Excerpts from the Weekly Update March 14th
AJC Leaders Briefed by Israeli Prime Minister
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with the American Jewish Committee leadership delegation, headed by AJC President E. Robert Goodkind and Executive Director David A. Harris, at his office in Jerusalem today. The prime minister thanked AJC for its central role in global advocacy for Israel, and in deepening the U.S.-Israel relationship. Much of the discussion focused on Iran, and Olmert stressed that Israel prefers a diplomatic solution to the threat of Iran's nuclear program. During the AJC delegation's three-day visit to Israel, the group met with with several Cabinet Ministers, including Housing and Construction Minister Meir Sheetrit and Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman. In addition, the AJC delegation met with Professor Stanley Fischer, governor of the Bank of Israel; Ilan Mizrachi, national security adviser to the Prime Minister; MK Yossi Beilin, chair of the Meretz party; Nadia Hilou, an Arab Knesset Member from the Labor Party; former Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom; and U.S. Ambassador Richard Jones. Before arriving in Israel, members of the AJC delegation visited Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar.
Qatar Hosts AJC Leadership Delegation
The Emir of Qatar hosted an AJC leadership delegation in Doha. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, seen with David Harris, discussed the regional situation, including advancing Arab-Israeli peace prospects, the importance of interreligious dialogue and cooperation and the situation in both Iran and Lebanon. The Emir recalled with pleasure his last meeting with AJC in 2004, and his chief of staff, Abdulrahman bin Saud al-Thani, expressed appreciation for his relationship with AJC, which dates back to when he served as Qatar's ambassador to the U.S. in Washington in the 1990s.
AJC Visits Bahrain
Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarek Al Khalifa, deputy prime minister of Bahrain, welcomed an AJC leadership delegation to Manama. While in Bahrain, the delegation met with the Minister of Social Development, the Chairman of the Shura Council (the Upper Chamber appointed by the King), Foreign Ministry officials, U.S. Ambassador William Monroe and members of the Bahraini business community. Discussions focused on Bahrain's role in advancing peace between Arabs and Israelis; the situation in Iraq and Iran; and the prospects for development of Bahrain as a financial center. Houda Ezra Nonoo, a Bahrainian Jewish woman who was recently appointed to the Shura Council, hosted the AJC group for dinner with members of the local Jewish community.
AJC Delegation Visits Jordan
An AJC leadership delegation visited Amman for meetings with senior Jordanian officials, including the foreign minister, the minister of planning, and a senior adviser to King Abdullah. The group also met with the U.S. ambassador to Jordan. Discussions focused on prospects for advancing Arab-Israeli peace, with particular attention to the upcoming Arab League summit in Riyadh on March 28, as well as the state of Jordanian-Israel bilateral relations and other key regional issues.
Exposing Iranian Human Rights Abuses
AJC is urging the international community to focus attention on the deplorable human rights situation in Iran, a situation overshadowed by the controversy over Iran's nuclear program and threats to annihilate Israel. The widespread persecution of Iranians for their ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, and gender and sexual orientation is documented in a new AJC report, Human Rights in Iran, 2007 (Which can be downloaded at www.ajc.org).
Sderot Mayor Thanks AJC
Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal met with David Harris at AJC headquarters in New York to thank AJC for its support to construct a psychological services center for the city's residents. More than 4,000 Kassam rockets, fired from Gaza, have struck Sderot, according to Moyal. AJC delegations visited Sderot twice last year. The mayor noted that AJC was the first organization to make a contribution for the resilience center. The AJC donation comes from AJC's Israel Emergency Assistance Fund which raised $2.4 million during the war last summer.
New Israeli Ambassador Visits AJC
During his visit to AJC headquarters, Sallai Meridor, Israel's new ambassador to the U.S., praised AJC's global diplomatic efforts, expressing a desire to work with AJC during his time in Washington. He discussed the challenges posed by Iran's quest for nuclear weapons; persistent violations of UN Security Council resolution 1701 through the smuggling of weapons from Iran and Syria to Hezbollah; concerns about Gaza where missiles and other weaponry are being smuggled from Egypt; and the prospects for a Palestinian partner to negotiate peace.
Assisting Bronx Fire Survivors
AJC made a $2,500 donation to the Magassa and Soumare Family Fund, established to assist the survivors of the tragic fire that claimed the lives of 10 people from two Mali families in the Bronx in New York City. "In the Jewish tradition we say of those who have left us: may their memory be a blessing. And may those who remain gain the strength and comfort to continue in that memory," said Diane Steinman, director of AJC's New York Chapter. Read the full release at http://www.ajc.org/site/c.ijITI2PHKoG/b.851561/apps/nl/content2.asp?content_ id=%7b9A8DDD5F-5D10-44F2-A236-725B00214DAB%7d¬oc=1
ACCESS Group Visits Berlin
Young Jewish professionals from AJC's ACCESS program are visiting Berlin, the latest overseas trip to introduce ACCESS members to AJC's global work. The group met with leaders of the Jewish and Turkish communities in Germany, the Israeli Ambassador to Germany, U.S. embassy officials, members of the German parliament and German journalists. Discussions focused on German history, the Holocaust, and perceptions of Israel in German media. The delegation also toured Jewish Berlin, shared Shabbat with German Jewish students and young professionals, and visited schools in Berlin AJC's Hands Across the Campus program has been implemented in cooperation with the German government.
Help Make AJC's Annual Meeting a "Green" Affair
When registering for the Annual Meeting, please add a $10 donation to AJC's Carbon Offsetting initiative. You will be investing in clean energy projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with power generation, agriculture and industrial activity. Ensuring the utilization and advancement of methods to cut down on harmful emissions will counterbalance the carbon added to the atmosphere through your travel. AJC has already made donations towards clean energy programs on behalf of all its employees traveling to Washington for the Annual Meeting in May. AJC's Carbon Offsetting initiative is made possible through AJC's ACCESS New Generation program for young leaders and www.terrapass.com.
U.S. House Calls on Bangladesh to End Choudhury Trial
AJC applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for overwhelmingly adopting a resolution calling on the Bangladesh government to drop all charges against Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, the journalist on trail for sedition for his efforts on behalf on interreligious dialogue and support for Israel. Before the vote, broadcast live on C-SPAN, Representatives Mark Kirk and Nita Lowey mentioned AJC's Moral Courage Award, presented last year to Choudhury in abstentia.
AJC and Berlin Jewish Museum Focus on Darfur
The Jewish Museum of Berlin, in cooperation with AJC's Berlin Office, is hosting a day of Darfur advocacy for school children and student reporters. The advocacy day is part of the Darfur: Crimes Against Humanity campaign week organized by the Jewish Museum Berlin, in cooperation with Human Rights Watch and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The schools program was developed with AJC's Hands Across the Campus program.
Legislative Director at Religion in Schools Conference
Richard Foltin, AJC legislative director, attended an invitation-only conference on the future of religion in public schools hosted by the First Amendment Center of the Freedom Forum, the ACLU, and the Council on America's First Freedom. The select group of legal and education academics, representatives of religious and civil rights organizations, and K-12 educators and school administrators, participated in the event in Nashville, Tennessee. Foltin was the only representative of a Jewish organization in attendance.
Jewish-Indian Relations Celebrated on Long Island
AJC's Long Island Chapter co-sponsored a program on India-Israel-U.S. relations at the State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook campus. Over 100 students, faculty and representatives from the Indian and Jewish American communities attended. Israeli and Indian speakers discussed the opportunities available for relations between the three countries and AJC's role in leading American Jewish outreach to India and to the Indian-American community. The event was co-sponsored by Stony Brook's Center for India Studies and Hillel.
UN Watch Leads Protest at UN Human Rights Council
UN Watch led a joint NGO appeal signed by 25 human rights organizations to protest the appearance of Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at the opening of the Human Rights Council session. The coalition cited Iran's egregious human rights record as well as Mottaki's hosting of the recent Holocaust denial conference in Tehran.
Ari M. Gordon Assistant Director Department of Interreligious Affairs American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 891-6768 (212) 751-4000 x266 www.ajc.org www.engagingamerica.org