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What Was Th e Real Reason?

I

an interview with ANSA, an Italian
n last week’s JN article,
“Security Squeeze,” it was stated press agency, she said: “I met Abu
Mazen [Abbas] in Ramallah. I
that Adat Shalom has canceled
believe that the Palestinian leader
the Noa concert because of secu-
really wants peace with Israel, but
rity threats it had received. In that
same article, a spokesman for Adat unfortunately I can’t say the same
about my prime minister.”
Shalom said that “there
In addition, on her
was nothing on the level
Facebook page, Nini wrote,
of a bomb threat and no
“Trump is a modern-day
use of the word ‘violent,’
Hitler, and who supports
but the synagogue officers
him? Bibi! Surprised? No!!
were concerned.”
Bibi is not only the self-pro-
The spokesman also
claimed King of the Jews,
said they were concerned
he is also just as racist, nar-
about demonstrations
Irving Ginsberg
cisitic, paranoid and vulgar
or protests. Apparently,
as Trump.”
any Federation or Adat
She proceeded to cas-
Shalom event will be can-
tigate and condemn Jews
celed if a protest or dem-
who voted for Trump by
onstration is threatened
— who knew there was such fragil- continuing with, “Is there any
Jew in America that still supports
ity in a free society?
Trump?? I am sure the answer is
On the other hand, I believe the
yes. Have you no shame?? Are not
reason given was a cover-up for
many of your relatives of the 6 mil-
the sponsors being ignorant of
lion killed under the same flag of
the anti-Israel and anti-IDF activi-
racism, lies, incitement and blind
ties of the singer, Achinoam Nini
hatred? Do you not see how eas-
(known as Noa).
ily these horrible monsters can
Nini, contrary to her protests
turn against you and devour you?
about not supporting BDS, has
Against us, every one of us?”
been in the BDS movement for
The singer has her political views
many years through her involve-
and certainly she has a right to
ment with organizations that
support BDS, like B’tselem, a mem- express them. But, what is particu-
larly egregious to those of us who
ber organization of Fédération
heartily support Israel in its fight
Internationale des Droits de
against terrorists is that Achinoam
l’Homme (FIDH), a Paris-based
Nini took part in an “alternative”
association of international NGOs
Remembrance Day ceremony that
promulgating BDS campaigns
included honoring the Arab ter-
worldwide.
rorist Ziad Jilani. Jilani was shot
Nini has also praised Abbas
dead after he rammed into a group
while condemning Netanyahu. In

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David Sachs, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz,
Steve Stein, Joyce Wiswell

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of border policemen with his car,
wounding several of them. His
widow was an honored speaker at
that “alternative” Remembrance
Day ceremony. That had to be
exceedingly hurtful to the many
Israeli victims of Arab terrorists.
If Adat Shalom and the
Federation were aware of Nini’s
activities but believed in present-
ing alternative views regardless
of the firestorm that creates, then
they should have been courageous
enough to have the event and deal
with the warranted criticism.
If the sponsors were ignorant
of the singer’s activities until it
was revealed to them, then they
should have been honest and
admit that it was the reason for
canceling the event and then deal
with the resulting humiliation.
Unfortunately, the sponsors did
neither.
Instead, the sponsors seem to
have taken the cowardly way out by
blaming the cancellation on grossly
exaggerated or fabricated security
threats, thereby falsely intimat-
ing that the critics were security
threats. While violent protests or
threats of such violence do raise
real security concerns, peaceful
protests and demonstrations that
don’t shut down free speech are
indispensable to a free society and
protected by our Constitution. •

Irving Ginsberg, Ph.D., lives in Farmington
Hills. EDITOR’S NOTE: The Jewish News
was a sponsor of the event.

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Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt
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Joelle Harder
jharder@renmedia.us

continued from page 5

Noa’s
Infamous Views

Ms. Nini is a talented singer, but her hatred of
Jews who live in Judea and Samaria, the Golan
and eastern Jerusalem is infamous. It is an
example of sinat hinam, baseless hatred. For
that reason, she refuses to perform over the
“Green Line” (the Armistice lines of 1949). And,
for that reason, many Israelis will not attend
her performances.
Although she says that she does not sup-
port organizations that boycott Israel, she does
support boycotting products from what she
calls “the occupied territories” and opposes all
“settlements.”
She is entitled to her disgraceful and divisive
opinions, but she herself has made them an
issue. That is why she is not invited to perform
at national events in Israel.

Moshe Dann
Israel

EDITOR’S NOTE: Look for more views on
the concert cancellation, including those from
Richard Nodel, Tzvi Raviv and Itamar Ilsar, next
week.

Hope Against Hate

I enjoyed attending “Hope Against Hate,” exam-
ining the existential challenges — and poten-
tial solutions — facing Jewish communities
today. It was dynamic and informative.
It is imperative, however, to advocate for a
two-state solution based on safety, nonviolence
and forgiveness. Otherwise the dialogue of land
can never be resolved.
Distrust and mayhem may have a historical
explanation, but only through more open com-
munication between adult Muslims and Jews
can Jewish college students find their voices of
empathy.

Bruce Tabashneck
Berkley

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