Adi Neuman, co-chair of Michigan Student Zionists, speaks at Sunday's pro-Israel
rally from the steps of the U-M graduate library.
based Jews Against the Occupation,
claimed it was "Jewish values" that
compelled her to oppose Zionism and
support divestment. Wise later said her
parents thought she was a "traitor," but
to her, "the State of Israel as it exists
right now is not sustainable or just."
Smaller sessions during the day
included New Yorker Adam Shapiro
and his Roseville wife, Huwaida Arraf,
of the International Solidarity
Movement (ISM). They showed an 18-
minute video of what the Jenin refugee
camp in the West Bank looked like
after the Israelis went in, though they
never mentioned the suicide bombings
that Israel said were planned and sup-
ported from the camp.
Both portrayed Israeli military action
in the West Bank as always unjustified
and bemoaned that American media
portrays "Palestinian attacks and resist-
ance as terrorism." They urged "inter-
nationals" to go to Palestine to engage
in "direct action," such as "chaining
ourselves to checkpoints."
When asked why context wasn't
given for the video, Shapiro said that
while he condemned suicide bomb-
ings, "the occupation is responsible"
and he wanted to show "the arrogance
of the occupation army."
Suspended Prof. Sami al-Arian was
presented as a victim of the "war on
terrorism" and as an advocate' for free
speech and academic freedom.
Though an American citizen, al-Arian
told the group that, like his parents,
Ben Freed, 13, of Ann Arbor joins older students in declaring his unequivocal support
for the State of Israel on Oct. 10.
he was "a stateless Palestinian refugee."
He called Israel "the essence of
apartheid" and "much worse" than
South African apartheid had been.
Arguing that Palestinians "had given
their utmost concessions" to allow for
a two-state solution, al-Arian said he
feels "the Israeli people and the Israeli
government need to make a choice,
but they talk about terrorism and
security to avoid making a choice."
Al Arians choice is different, however.
"A bi-national, non-sectarian state" is "my
preferred solution" he told the audience.
There was strong audience support
when he claimed that the Jews had no
right to a capital in Jerusalem. He rea-
soned that because the world gave
Arab land to the Jews as compensation
for the Holocaust, Jews had more
right to a capital in Berlin.
Keynoters
Professor Ilan Pappe, a Jewish Israeli
historian at the University of Haifa,
and Diane Buttu, a legal and commu-
nications adviser to the Palestine
Liberation Organization in Ramallah,
gave the conference's keynote speeches.
Pappe, a former Israeli Communist
Party candidate for the Knesset who is
a fringe figure both politically and aca-
demically, began by condemning Israel
for "one of the most brutal and callous
policies against humanity in the sec-
ond half of the 20th century."
RALLY on page 25
Letter From WSU President
Editor's Note: Dr. Irvin D. Reid, ninth president ofWayne State University in
Detroit, released the following letter in response to calls for WSU to divest itself
of holdings in companies that do business in Israel.
To the Wayne State University community:
I recently was presented a petition, signed by a number of
students and other individuals, urging that Wayne State
University divest itself of holdings in companies that do busi-
ness in Israel.
At Wayne State University, we encourage our students to use
their right to free speech,.their right of peaceable assembly and Dr. Irvin
Reid
their right to petition for the redress of grievances. But accusa-
tions, acrimony and demands are counter to the traditions of
intelligent dialogue and free discourse for which this university stands.
We are a diverse community. Our faculty, staff and students have many
different opinions regarding ways to achieve peace and justice in the Middle
East and different positions regarding policies of present governments in the
region. It would be wrong, and unfair, to confuse dissatisfaction that some
may feel with the policies of a government in power a _ t any point in time
with the very legitimacy of a state.
Demanding that this university separate from companies- linked to Israel
or any other state in the region is simply not helpful to resolving the crisis
in the Middle East.
In a complex, international economy, divestiture is by no means a .
dependably responsible approach to influence either political or economic
policy. Political beliefs, especially in a fluid global community, are not a
practical basis for investment decisions.
Rather, it is my obligation as president of Wayne State University to pur-
sue legal, rational and productive investments on behalf of the institution.
For these reasons, I will not recommend to our board of governors that
business
Wayne State University divest itself of stocks in companies governors
with Israel or other countries in the Middle East.
— Dr Irvin D. Reid
10/18
2002
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