Editor's Letter

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T

he torch of anti-Zionism burns brighter at the
University of Michigan almost as soon as it seems to
die out, a reminder of the volatile nature of hatred
toward Israel that looms on campuses across the nation.
When given a petition by a pro-divestment group signed
by 75 current and former staff members and 65 students and
alumni from the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses,

example, I've long felt Palestinian leaders purposely main-
tain the squalor of the U.N. refugee camps in the Gaza Strip
and West Bank so that their people continue to elicit world
sympathy and the leadership continues to receive world fund-
ing, which falls into corrupt hands. It's no wonder that these
camps harbor disgruntled young people imbued since child-
hood with a hatred of Jews and who are easy prey when terror
groups.like llamas and Islamic Jihad come call-
ing for suicide bombers to blow up Jews.
Selfishly perhaps, .I took particular offense
when I read in the StandWithUs-Michigan
analysis about Helen' Fox, who lectures in both
the U-M-sponsored Sweetland Writing Center
and Residential College Social Sciences Program.
She quoted from-the National Lawyers Guild's
"Resolution to Divest from Israel:' She accused
Israel of imposing upon Palestinians "stillborn
deaths and irreversible developmental damage
to children" as well as hostage taking and denial
of medical services to the sick and wounded. I was part of the
Residential College in the 1970s. Over the years, I've appreci-
ated the drive, focus and outspokenness of its students but
always feared that Israel would become a target from within
as R.C. politics tended to drift left.
I was heartened to learn that Jewish students rallied after
hearing about the warmed-over divestment push that would
bubble up before U-M regents the next day. Through one
of its co-founders, sophomore Brad Stulberg, 19, the stu-
dent-led Israel IDEA (Initiative
for Dialogue, Education and
Advocacy) stood down the March
17 oral onslaught.
Brad Stulberg is the son of
Linda and Robert Stulberg of
Farmington Hills, who with oth-
ers helped bring StandWithUs to
Michigan. Brad thoughtfully told
the regents, "History has taught us
that ideas matter."
In an understatement, Brad
added: "Divestment has been toxic
to dialogue on this campus and
Brad Stulberg
has overshadowed many other
initiatives."
Even if it seems redundant, we must stand up whenever
Israel is demonized because perception becomes reality when
left untested. Also, such demonization diverts attention from
other pressing concerns.
Besides, if we don't speak up on behalf of our ancestral
homeland, who will?

Painting Israel, in a
defensive mode for 58 years,
as the instigator in the
•
terror-ridden Middle East
is prep osterous.

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the U-M Board of Regents rightly -took no action on March
17. Free, unfettered discussion is one thing. But painting
Israel, in a defensive mode for 58 years, as the instigator in
the terror-ridden Middle East is preposterous.
Wouldn't you know that a Jewish regent, Lawrence Deitch,
D-Bingham Farms, went on the record to tell the Michigan
Daily, "Many of us feel that divestment should only be used
in the most extreme and egregious examples, and even then
there's a question of whether it's a good thing for universities
to do."
U-M President Mary Sue Coleman and the board have pub-
licly opposed not only divestment from Israel, but also even
discussing a divestment resolution. Their basis for divestment
is clear: "There must be reason to believe that the organiza-
tion, industry or entity to be singled out may be uniquely
responsible for the problems identified."
The petitioners presented a familiar refrain: seriously con-
sider divesting from businesses with interests in Israel to pro-
test the Jewish state's 'alleged human rights abuses and, inter-
national law violations in its treatment of Palestinians. This
scenario plays out on many prominent campuses, including
Harvard, Northwestern and UCLA.
As I studied an analysis of the U-M petition proceeding
by the Israel education and advocacy group StandWithUs-
Michigan, I concluded that the petitioners were caught in a
time warp, spewing anti-Jewish canards already debunked.
Opposing the government of Israel doesn't automatically
make you anti-Jewish. I'm not a shill for the Israeli govern-
ment. But I do believe in its right to protect Israelis from
Palestinian-provoked terror intended to annihilate them.
And the whole notion of divestment smacks of manipulation
grounded in lies and distortions.
Also, I have a hard time not seeing anti-Jewish senti-
ment in those who support Israel's right to peacefully exist
alongside a sovereign Palestinian state yet promote the right
of Palestinian refugees, who left on their own accord follow-
ing statehood, and their descendants to return to Israel. Of
Israel's 6.3 million residents, about 80 percent are Jewish. An
influx of up to 4 million Palestinians would alter the demo-
graphic and quickly erase Israel's Jewish majority.
I support the right of anti-Zionist forces like the
International Solidarity Movement to form on our campuses.
But I have an equal right to challenge or expose them. For

s noti p al sJew n Gor • Mid 17 - N. •

Deconstructing Divestment

Are we too complacent toward anti-
Zionist campus unrest?

Are we too hesitant in courting Arab or
Muslim moderates?

E-mail: Ietters@thejewishnews.com.

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March 30'• 2006 5