Roundup Oliver Stone decries Jewish lobby's power WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone in an interview decried what he called the Jewish lobby's control over Washington's foreign policy and said that Hitler's actions should be put "into context!" Stone in an interview with the Sunday Times also said that "Jewish domination of the media" has prevented an honest discussion about the Holocaust. Jewish organizational and Israeli officials Oliver Stone condemned the remarks, which were pub- lished Sunday. The article by reporter Camilla Long is not available online without a paid subscription to the newspaper although British bloggers and other newspapers have printed excerpts. During the interview, Stone said that Jews were dictating U.S. foreign policy and that the Jewish lobby "are hard workers!' "They stay on top of every comment, the most powerful lobby in Washington': he said, using a swear word to describe Jewish impact on U.S. foreign policy. Stone, the winner of three Academy Awards, induding as best director for Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July, has a Jewish father. He also directed such films as Wall Street, JFK and Nixon. On Hitler, Stone said that the German leader "did far more damage to the Russians than the Jewish people, 25 or 30 million. Hitler was a Frankenstein, but there was also a Dr. Frankenstein — German industrialists, the Americans and the British. He had a lot of support!' Elan Steinberg, vice president of the American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants, in a brief statement said, "We are deeply offended. These are words of hate and a disgrace- ful evocation of anti-Semitism. Shame on Oliver Stone" Israel's public diplomacy minister, Conversion Bill Freeze JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An agreement has been reached to put a six-month freeze on a controversial Israeli conversion bill up for a vote in the Knesset. According to the July 22 deal bro- kered between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet Secretary Tzvi Hauser and several Israeli non-Orthodox religious movements, the bill will be withdrawn for six months while a coalition of non- Orthodox Israeli groups led by Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, submits proposals on how to redraft the measure, Haaretz reported. The bill, which was proposed by Knesset member David Rotem of the Yisrael Beiteinu Party, passed a committee vote last week but still needs three Knesset readings to become law. It has drawn significant opposition from diaspora Jewish groups, including the non-Orthodox American religious movements and the Jewish Federations of North America as well as Netanyahu and the Jewish Agency. They object to the bill's giving the ultimate authority over conver- sions to the Orthodox-dominated Chief Rabbinate of Israel. "Change in the law on conversions in Israel must be carried out through broad agreement to prevent a split within the Jewish nation": Netanyahu said, according Yuli Edelstein, also condemned Stone's remarks. "They are nauseating, anti-Semitic and racist:' the Jerusalem Post quoted Edelstein as saying. "Not only is he showing igno- rance, he is demonizing Jews for no reason and returning to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. "When a man of Stone's stature speaks in this way, it can bring waves of anti- Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment — and may even damage Jewish commu- nities and individuals!" Stone recently completed a documen- tary on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and is working on a documentary series about American history. ❑ to Haaretz. "Unity is in the foremost inter- est of the State of Israel and the Jewish nation, and I intend to defend that prin- ciple with determination!' The Jewish Federations of America wel- comed the delay. "We truly support this process of a dialogue table, which allows the par- ticipants time to discuss this important Roundup on page 10 Real-Life Lawyering Skills — Cooley's clinical programs provide students with the kind of invaluable real-world experience that allows them to start their careers the day they graduate. Cooley believes students immersed in a dynamic, hands-on learning environment study and understand the law more fully and are better prepared to serve their clients. With four campuses across Michigan –Auburn Hills, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE TAUGHT AND LEA D COOLEY LAW SC OOL 8 July 29 • 2010 – Cooley offers classes year-round, evenings, and weekends. Students receive a legal education that provides them with the knowledge, skills, and ethics that distinguishes our graduates worldwide. Find out more at cooley.edu Cooley Law School. Right time, right here, right for you. Thomas M. 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