Excerpts from AJC Weekly Update: August 29, 2007
Mideast Briefing: Israeli-Palestinian Talks a Step Forward
Even if the outcome of talks this week between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on final status issues "falls short of a decisive breakthrough, the effort will not be wasted," writes Eran Lerman, director of AJC's Israel/Middle East Office. Lerman notes that the possibility for economic cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians is a welcome development from these talks. READ BRIEFING at: www.ajc.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=1717407&ct=4331411&tr y&auid=2953208
College Presidents Continue to Join British Boycott Statement
Eighty-one more presidents of American colleges and universities have joined the national effort to endorse Columbia University President Lee Bollinger's strong statement denouncing the UK's University and College Union decision to promote a boycott of Israeli educational institutions. They join the original list of 286 presidents, published in a full-page New York Times ad on August 8. The list on AJC's website is updated daily. Any president wishing to join should send an email to Harold Shapiro, president emeritus of Princeton University, at shapiroh@ajc.org.
South Africa Visit
AJC Executive Director David Harris delivered the keynote address at the annual conference of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. He also spoke to the South African Union of Jewish Students. Harris came as part of an AJC Africa Institute delegation. The group, led by Stanley Bergman, chair of AJC's Africa Institute, met with government officials, including Kgalema Motlanthe, secretary general of the African National Congress; S.G. Nene, deputy director general for Multilateral Affairs; and Manala Manzini, deputy director general for Intelligence. They also met with the Premier of the Western Cape, Ebrahim Rasool, and members of the South African Jewish community. This was the second AJC visit to South Africa in the last two months. Pictured from left to right are: Michael Weintraub; Stanley Bergman; Marion Bergman; David Harris; Zev Krengel, chair of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies; and Eliseo Neuman.
Fostering Israeli-Rwandan Cooperation
AJC's Africa Institute facilitated a visit of Israeli experts on industry standards and certifications, assembled by Mashav, to Rwanda. Eliseo Neuman, director of the Africa Institute, accompanied the Israeli expert team, joined by Israel's non-resident Ambassador to Rwanda, Yaakov Amitai. Neuman also met with Cheryl Sim, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy and Vincent Karega, Rwanda's minister in charge of industry and investment. Neuman visited the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee's Agahozo Shalom Youth Village, intended to house and school 500 Rwandan orphans.
Changing Our Energy Habits
AJC is asking Congress to support robust CAFE standards in its energy bill when it returns from recess. In his commentary on the CBS radio network David Harris asks what Americans can do to help. "Above all, change our energy habits," says Harris. "Dependence on oil from hostile countries is our nation's Achilles' heel." At ajcwire, Ami Greener, AJC's energy specialist, blogs about how CAFE standards strengthen America's "green" efforts. "A nation that has reached the moon and cracked the atom can undoubtedly produce safe, efficient vehicles." READ BLOG at: ajcblog.org/2007/08/28/putting-some-bite-in-us-energy-policy/?tr=y&auid=2953 206. Learn more about AJC's energy-related work, from federal legislation to our Green Building project, at www.ajc.org/energy.
Challenging Military Commissions Act
AJC filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. The act permits holding "enemy combatants" at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base without charging them or allowing courts to inquire into the legality of their detention. READ THE RELEASE AT: www.ajc.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=1531911&ct=4318687&tr y&auid=2953210
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