Florida Atlantic University's first student-run news source.

UNIVERSITY PRESS

Florida Atlantic University's first student-run news source.

UNIVERSITY PRESS

Florida Atlantic University's first student-run news source.

UNIVERSITY PRESS

Pro-Israel student group accused of lobbying SG

Pro-Israel+student+group+accused+of+lobbying+SG
Picasa
Congressman Ted Deutch spoke at the Owls For Israel meeting on September 26. He shared his personal experiences visiting Israel, and answered student questions. Photo by Christine Capozziello.

A pro-Israel club invited SG to a dinner, but a pro-Palestine club leader says it’s just a way to buy influence.

Owls For Israel (OFI) hosted a dinner in the Student Union’s Grand Palm Room on Sept. 26th to introduce their organization and get student leaders involved, said OFI president Michael Miller.

SG President Ayden Maher and Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL)  gave speeches at the dinner. SGVP Robert Huffman also attended, along with fraternities like Alpha Epsilon Pi and Delta Tau Delta.

Noor Fawzy, president of Students for Justice in Palestine, claimed the dinner was a way for OFI to “buy off” SG. “By inviting Student Government to their planned private dinner, OFI is attempting to buy off Student Government.”

In response, OFI President Michael Miller said “It really bothers me because I want a good relationship with SJP. I have truly bright hopes in doing something with them. It’s just about getting to a point where members of both organizations feel comfortable.”

Both a guest and a speaker at the dinner, SG President Ayden Maher said, “It’s important for student leaders to talk about issues happening in the world, meet people, come together and network.”

When asked if he supports OFI, Maher claimed “I can’t really support an organization.”

As for his position on the Israel/Palestine conflict, he said, “I believe in peace for both sides, self determination for Israel and Palestine. Both groups have beliefs that are right and wrong.”

SG Chief of Staff Eric Dansky, who is a member of Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi said, “Here, Jewish advocacy is important. Getting in touch with Jewish students and raise advocacy. It’s something we take very seriously and are passionate about.”

Dansky is also a former OFI board member.

Congressman Ted Deutch also talked about supporing Israel. “We need to stay united as a Jewish community of Democrats and Republicans. Israel is safest when the pro Israel community is united.”

Fawzy disagreed on SG being invited, “OFI is not after friendship with Ayden, Robert or any other member of SG. Rather, OFI is after their influence. This lack of sincerity should offend both Student Government and those who support Student Government”

SGVP Robert Huffman said, “I’m here to support our students, to support OFI, their movement and what they’re doing.”

As for attending SJP events, he said, “I haven’t attended any SJP events, never been invited, but I’m open to attending any organization’s events on campus. As a representative of all students, I think I should show support for all students.”

 Fawzy responded, “In any event, we strongly encourage SG to attend our future events in order to better comprehend and appreciate the plight of the Palestinian people.”

She also said she invited Maher to the Sept. 14 SJP rally, “But, unlike OFI, we are not going to buy SG off with a dinner or anything of the sort. We have more respect for SG than that.”

To learn more about OFI go to their FAU Collegiate Link page. To learn more about SJP, visit their Facebook page.

69
View Comments (69)
More to Discover

Comments (69)

Do you have something to say? Submit your comments below
All UNIVERSITY PRESS Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • I

    internet gamesOct 4, 2012 at 12:22 am

    Your web web site is somebody to connect with absolutely! My personal visitors will likely get a good deal out of this also!

    Reply
  • R

    Rosemarie GodetteJul 19, 2012 at 11:40 am

    Thank you. The net internet site will likely be filling 40% more rapidly.

    Reply
  • R

    Reta VardamanJul 2, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    Like a Newbie, I am continuously browsing on-line regarding articles that could advantage me. A lot of thanks web designers in Virginia

    Reply
  • D

    Dana VermeulenJun 22, 2012 at 12:56 am

    A few of my personal internet internet site readers have complained about our net site not working correctly throughout Explorer but looks excellent inside Firefox. Do you may have any suggestions to assistance right this certain be concerned?

    Reply
  • K

    KimoOct 5, 2011 at 1:44 pm

    Obvious troll is obvious.

    Crawl back under your bridge.

    Reply
  • H

    hessOct 5, 2011 at 9:56 am

    Why is it no country wants Palestinians? They are very nice people…at least some of them. At my brothers wedding in the gaza strip we had a very good time until hamas came and cut off my brothers hand and killed my parents for playing music at the wedding.

    There is lawlessness in gaza and I truly think the Israelies can help with our security. Our goverment does not help; it does not even exist. I fled to America through the help of Israel.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAy0ZiMEEmw
    this is a video of the wedding a week after my brothers.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 5, 2011 at 1:09 am

    eh when i say my video i mean my link, I am definately not the author of this.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 5, 2011 at 1:07 am

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ_ozDPtAgc&feature=mh_lolz&list=FL9ldAEgBInFVDj6sGC51SHQ
    annotations on so you see the english subtitles.
    Yours isn’t just pictures taken out of context and accusations hurled without reason behind them.
    This is logic and truth.
    Fact check it, unlike your video mine is aimed at spreading the truth.

    Lol youtube video fiiiiigghtttt

    Reply
  • K

    KimoOct 4, 2011 at 10:17 pm

    Reply
  • S

    SimeonOct 4, 2011 at 10:40 am

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnpilMYsR0I

    This is who SJP is with their mask off.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 4, 2011 at 1:46 am

    I don’t take anything you say seriously because you are accusing me of trolling by telling an aithiest he can’t be a jew without believing in god.
    OH HOW SLANDEROUS! WHAT HORRIBLE TROLLING! ANTAGONIZING!
    Learn some respect and common sense because you are overreacting and managing to get on my bad side which is considerably hard to do.

    Abrahamic values are also not denying the existence of the creator, which is simply why Len can not be a jew.
    This is my horrible slanderous statement that you have wrote a page to condemn me over.

    If a man claimed to be a muslim and denying allah’s existance is it slander to tell him he isn’t a muslim?

    No don’t answer that because according to you he is a muslim and it is trolling to say otherwise.

    If my arguements are not valid because you interpret them to be bitter and condescending than Im not stopping you.
    There is nothing wrong with not knowing everything and if you think it’s condescending to tell someone they are not as informed as they think than you are seriously limiting your capacity to learn.

    And the “sand you kicked into my ice cream” was calling the country I love and protect terrorist.
    If you want me to be nice with you don’t begin an arguement with an insult to people i know personally.

    What If i started off saying “palestine is a terrorist country”.
    Obviously this is not true and i know better than to make the same insulting mistake you did.

    The irony of your whole arguement is you are accusing me of something you have just done.
    That is true Hypocracy at work.

    Oh and youtube, urban dictionary, and a blog site do not constitute sources.

    Your canadian website would be a credible source but all you used it to do was prove my point by reiterating it in different words.
    Shaking off, uprising, revolution, and wave of terrorism are definately able to be synonymouse.

    Incase you are unable to understand my point with google images (not the first time you proven to ignore any point i have made) it is that there are photos taken from gazans themselves which prove there is no “humanitarian chryses for food.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7545636.stm
    Gaza has enough food, it is because the people can’t afford all the food is the only reason you might call it an issue NOT a chrysis.
    Maybe if the Hamas would for once in their whole time leading gaza actually spend some kind of money on creating jobs.

    Look at the unemployment figures on the bbc article.

    I also love how you choose to use literally no sources for your arguements aside from a term that proves my own point about the intifada bieng a wave of terorrism….

    The Gaza stip is no longer occupied and if you think otherwise you are going against common knowledge, may i remind you that before it was back in 08 over 2000 rockets had been launched at israel?
    http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+2000/Missile+fire+from+Gaza+on+Israeli+civilian+targets+Aug+2007.htm?DisplayMode=print

    May I remind you that the last time Israel let the Gazans many weapons flowing from Iran and other neighbors had been caught by the Israelis.
    In fact Iran still attempts to send gaza rockets by sea
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/us-israel-ship-idUSTRE72E2RR20110315

    You seem to forget that Gaza is literally run by an internationally recognized terrorist organization that vows to destroy israel very openly. Why in any right mind would Israel let them open up air ports that will surely end up like 9/11.
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/1441311/Hamas-is-added-to-EUs-blacklist-of-terror.html
    http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/880818a.htm

    I will end my rebuttal by reminding you how ironic it is to accuse me of bieng disrespectful it to tell Len he is no jew because he does not believe in the lord,(which is literally a requirement of judaism, so it is a true statement not slander) to actually make a real insult on me from urban dictionary.
    Shame on you Kimo for turning my arguements into an opportunity to toss childish insults at me that you copy pasted from urban dictionary.

    Reply
  • K

    KimoOct 3, 2011 at 6:48 pm

    @Herbert:

    >Trolling:
    “To use the internet to start problems, insult, or hurt others. An action that only usually affects the person trolling.
    Usually a very bored, lonely person with no friends. Or a punk ass kid.”

    I believe the Urban Dictionary hit this nail on square on the head. There is no need for you to antagonize Len or anyone else. Show some respect; you’re not only defaming the organization you’re representing but you’re very clearly showing what poor character you have. Shame on you for speaking to ANYONE in such a manner.

    Now, if you simply stuck to the genuinely honest morals and virtues that are specifically present in the three Abrahamic religions (like you so arrogantly claim to) then you could easily see the hypocrisy that Israel is blatantly committing.

    I like to think of your second post as a pretty accurate microcosm to your general approach at debating.

    “Anonymous/Kimo , are you trying to tell me that inviting the SG to a political Rally is not trying to feed them a one sided perspective? And if you had serious knowledge on the subject you would know that just like America can legally patrol mexico for violent drug cartels Israel can patrol the west bank for violent terrorists like the ones who murdered the Fogel Family and stabbed 3 infants to death. That is what happens when terrorists have no security monitoring them.”

    I’m right here habiby; I’m not afraid of the big bad loose-cannon troll. Your second paragraph starts out with a false accusation, just like every other post.

    Allow me to fill you in on a certain universal concept in relation to communication; when I say that I am right, I am also saying that you are wrong. Accordingly, when you say “if you had serious knowledge on the subject” you are also saying “I have serious knowledge on the subject”. Your bitter and condescending from the start. Your nasty personality will will get you no where. How can you expect ME to respect YOU when I am spoken down to?

    “Wait I forgot, you guys are not about getting the truth out, instead lying and spewing out propaganda that has been spoon fed to you by electric intifada.
    (Just so other people know an intifada is a wave of terrorism, which happens to be the name of the website these SJP uses as a source.)”

    Again with the nasty attitude; what is wrong with you man? Did one of us kick sand in your ice cream? At any rate, you’re indirectly saying that SJP is affiliated with terrorism. Allow me to fill you in on the transitive property of math; when a=b and b=c then a=c. Why are you so sour sir? SJP in no way justifies or in any other way condones terrorism on any level. Quote me on that.

    Intifada:
    >Arabic word for shaking off or shivering because of fear or illness. It also means abrupt and sudden waking up from sleep or unconcerned status. Politically, the word came to symbolize the Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation.

    >(‘Civil Uprising’; Arabic, lit.: ‘shaking off’)

    >Uprising. The word in Arabic literally means “shaking off.” Refers to the Palestinian campaign of civil disruption in pursuit of their own state within the land of Israel.

    I don’t see waves of terrorism once; for someone who claims to have a source for everything you sure do pile in a lot of blatant lies. You claim that SJP is spoonfed propaganda from the EI, then turn around and use your spoonfed JP propaganda to incorrectly define intifada. Herbs, you’re being hypocritically hypocritical!

    “I support Israel because they send more food, medical aid, and other supplies to palestinians in gaza then any other nation.
    You should know thy political opposite before you make uninformed remarks about us like that.”

    Israel also burns more Palestinian trees than any other nation; kills more innocent Palestinian casualties than any other nation; and injures more innocent Palestinian civilians than any other nation. The Gaza Strip was populated by refugees deported from Israel in 1948, beginning its dependency on aid. In 1967, Israel occupied the Gaza Strip, and despite the 2005 redeployment, Israel remained the only sovereign country in Gaza, and, stemming from its role as the occupier, continues to hold full responsibility for the wellbeing of the population there, as mandated by INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW. This is because Israel never allowed the population of Gaza the freedom to use their territorial waters, to control their own borders, to manage their own airspace or to otherwise trade freely with the world.

    “Look how much more talked about palestine is than the poor people who were slaughtered in Darfur. Where is the activism for the 1000s slaughtered in Syria or 10s of thousands of kurds murdered by Turkey?
    You limit yourself when you focus on one country that isn’t even in a real humanitarian chrisys. Just look at the food markets in Gaza and tell me if the starving children in darfur had access to them? This is just what happens when you google image gaza markets.”

    First of all, Google uses a Morkov Chain-style algorithmic internet filter. Not everyone’s Google results are the same (see the youtube source @ the end). Google images isn’t exactly the most accurate approach to proving a point, but I’ll humor you anyhow. I scroll down half a page and I very clearly see:

    http://www.google.com/imgres?q=gaza+markets&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=785&tbm=isch&tbnid=VJK11yGFQgqDyM:&imgrefurl=http://blog.pjk-international.com/%3Ftype%3D91%26PaginaID%3D189%26CatID%3D326%26SubID%3D328%26Letter%3D1%26ADID%3D119&docid=zYXRV3D3SWYkQM&w=600&h=399&ei=RjGKTp76C9C9tgfsluQz&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=345&vpy=121&dur=3262&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=196&ty=112&page=4&tbnh=123&tbnw=173&start=80&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:23,s:80

    http://www.google.com/imgres?q=gaza+markets&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=785&tbm=isch&tbnid=IVtFzS4SUnQZ8M:&imgrefurl=http://www.moi.gov.ps/en/news/28318/Investigation-of-Supply-Gaza-markets-are-almost-empty-from-rotten-food-in-Ramadan&docid=8XOre2iTkDWjrM&w=350&h=205&ei=RjGKTp76C9C9tgfsluQz&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1119&vpy=373&dur=1960&hovh=164&hovw=280&tx=244&ty=81&page=2&tbnh=107&tbnw=183&start=24&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:20,s:24

    http://www.google.com/imgres?q=gaza+markets&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=785&tbm=isch&tbnid=QaBQvxtd7V7mHM:&imgrefurl=http://www.foodsec.org/web/newsevents/news/newsdetail/zh/%3Fno_cache%3D1%26dyna_fef%255Buid%255D%3D44529&docid=v1-cHs5IvbFRuM&w=200&h=136&ei=RjGKTp76C9C9tgfsluQz&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=136&page=3&tbnh=108&tbnw=160&start=52&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:52&tx=83&ty=48

    Not in a crisis? Are you daft? The Palestinian siege is the last one on Earth! http://youtu.be/nfEmA4tUNVc

    Kthxbai.

    Sources:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ofWFx525s
    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Trolling&defid=1014416
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/hamas/explaining-the-language-and-terms-of-hamas/article2030092/?from=sec13623
    http://www.differentspirit.org/resources/glossary.php
    http://www.passia.org/diary/Palestinian-Dictionary-Terms.htm

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 2, 2011 at 4:45 pm

    Who cares what you were, now that you have renounced god you have renounced the most basic tenent of Judaism.

    You say i am on a high horse but it is you who is using your heritage as a horse riding around waving it in peoples faces as if it means anything.

    But truth be told you know Judaism is a belief NOT an ethnicity.

    Decending from the Israelites is an ethnicity, but that is not your claim.

    Bieng a jew is more than coming out of a jewish womb and if you think otherwise you are just plain ignorant.

    Reply
  • L

    LenOct 2, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    Herbert,

    Get off your high-horse. You are the only one, in my entire life, that has accused me of NOT being a Jew.

    I have been called many things…like self-hating Jew…but never before has some intransigent person like you consider me, and others like me, a non-Jew.

    I guess Hebrew school, my bar mitzve and sitting shiva for both my parents was wasted time according to you.

    Get real…

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 2, 2011 at 1:56 am

    Woops I thought that first comment didn’t post ……..
    Well ether way the next two are basically a reiteration of the first comment.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 2, 2011 at 1:40 am

    By the way because I am feeling better from my cold I am going to be much less responsive.
    Actually me and some of the OFI members have decided Mr. Ahmads plan of a dialogue in person is an excellent Idea and I will now give you contact information for reaching myself and other Ofi members.

    Michael Miller [email protected] President
    Brooke Weinbaum [email protected] program coordinator
    David Trubnikov [email protected] vice president/treasurer
    Herbie Slobodow [email protected] education outreach

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 2, 2011 at 1:37 am

    Len if Israel does not bomb the missile launch sites than it will be struck with missile after missile until it does something about the missiles.
    Israel only sends ground forces in when it is clear they have a good chance.

    It looks like you are telling Me it is perfectly OK for hamas to launch missiles at Israel and it is HORRIBLE for Israel to stop them by destroying the missile launch sites.
    Please tell me this is not the case because take note that before hamas took power, when gazan did not launch missiles into Israel there where NO missile strikes on Gaza.

    I think giving the gazans a flyer and 30 minutes to leave is much more than the 15 seconds Israelis have to take shelter before a rocket hits as Hamas doesn’t warn israelis.

    If my logic has caused your defense mechanisms to kickstart and shelter yourself from reality than I apologize.
    Im guessing living in a shell of only people you agree with was much more fun for you.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    The places Israel bombs happens to be buildings occupied by hamas terrorists shooting at the israelis.
    Hamas Launches missiles from civilian infrastructure.
    Do not pretend that Israel can just let Hamas launch missiles at them
    and sit back.
    Would you blame America if mexico lobbed missles at us and in retaliation we hit the missile cites but accidently hit civlians on the sites.
    Hamas uses hospitals, houses, and schools as missile sites.

    Israel gives them usually a 30 minute notice to evacuate…..

    Do you know how long Israelis have to evacuate before a hamas missile hits?
    15 seconds, the only warning they get is sirens from the Israeli defence force.

    You should know better than to distort the truth to your liking .

    I don’t care what you are convinced of because you are NOT a jew and stop refering to yourself as one.
    A jew without believing in god is like a christian without believing in the Christ.

    Long live Israel and may one day peace come.

    But anyways I would like you all to know that the other members of OFI have invited you to discuss this in person at some time in place.
    Email me Education outreach at [email protected]
    our program coordinater at [email protected]
    Our Vice president at [email protected]
    And our president at [email protected]

    My cold is going away and i probably wont be on much to respond anymore.
    But email us, we are definately interesting in holding a dialogue 🙂

    Reply
  • L

    LenOct 1, 2011 at 10:45 pm

    Oppps, Herbert got me again.

    Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous as “Israel sends leaflets to places before it bombs to make sure civilians evacuate.”

    Does that mean it is OK to bomb anyone as it is their fault they couldn’t get out after you warned them of oncoming bombs by sending them leaflets?

    Does Israel even bother to make sure civilians get out? No, they just send in the bombs.

    Anyway Herbert you convince me even more that my anti-Zionism is the correct path for any Jew.

    Long live a free Palestine!

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 8:13 pm

    What in the world are you even talking about?
    Are you seriously trying to tell me that Israel is no better than Hamas?

    Israel sends leaflets to places before it bombs to make sure civilians evacuate.
    Israel sends more aid to the gaza strip than all the arab countries put togeather.
    Israel treats patients from the gaza strip in their hospitals so well that gazans injured have preffered israeli hospitals by a huge margin than palestinians ones.

    How high do you even want the “bar”.
    Arabs are over represented in the Knesset, if you give them any more representation it becomes favoratism.

    Don’t tell me who i should be defending because i know who really wants peace and who doesn’t. Who offered the peace with an end to settlements and occupation on several occassions ?
    The Israeli Government.

    Who launched 2 violent waves of terrorism that saw over 7000 people killed? The Palestinian Government.

    I think it is you who should be supporting the Israeli government if you truely support peace and not the vieled destruction of israel under the false guise of justice.

    Yes i did use the palestinian center for human rights as a source to prove the extent of the intifada.

    http://www.phrmg.org/monitor2001/oct2001-collaborators.htm
    http://www.btselem.org/english/statistics/casualties.asp?sD=29&sM=09&sY=2000&eD=26&eM=12&eY=2008&filterby=event&oferet_stat=before

    Reply
  • Z

    zibbeeOct 1, 2011 at 7:56 pm

    herbie stop defending the israel goverment and try defending those who want peace. on both sides try visiting the west bank like nilin.sheik jarrah,silwan,bilin,nabi sileh.where people protest for their land and trees, and homes but get gassed and shot with rubber bullets. instead of defending israel and its policies you should be apploigizing. these actions are neither helping bmake peace and not getting israel any safer. i don’t apoligize for hamas or fatah one is a crook and the other are radicals but israeli goverment is no better.and by the way comparing other arab countries to israel saying that israel is more free or democrate isn’t saying much try placing the bar higher

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 6:57 pm

    Oh i just found this out, this will be the icing on the cake of irony that is your arguement.

    Ishmael Khaldi does a program called Hike and Learn with the Bedouins of the Galilee, where young jews are brought to his Bedouin village and are
    introduced to arab culture and intigrated to bring tolerance to them.

    You should now slap yourself for comparing this man for a jew working with Hitler.

    http://articles.sfgate.com/2006-11-24/news/17319376_1_israeli-arabs-arab-world-early-zionist-pioneers
    (there are 3 pages to it)

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 6:19 pm

    Hahahah what are you even trying to say now?
    Are you comparing Lieberman to Hitler?
    Shame on you!
    Comparing a man who at worst stated “if it where up to me i would inform Ramallah we are bombing at 10 in the morning”
    To a man who actually caused a holocaust killing 5 million jews and 6 million non jews?

    By the way he isn’t racist, he specifically is talking about his dislike for the pa government NOT the people.

    Ishmael Khaldi is still a muslim (of the druze sect)by the way and if Lieberman were this racist you are trying to paint him as, why is he working with muslims.

    Next time you post something take at least a minute not only to fact check, but make sure you don’t make a stupid offensive comparison that will discredit your view point.

    Reply
  • Z

    zibbeeOct 1, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    ishmael khaldi. are you kidding he works for racist avigor lieberman. he has no shame theres plenty of jews who worked for hitler and even held high office,and my sources are the israeli papers pick one and all israeli and world ngo’s please stop the white washing its getting pityful. israel is neither peaceful or democracte

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    I personally invited Noor to drop by when we had the arab muslim millitary commander stop by.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 5:16 pm

    Zibbee he was the one to claim he was the better jew, i claim he is no jew.
    He doesn’t believe in god, so claiming he is a jew is the same thing as a christian claiming to be christian and not believing in the Christ.

    Read the arguements next time Zibbee.

    I love how you spew out half a dozen accusations and don’t even source a single one of them.
    When i argue something i prove it, you just spew out the propaganda that has been spoon fed to you.

    There has been land grabs by israel but only after it was attacked by many nations and forced to counter attack or be choked off from the world.
    If Israel stops fighting its people will be massacred, if palestine and the arab nations backing it stop fighting there will be peace.

    What racism are you even talking about?
    Arabs are over represented in the knesset for their population and can apply for any job a jew can. In fact there are arab judges and millitary commanders.
    http://www.knesset.gov.il/main/eng/home.asp
    We brought in an arab who faught for the IDF called ishmael khaldi.

    Im sorry you are so ill informed but i hope i helped you understand that there is two sides to every coin.

    Reply
  • Z

    zibbeeOct 1, 2011 at 4:46 pm

    herbie you my freind have no right to say who is a better jew your not god . and also do you stand by israel no matter what. how about the evictions ,demolishtions,land grabs,assinations(which kill civilians)the constant harassment and racism. what does all these have to do with security. face it your trying to white wash the apartied ethnic cleansing of my people and we will not be silent. free palestine!! long live palestine!!. p.s from the river to the sea has diffrent meanings even arabs in israel are not truly free.jews get better jobs and better pay also arabs are not allowed to live everywhere and don’t get the same goverment benifits. or treatment

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 3:17 pm

    I like it, ill continue this in email.

    Reply
  • M

    Mo Misteries (Mohammad Ahmad)Oct 1, 2011 at 3:02 pm

    To Herbert and Simeon, I would like to sit and talk. Reach me at [email protected]. There is sadly a lot of ignorance in our university, and things most certainly need to be clarified. I do warn you, I may not be armed with statistics, but what statistics are true anyway, right? However, I am armed with facts.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 2:45 pm

    I meant to say Noor says justice first, then peace.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 2:10 pm

    And Shalom/Salam to you too.

    Reply
    • L

      LiveJul 24, 2012 at 7:53 am

      Why the increase in march? Why the lull in may june and july? Does annoye recall what was going on in egypt or diplomatically between Israel and the PA or Israel and Hamas?

      Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 2:08 pm

    Well your leader Noor has justified Hamas.
    And I said justified not supported about hamas.
    Noor always says peace before justice and has been blaming Israel for the entire conflict which removes hams from the blame of any wrong doing.

    I never accused you of supporting corrupt nations, just ignoring their conflicts over this conflict that is clearly much more two sided then the events like the Syrian massacre or the Darfur genocide.

    Reply
  • L

    LenaOct 1, 2011 at 1:55 pm

    Have I ever defended the governments of corrupt nations? Or Hamas even? No, I support the PEOPLE’s right to exist, to live without hardship, and to not be deported out of their homes by a power that calls itself democratic.

    I’m done though. Salam/Shalom.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 1:25 pm

    Oh wait i misread your comment, BBC and Haaretz are most certainly liberally biased websites. Have you not read the amount of times Haaretz criticized the right wing government?
    Have you not read how bbc was found guilty at one point of falsifying footage of a house bieng destroyed and confessed that the footage was fake?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_the_BBC There is a whole article about their bias.

    Welcome to the real world Len

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 1:20 pm

    Len do you even know what the word Bigot means?
    What exactly are you accusing me of bieng intolerant to?
    Throwing around insults and accusations proves to me your incapable of fighting for justice if whenever you disagree with someone you label them a bigot.

    Incase you havent noticed my sources came from Haaretz and BBC, both liberally biased networks…..

    Friday is temple and saturday is shabbas where you are mostly supposed to relax.
    I am also sick so i have not been able to attend morning services.
    Why do you think i have had so much time to check for responces?

    Reply
  • L

    LenOct 1, 2011 at 1:01 pm

    Simeon,
    Thank for the support of my being Jewish. That is something Herbert will never understand as his mind is closed to any opinion that disagrees with him. Closed minds are the problem.

    You and I disagree on the rest…but we are respectful and that is important as some Zionist have called me all sorts of name and made many accusations…including “spreating Nazi lies.” Oh well.

    I can’t keep debating the issue and will not respond again to anyone. Sorry.

    Herbert,
    BBC, Christian Monitor and the Israeli leftist Haaretz…are not leftist in the real world outside of them. I certainly have fought and given my life fighting for justice for all people. I don’t scream or kvetch, I just fight the real bigots like you.

    So please keep your self-justification to yourself and rely on world known facts…and not from a J-street kind of position.

    Anyway, why are you on the internet on Saturday when you should be in Temple…especially during the High Holy days?

    No more from me on this blog from me.

    Len

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 1:00 pm

    Lena that still sounds rediculous because you are now implying that out of 450 civilians killed, 300 of them were children.
    While we all know hamas were cowards in the war and hide in schools, hospitals,playgrounds, and behind child hostages, (their own children…) you would be telling me that an overwhelming majority of the casualties according to hamas where kids. That sounds farfetched.
    Yes i know the palestinian center for human rights tried to bump
    the number of civilian casualties to 900, but according to Hamas and the IDF the number is about 450.
    Please fact check before you post, while i am not a fan of wikipedia, the casualty list is sourced from websites of both political sides and the article is heavily monitored.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_War

    As for the Un reports condemning israel i find them uncredible due to the human rights council reports coming only from these ironic members; LIbya, Sudan, Egypt, and Saudi arabia.

    Tell me is it not wierd that the countries most widely known for launching genocides on their own people, stoning women for driving, and bieng responsible for the biggest massacre of our time (Darfur)
    have spent their time pointing the finger at israel.

    If it is ok to be critical of something you support then why has SJP done nothing to condemn or for that matter even mention the horrible things that Hamas has done to israel and it’s own people?
    Or how you only mention bad things that happen to palestinians that come from websites like electric intifafa?

    And ironically you are justifying palestinian terrorists wrong doings by tucking it under your wing of justice for palestine.

    You should not throw stones when you live in a glass house. (don’t try to criticize me for something that you yourself do more than I)

    Reply
  • L

    LenaOct 1, 2011 at 11:56 am

    @Herbert,

    My apologies, I meant 300 children (also I didn’t mean to imply that ALL of the civilian casualties were killed with white phosphorous, just that this weapon was utilized; I was writing all this on my phone so you’ll have to excuse any errors I’ve made). Still a fairly large number if you ask me. And several human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have confirmed the use of white phosphorous in residential areas. You can find all this in the UN report, condemning the crimes Israel committed during that time and confirming that a great deal of this operation was to target Gazan civilians.

    It’s okay to be critical of something you support; what’s not okay is to try to justify its wrongdoings.

    Reply
  • S

    SimeonOct 1, 2011 at 9:14 am

    Firstly I disagree with Herbert on one very important point. Len – I don’t care nor do the Jewish people care if you practice your Judaism – you were born a Jew and you will forever be a Jew. This hods true, in my opinion, if one doesn’t even believe in G-d. You were at Sinai and so was I. BUT ……Oh Len – OY !
    Lest you forget the Jewish people were Zionists since the first exile. For more than 2,000 years Jews prayed for the return to Israel? When you as a liberal Jew are truly concerned with freedom and oppression let me see you criticize other peoples for doing much worse and not just single out the one Jewish State on the planet for “crimes”. And yes Len there are Jews and Israelis that are deeply troubled by the occupation but they don’t call for the destruction demographically of their own state. chanting “To the rive to the sea – Palestine will be free!”.

    Len I cant help but feel that you are no better than other Jews who hold very different political than you concerning our own President. They cry our “socialist, foreigner, conspirator”and none of it holds true. They are fearful bigots who cover their own prejudices in a veneer of rightness.

    The shame of it all is you think in order to find justice for the Palestinian people you need to demonize Israel. Why not educate students of the progress the Palestinians are making in the West Bank and inspire students to help build institutions that will become the foundation of a State. That’s exciting stuff that speaks to this generation more than destroying and vilifying. If you cared about the Palestinian cause that would be far productive than spending energy shreking about zionists. I’m happy you were in Brooklyn in the 40’s and not in British Mandate Palestine. You would have been screaming and kvetching instead of building up a country. Or Len – I say this tongue in cheek – claiming being Anti- British isn’t being Anti- English. Shabbat Shalom Len. I’m praying for peace for two states that can live side by side. What do you want?

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 1:14 am

    Actually Tea, Blankets, Crayons, school supplies, and medical aid are allowed to be sent to the Gaza strip.
    You are hearing a misconception based on a couple isolated incidents where either due to weapons found among supplies or israeli inspection officials had previously not followed the correct instructions.

    Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7545636.stm#return

    The white phosporus shown in the pictures taken of it has actually been proven to be for the most part a morter shell filled with smokescreen. Though there has been occasions where white phosporus had been used, but it was not “thrown at children” rather buildings full of terrorists.
    Actually it is the hamas terorists that use white phosporus on israelis.
    http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2010/0915/Israel-Phosphorus-bombshells-launched-from-Gaza

    It is impossible that 500 children where killed even in the entire gaza war because the hamas themselves admitted that at least 700 of their men had been killed and the total number of people killed according to the palestinians was 1,400.
    Also keep in mind the Hamas total at least 250 police officers killed.

    It is impossible that the other 450 casualties not only were all children, but 50 more people have been added to the list that are unaccounted for by the Hamas.

    And attributing all of the civilian casualties and 50 extras to white phosphorus then calling them children makes your statistic even more impossible.
    http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/hamas-admits-600-700-of-its-men-were-killed-in-cast-lead-1.323776

    There you go, sources from leftest groups as well that are known to have an anti israeli bias prove my point.

    Have you ever lost a loved one to a terrorist attack due to lack of security?
    Then maybe you shouldn’t complain about checkpoints that are not even as bad as airport securtiy.

    And incase you haven’t noticed getting the truth out is my thing 🙂 and so i will continue to do so.

    Reply
  • L

    LenaOct 1, 2011 at 12:38 am

    Then why are tea, blankets, crayons, school supplies, and other basic necessities like medical aid blocked from going to the Gazan people? Why were schools, hospitals, and homes targeted from December 2008 – January 2009 while illegal white phosporus was being thrown onto civilians, killing at least 500 children?

    And right, land routes. Have you ever been to a checkpoint? It’s an absolute hassle getting through for Palestinians, way more than it “should” be.

    Like I said, we could go on all day about this and we’ll still end up where we were in the beginning. You do your thing, and we’ll do ours.

    Reply
    • A

      AnonymousOct 1, 2011 at 9:51 pm

      Checkpoints are there because of past terrorist acts in Israel. They came in on buses and in cars and traveled into the land to just go and blow up innocent civilians. It’s a shame that the checkpoints provide a hassle to the Palestinian people, but it’s a bigger hassle for the children of Sderot to have to live in fear of being blown up by a rocket or in Ashkelon or any of the cities close to the Gaza Strip. It’s a hassle for the people of Israel to have to worry about acts of violence done to them while they’re out trying to live their lives.

      Reply
  • H

    HerbertOct 1, 2011 at 12:10 am

    Lena?
    Well I would argue that in every faith there is some kind of disagreement but today there are very few religious jews who oppose Israel. There is a small branch who actually opposed israel called the neturei karta, but there is only 200 of them.
    While i believe Zionism is a religious issue,
    I agree this is not a religious war.
    Israel was attacked by the arab nations for purposes of greed.
    They wanted to take the very same land that they had sold to the new immigrants.
    I would argue that before 48 there where many incidents of arab riots like the 1930-39 riots in israel where jews were killed and hunted, but the blame of that goes to a man named Haj amin El huesseni who literally worked for Hitler.
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1987-004-09A%2C_Amin_al_Husseini_und_Adolf_Hitler.jpg
    The people who followed El Husseini faught the jews because they were victem to nazi propaganda passed to their nation by this radical man.

    Israel treats the Palestinians more humanly than the Jordanians or the Lebanese treated their refugees.
    Who sends the most aid to the gaza strip? Israel
    The Blockaid is meant to keep weapons from bieng smuggled, aid can still be sent through land routes. Why is the blockaide so bad if the same aid (as long as it really is aid) can be sent through land routes?

    Yes i know i really spend a lot of time on this issue, but i am majoring in this field so i better know my stuff :).

    Reply
  • L

    LenaSep 30, 2011 at 11:59 pm

    I’d just like to say, SJP is not here for petty dialogue that gets us nowhere; we’re here to raise awareness for the Palestinian people.

    Herbert, there are quite a few groups of Orthodox Jews who would argue that the Torah forbids a Jewish state until the second coming. Same thing goes for the Bible (Leviticus). This isn’t a religious war — Palestinian Arabs have lived peacefully with Jews for CENTURIES before ’48.

    And even if this was a religious issue, that does NOT excuse Israel from treating the Palestinians unjustly and inhumanely. The blockade in Gaza and recent Operation Cast Lead should be enough to back that statement up.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertSep 30, 2011 at 11:36 pm

    And Len your disconnection with Judaism has caused a major error in your judgement.
    Throughout the Torah the lord commands us to defend the holy land that the Israelites wandered to. Did you know that Israel is mentioned 67 times while palestine is mentioned 0 times?

    The fact of the matter is it is written in our holy Torah that Israel is the promised land and in the Talmud it is written that it is unnatural for a jew to not be living in Israel.

    Keep in mind this was written 1000s of years ago.
    http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm

    I really think you should learn about judaism before blindly talking about it.
    Zionism is a part of Judaism.
    It is not a bad thing either, we have always had jews living in Israel even after King saul’s (the founder of ancient israel) empire fell.

    In fact it was the ottoman empire who sold the jews escaping pograms in russia land in 1650 and ever since the land israel was built on was sold to us by the arabs up until the point they began trying to conquer the land they sold to us.

    Reply
  • H

    HerbertSep 30, 2011 at 11:15 pm

    Len you don’t know the first thing about Judaism if you think that because by birth you are a jew. Hitler had a jewish grandma in his blood, but that doesn’t give him the right to claim to be jewish.

    Judaism is about keeping the ancient traditions of the Torah alive and on sjps page you called yourself an aithiest.
    No real jewish man denys the lords existance so please drop your claim to judaism when that is clearly not the case.

    Please don’t try to guilt trip me with stories of your neighbors, especially because they are not you. Your neighbors are not the ones claiming to be anti zionist jews.

    You are lying about Einstien by the way because he did believe in the lord “I believe in Spinoza’s God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings.” (Albert Einstein)

    And your neighbors expirienced the discrimination not you do please discontinue using their discrimination as an equation to yours as it does not add up.

    I keep kosher, pray on shabbats, observe most of the laws regarding the high holy days, and am from a fully jewish family with a levi appearing on my moms side of the family.

    Are you trying to offend me by comparing your connection with Judaism to mine?

    Reply
  • L

    LenSep 30, 2011 at 11:12 pm

    Simeon,
    Why do you Zionist always hide behind anti-Israel and anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism?

    You are the ones creating more anti-Semitism in this world by always confabulating the two.

    Take a stand, if you can, and fess up to the fact that Zionism stands, or falls, on it’s own and leave the non-Zionist Jews alone. Don;t make our lives more difficult because Zionists cannot stand on their own two feet.

    Reply
  • L

    LenSep 30, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    Herbert I think I am more Jewish than you claim to be. Both of my parents are Jewish and my grandfather was a world famous Cantor. The first thing I am in this world is Jewish and because of Jewish teachings and history is why I am on the Palestinian side.

    How can we have 5,000 years of oppression and then turn around and create Zionism and oppress other people. I was born in 1941 and lived “comfortably”, in Brooklyn, thru the holocaust. A large oercent of my neighbors were concentration camp survivors and had the tatooed numbers on their arms to prove it. I lived thru anti-Semitism, was denied jobs because I was Jewish, etc.

    I saw Jewish discrimination of black and Puerto Rican people and was disgusted by the whole thing by the time I was 10 or 11. When I got older and understood Zionism their oppression of Palestinians I was appalled by them and their arrogance. Zionists are nothing but a perversion of Judaism with it’s own ends and against Jewish humanist tradition.

    I am an athiest and secular Jewish humanist by choice…so was Einstein and Freud…and always Jewish by culture and birth.

    Yet you claim that I am not Jewish eventhough I carry the burden of discrimination against Jewish people and myself. I personally experienced more of Jewish life (see above) than you ever did. So, I wonder, who is the real Jew between you and me?

    Reply
  • S

    SimeonSep 30, 2011 at 10:59 pm

    Mohammad Ahmad –
    1) You are not raising “awareness” of your cause when you shout on campus “To the River to the Sea – Palestine will be free”. You know and I know what that means and it’s not a call for enlightenment.
    2) There is no daylight between Israel bashing and Jewish bashing. There is no difference. Israel is the JEWISH STATE and was declared such in 1948. It’s a slick move to try to say being anti israel isn’t being anti semetic when you single out the state for demonization.
    3) I’m not sure how OFI gets preferential treatment ? Do you care to prove that allegation with facts? One fact…just one.
    4) I am the furthest from being ignorant of the plight of the palestinians having lived in Israel for years and have Palestinian friends here in the States. I think what I find offensive is Noor’s and SJP’s method of demonizing Israel no matter what to make a point…any point. Just look at the articles posted on their facebook page. It does the cause of peace no good and it does you cause of achieving freedom in your own land no good as well. SJP and BDS are an extension of filling your people with false hope and bravado. Theo only path to peace is dialogue and negotiations no matter how frustrating that can be.

    Reply
    • M

      Mo Misteries (Mohammad Ahmad)Oct 1, 2011 at 2:34 pm

      Simeon, my friend, you clearly have a misunderstanding about alot, especially having lived in Israel. “Israel bashing” is distinctly different than “Jewish bashing”. If one were to talk badly about Spain, they are not bashing Catholics, even though it is clearly a Catholic state. I, for one, have innumerable Jewish friends, and the closest person to my heart happens to be Jewish herself. So there IS a difference.

      Also, if you, me, and history can demonize the acts of Hitler, we can just as easily demonize the acts of Israel. You think that just because the actions of a terrorist state aren’t publicized, that makes them irrelevant. Israel gives no rights to the Palestinians. YOU even said, SJP is here to fill us with false hope, because the zionists have no intention on “sharing” anything, and will continue the genocide of innocent Palestinians. Now I’m not as closed minded as you seem to be. I recognize Fatah and Hamas as two radical groups, and encourage neither, and I realize that there are many “bad” Palestinians, however, I do also realize that Israel is a terrorist state, and is abusing the fact that the UN and the world gives it a blind eye.

      Reply
      • A

        AnonymousOct 1, 2011 at 9:45 pm

        How could you ever compare Hitler’s actions to Israel? Hitler killed more than 6 million Jews on top of another 6 million other minorities who didn’t fit his profile of “the perfect aryan.” You are a deplorable person if you think that is ok to say. Israel gives PLENTY of rights to Palestinian people. They are allowed to work among the Jewish people in the West Bank and they are allowed to freely travel into Israel on Israel’s public buses. Learn your facts.

        Zionism is a movement of self determination for the Jewish people. The Jewish people have purchased and legally owned the land they live on since they came back to Israel starting in the late 19th century. Do you know how many Palestinians squat on land in Israel and the Israeli government doesn’t do anything? Fact. As a Jewish person who has family living in the West Bank (which I’d like to point out is very nice and I saw plenty of “Palestinians” out and about roaming freely) and they don’t have a problem with the Palestinian people. Hebron and Jericho, two of the holiest cities in the world, can no longer be visited by Israeli citizens unless they travel with IDF soldiers. That’s despicable.

        There are 224 sanctions against Israel by the United Nations for “violating human rights” yet countries who actually oppress their people and have had mass genocides have very minimal amount of sanctions against them. That is absurd.

        Reply
      • K

        KarimJul 26, 2012 at 12:35 am

        cake in Helvetica and is one of my favourite nkcelaces! Interestingly enough, there were two on display that day, mine and lady . I couldn’t decide between the two so I bought the other one for a friend.Ironically, I’m more excited to see SATC2 than it’s predecessor because it hasn’t been as hyped up as the last time. I think that was one of the main reasons why so many were disappointed. PS. Love the cherry drop-cap!

        Reply
    • M

      Mo Misteries (Mohammad Ahmad)Oct 1, 2011 at 2:46 pm

      Also, be careful of the words you use. Your ignorance permeates when you describe Palestinians as anti-Semitic, because we’re Semites too. It’s like commenting about a group of black people hating other black people because said group is black.

      Reply
  • H

    HerbertSep 30, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    Mr. Ahmad, that is ironic that you accuse us of “sutting out” SJP because we invited them to almost every event (including this) that we have hosted.
    You should spend at least a minute checking for truth in your arguements before posting them. Wait I forgot, you guys are not about getting the truth out, instead lying and spewing out propaganda that has been spoon fed to you by electric intifada.
    (Just so other people know an intifada is a wave of terrorism, which happens to be the name of the website these SJP uses as a source.)

    Anonymous/Kimo :), are you trying to tell me that inviting the SG to a political Rally is not trying to feed them a one sided perspective? And if you had serious knowledge on the subject you would know that just like America can legally patrol mexico for violent drug cartels Israel can patrol the west bank for violent terrorists like the ones who murdered the Fogel Family and stabbed 3 infants to death. That is what happens when terrorists have no security monitoring them.

    Len, i have read on sjps page that you are in fact an aithiest not a jew. There is something more to bieng jewish then coming from a jewish mother and you should take a minute to learn it. No im not asking you to be zionist, just actually take the time to celebrate some form of judaism if you are going to parade yourself as a jew.

    To Free Palestine, you should be careful when you simplify the matter to supporting the underdog because bieng the less powerful country has nothing to do with bieng in the right.
    I support Israel because they send more food, medical aid, and other supplies to palestinians in gaza then any other nation.
    You should know thy political opposite before you make uninformed remarks about us like that.

    Zibbee I too apprieciate SJPs diversity in ethnicity, but i wish they would allow a diversity in opinion too.
    OFI is for a real form of justice in this conflict and that is peace.
    By definition we are for justice in israel and palestine.
    Palestine has plenty of a voice, in fact it is more discussed than conflicts that are way worse than it.
    Look how much more talked about palestine is than the poor people who were slaughtered in Darfur. Where is the activism for the 1000s slaughtered in Syria or 10s of thousands of kurds murdered by Turkey?
    You limit yourself when you focus on one country that isn’t even in a real humanitarian chrisys. Just look at the food markets in Gaza and tell me if the starving children in darfur had access to them? This is just what happens when you google image gaza markets. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=gaza+markets&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=447l1914l0l2106l12l8l0l0l0l0l157l804l3.4l7l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1486&bih=651&wrapid=tlif131743357919810&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

    Hey if you want to talk to me more email me at [email protected], despite what you may have heard about zionists i am very friendly and do not bite :).

    Reply
    • M

      Mo Misteries (Mohammad Ahmad)Oct 1, 2011 at 2:44 pm

      Mr.Herbert,
      Noor Fawzy is my sister, and to her and my knowledge, the SJP never received any such invitation. So, claiming that said invitation was sent is false, and if it was, you should’ve made a better effort to make sure it got across. Also, for the readers, intifada does not mean a wave of terrorism, otherwise it would be associated with Israel. Intifada means “uprising”, as one would do in an oppressed state. Uprisings are, and have been through out history, held by the oppressed because their voice cannot be heard otherwise.

      Reply
      • A

        AnonymousOct 1, 2011 at 9:33 pm

        How do you explain all the violence in Sderot and all the rockets and missiles fired from Gaza as Israel being violent. We bomb in Gaza to END terrorist activity. Gaza bombs and shoots rockets into Sderot to kill innocent people. Israel is DEFENDING itself, and always has defended itself. We are not the aggressors.

        As to the invitation, SJP was not invited. They are unfortunately not a student organization that was believed to not want to actually learn about what Congressman Ted Deutch had to say. I will say however that Ted Deutch DID speak on the topic of a TWO STATE solution one which is more feasible than just letting Abbas and Hamas run amuck in Israel.

        Reply
  • Z

    zibbeeSep 30, 2011 at 8:55 pm

    sjp supports palestinian rights and jutice for the people. there goes the name ”students for jutice in palestine” ”sjp”.the group supports non violence and is a great way to get students involved in activisim.no matter the cause i also noticed it was very diverse. i expected it to be all muslim or all palestinian. but it wasn’t the group has people from all backgrounds and all religons. sjp is a role model for all students who strive to be good citizens in this crazy wartorn world.one of the groups ideals is that they don’t support the diffrent factions in the palestinian politics.they are neither prohamas or profatah but are pro palestinian. god bless noor and her group for standing up for a people with no voice in the american media.

    Reply
  • F

    free palestineSep 30, 2011 at 8:38 pm

    the point of the story is that sjp isn’t just about palestine. its about human rights and jutice wheather palestine, egypt, somilia or right here in georgia last week with troy davis . we support the oppressed and the underdog.on the other hand the ofi is about supporting israel no matter what it does. or how many people they kill or occupy.

    Reply
    • A

      AnonymousOct 1, 2011 at 9:28 pm

      You talk about SJP and it’s mission but then you go and try and undermine what Israel is about. How about you try and talk to the students in OFI and understand WHY they support what they support. Don’t call it propaganda just because you don’t believe in it. The Jewish people have been the MOST oppressed people in all of history time and time again. We’ve survived slavery, numerous empires and the Holocaust to get to where we are today, to have a homeland that belongs to us. We WELCOME as Jewish people other people into our country regardless of their religion. ISRAEL is NOT occupying Gaza. ISRAEL SENDS AID into Gaza once a week to help sustain those citizens living under HAMAS’ reign of terror.

      Reply
  • L

    LenSep 30, 2011 at 8:34 pm

    Let us not forget that there are Jewish people that are also anti-Zionist and fight for Palestinian rights. Israel does many things, like the blockade of Gaza and the settlements, that are internationally recognized as illegal.

    Still Israeli’s terrorism against Palestinian people is without let-up.

    I coined a definition of terrorism, because of Zionism, as follows:

    “A terrorist is a people with bombs and without planes.”

    I spoke at the rally as an invited speaker and support SJP on whatever campus they are on as they bring truth to power.

    Reply
  • M

    Mo Misteries (Mohammad Ahmad)Sep 30, 2011 at 7:00 pm

    Its always nice to see that someone realizes that what they’re about to say is so stupid, they can’t put their name to it, and use “hahaha” instead. Well Mr./Ms.hahaha, There’s a fine line between stupidity and intelligence, too bad you’re so far into stupidity that you can’t see the line.

    -Misteries

    Reply
    • A

      AnonymousOct 1, 2011 at 9:24 pm

      Don’t call someone stupid. Now you’re just being as immature as the person who put “hahaha.”

      Goes to show how intelligent you are.

      Reply
  • H

    hahahaSep 30, 2011 at 6:45 pm

    Buying SG off? With some hummus? HAHA what a joke! I’m for a two state solution and justice for both sides but this article is just plain STUPID. Another winner UP!

    Reply
  • M

    Mohammad AhmadSep 30, 2011 at 6:34 pm

    To the people above. Noor is merely stating a strong opinion held by her, SJP, and all of its members. We do not breed hate, nor do we “lobby”, we are here to raise awareness about the occupation of the Palestinian lands by the Israelis. Note, I did not say “Jews”, because there IS a difference.

    The sad truth is that the OFI, and network of clubs supporting Israel, are inter-linked and do get preferential treatment, shutting out the SJP (Students for Justice and PEACE in Palestine). All Noor said was that the dinner was to gain support for a totally political cause, and inevitably shutting the door to support for the other side of the argument. Her point in this article is only proven by the SGVP, Robert Huffman’s,quote, “I’m here to support our students, to support OFI, their movement and what they’re doing.”

    In any event, those nasty comments posted above show the ignorance that you, most of the students who propagate Israeli propaganda, and those students who come to us pretending to want to hear about our cause then instigating “war”, have. UP, as a newspaper, has a job. Their job is to report about the stories of both sides of any argument in an unbiased manner, and I am proud to say that so far, they are doing so.

    To Herbert and Simeon, grow up. Thousands of people die over a battle for land, and you guys buck like chickens in a coup about an article that you disagree with. Respect yourselves, and at least give a valid argument when you whine about what the University Press publishes or doesn’t.

    Reply
    • A

      AnonymousOct 1, 2011 at 9:23 pm

      Just a correction, SJP is “Students for Justice in Palestine” not peace. Your people don’t want peace nor do they ever want to reach peace. Holding signs up that say Israel breeds hate and that Zionism is Racism at a rally is disturbing, deplorable and quite delusional.

      Reply
  • H

    HerbertSep 29, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    So noor thinks its ok to invite these people to a rally where they scream at people and hold up racist signs saying israelis breed hate?
    That is lobbying.
    Not hosting a dinner with people of all opinions listening to speakers that come from the groups ideology.
    Noor is a hypocrite if she thinks this is wrong and who ever is writing these articles should find something worth while to write about as opposed to posting insulting articles that defame a group for hosting a dinner party.
    What next, Israel accused of buying off OFI with Falaffels?
    No Shwarma?

    Reply
    • A

      anonymousSep 30, 2011 at 7:16 pm

      Israel* breeds hate, not Israelis, there’s a difference.
      As for the rally, it’s a way of raising awareness to the ignorance you and your people share towards the ILLEGAL occupation of the Palestinian land by the Israelis.
      As for the UP, Freedom of speech and of the press, the first Amendment to the Constitution, write what you want, it’s your right.

      Reply
  • S

    SimeonSep 28, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    How exactly could OFI ” buy off” SG? The insult to the SG and FAU is present actually in Fawzy’s comments by even suggesting that in some way the SG or any student leader could be bought off by a chicken dinner.
    I am personally offended myself as someone who cares deeply about FAU that the UP would even frame the story of this event in the way presented. The dinner’s theme was leadership and all student leaders of all student groups were invited to attend including I’m sure the SJP. The dinner was positive and questions were allowed throughout the evening. It was dialogue worthy of a University. Why the SJP needs to be negative and slam OFI in this article and in the last one the UP printed about “Artists 4 Israel” demonstrates to me how SJP is not interested in dialogue but only to demonize Israel and it’s supporters. One can expose people on campus to ideas without being toxic. Shame on the UP for making a event about leadership and peace about conflict and derision when there was none presented at the dinner. Shame.

    Reply