserve united Jerusalem, which cannot be 'shared' with a Palestinian state without destroying the city. Symbolically, unilateral withdrawal means withdrawal from the two utopian delusions of 'the complete Land of Israel' and 'peace now.'

Today, Israel is debating whether the Disengagement Plan should be voted upon in a national referendum. The plan's backers, including Prime Minister Sharon, see the referendum as a tactic to delay or defeat the plan. Opponents, such as Yisrael Harel, a leading settlement spokesperson, claim, "The only way to prevent a major clash between the settlers and their supporters and the government in 2005 is a referendum - or elections. If Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his supporters are so certain that the majority supports them, why don't they adopt this approach, if only to prevent a schism among the people and the army?"

Sharon' plan has received strong support from President Bush. The Prime Minister believes he has a new and willing partner for peace in Mahmoud Abbas. And, as seen in opinion polling, Sharon believes he has the support of the Israeli public to carry out the Disengagement Plan without delay. Responsible leadership on both sides of the issue will be needed to ease the trauma that lies ahead. (Israel HighWay Staff)

Additional reading

Address by Prime Minister Sharon to Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, February 20, 2005
Sharon Describes "Disengagement Plan," December 18, 2003
Documents on the "Disengagement Plan"

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