ISRAEL SOCIETY

Dr James Renton on "Philosemitism, Antisemitism, Colonialism? Zionism and the British Empire"

2010-04-23T11:00:00.001-07:00

We are very happy to announce the Cambridge World History Graduate Workshop will be hosting the following event:

"Philosemitism, Antisemitism, Colonialism? Zionism and the British Empire"
Dr.James Renton (Edge Hill University):

Thursday 29 April, 1.30pm, College Library Seminar Room, St John's College

ABSTRACT: How Zionism is understood in international politics continues to be a point of great controversy. To what extent are approaches to Zionism in the international community shaped by philosemitic or antisemitic attitudes? Is Zionism seen as a colonial or national movement? Is Zionism viewed as a part of the West? James Renton will examine the origins of these debates by considering the ideas that shaped British rule in the Holy Land from 1917 to 1948-- the crucial period which culminated in the establishment of the Jewish State and the defeat of the Palestinian Arabs.

All welcome

COLONEL KEMP CBE IN CAMBRIDGE

2010-03-05T10:14:00.001-08:00

Colonel Kemp CBE - 'The reasons for the UK's engagement in Afghanistan and why we must not fail.'

Date: Monday 8th March
Time: 7:10pm - 8:15pm
Venue: Cambridge Union (Kennedy Room)

The Wilberforce Society is delighted to announce that Colonel Richard Kemp CBE, former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, will be delivering the Society's inaugural lecture.Colonel Kemp will be speaking on: 'The reasons for the UK's engagement in Afghanistan and why we must not fail.' He will also focus more generally on the difficulties of conducting asymmetric warfare and reconciling it with public opinion. Colonel Kemp will allow ample time for questions from the floor on a range of issues. The lecture will provide a fantastic opportunity to hear from, and pose your questions to, a man with unrivalled insight and experience. Whatever your angle of interest, the talk will be most stimulating.

Colonel Kemp served in the British Army from 1977-2006. He was Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan and has completed 14 tours of duty. He has served in Northern Ireland, the Gulf War, the Bosnian War, Iraq and Afghanistan. From 2001-2006 he was also attached to the Cabinet Office where he worked with the Joint Intelligence Comittee and the national crisis management group COB during the period of the 2005 London bombings. After retiring from the army, Kemp turned to writing and his first book, Attack State Red (2009), was listed as a Sunday Times Bestseller. Following the Gaza conflict, Colonel Kemp gave testimony to the UN disputing allegations that Israel had committed war crimes and challenging the UN's fact finding 'Goldstone' report. For further information on Colonel Kemp please see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Kemp

Dr Anthony Julius on New Anti-Semitism

2010-02-27T05:52:00.001-08:00

Anthony Julius, author of, among other publications, Trials of the Diaspora - A History of Anti-Semitism in England, will be giving a lecture. Anthony Julius, alumnus of Jesus college, is best known for being Princess Diana's Divorce Lawyer, as well as defending Deborah Lipstadt in her case against Holocaust denier David Irving.

Often referred to as 'Anthony Genius', so much so that former client Stephen Fry called Julius 'the cleverest man I’ve ever met'

The talk will be taking place on 2 March 2010 at 7:30 in the Riley Auditorium, Memorial Court, Clare College.

BENJAMIN POGRUND: "Israel Today: Ethnicity, Democracy, Tenacity"

2010-02-21T08:34:00.001-08:00

BENJAMIN POGRUND: "Israel Today: Ethnicity, Democracy, Tenacity"
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
20:00 - 21:30
St. John's College - Dirac Room

Benjamin Pogrund applied his experience of 26 years as a journalist in South Africa and 12 as director of a dialogue NGO in Jerusalem to assess whether Israel is the new apartheid state.

He was actively involved in reporting the racist practices in South Africa in the 1960s and thus earned the respect of many prominent leaders such as Nelson Mandela (on whom Benjamin Pogrund wrote a book afterwards). Because of his work as a journalist, he was put on trial several times, charged with threats to the state security and was even imprisoned once. Mr. Pogrund is currently living in Israel and was a member of the Israeli delegation to the United Nations World Conference on Racism in Durban. He is also a recipient of the 2005-6 Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award

You can find some of his articles on the following sites:
http://www.pij.org/details.php?id=87

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/12/obama-israel-west-bank

* * *

- This event is organised by the SPS Society in association with the Israel Society and Embassy of Israel.

- Wine and nibbles will be served

Visiting Professor from TAU in Cambridge and speaking...

2010-02-16T10:59:00.000-08:00

THURSDAY 18th FEBRUARY

Dr NOAM REISNER will give a talk on 'The Paradox of Mimesis in Sidney's
'Defence of Poesy' and Marlowe's'Doctor Faustus''.

Dr Reisner is a Doctor in English Literature from the University of Oxford
and a lecturer at Tel Aviv University. He is a visiting scholar at Homerton
College this week

The talk will take place at 5pm in the Horobin Room (Homerton College). Drinks will be served
afterward.

Recent Campus Activities

2010-02-09T10:33:00.001-08:00

The following was sent out this afternoon to the CU Islamic Society, CU Jewish Society, CU Palestine Society, CUSU President, relevant CUSU officers and those following the story from the Cambridge student press:

Dear all,

CU Israel Society believes in direct, healthy, honest contact with other societies and in promoting peaceful approaches to sensitive issues that connect us. Our events and actions this term reflect this.

When we find out - indirectly - 24 hours before their arrival that somebody is coming to campus to attempt to rationalise the indiscriminate killing of Israeli Jews, our approach is threatened by the speaker, the society inviting him/her and the student union allowing it.

We urgently propose a meeting between all involved to discuss these issues further and to reach a much needed understanding of mutual respect, face-to-face, to ensure that these obstacles don't present themselves again.

Best wishes,
CU Israel Society Committee

THIS MONDAY...

2010-02-06T08:44:00.000-08:00

"SECULAR JEWS, RELIGIOUS JEWS AND ARABS:
The Zero Sum Game of Israel's Multiculturalism"

By Professor Menachem Mautner
A graduate of Yale Law School, a distinguised teacher and
author, Mautner teaches at Tel Aviv University in the areas of
contract law, law and culture, and multiculturalism.

MONDAY 8TH FEB, 8pm, Sidney Sussex, William Mong Room

SEE YOU THERE.

"The Bubble" in association with CU LGBT

2010-02-04T08:09:00.000-08:00

Watch the trailer here.

See you on Saturday!

Event Change: Thursday 4th February

2010-02-01T10:59:00.000-08:00

We will be screening "Promises" (below) this Thursday instead of Professor Benny Morris' presentation on "1948 Revisited."

We understand that whilst Professor Benny Morris’ contribution to history is highly respectable and significant, his personal views are, regrettably, deeply offensive to many.

We want to clarify that the intention of the Israel Society was never to give racism a platform. We had hoped to listen to a historical presentation on “1948” followed by a Q&A - a space for anyone, including those with grievances, to challenge Morris.

Ultimately, we place respect for those who have been offended above the importance of hosting this speaker. As such, in response to complaints about this speaker, we have cancelled this proposed event, and apologise for any unintended offence.

We do still hope to see you on Thursday!

Benny Morris - next week!

2010-01-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

Professor Benny Morris will be in Cambridge next week to talk on "1948 Revisited" and answer your questions...

UPDATES, TIME CHANGES

2010-01-26T03:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Ran Gidor for a great event on Israeli Foreign Policy.

Hope to see everybody this Thursday for "Bridge Over the Wadi"

Keep Thursday 4th free for Professor Benny Morris!

NB - the screening of the "The Bubble" as part of LGBT Awareness week has changed time from 7 30pm to 7pm.

Upcoming event

2010-01-23T15:17:00.000-08:00

CHECK OUT RAN GIDOR ON MONDAY AND THIS ON THURSDAY...

Councillor Ran Gidor in Cambridge

2010-01-14T07:21:00.000-08:00

Why did Israel go to war with Hamas a year ago???
What’s happening in the Middle East right now???
Will Israel ever make peace with her neighbours in the future???...

Come and hear a representative from the Embassy of Israel speak and answer your questions!

Events for January-March 2010

2010-01-10T16:45:00.000-08:00

JANUARY

25th, "Israel's Foreign Policy" lecture [The Ramsden Room, St Catharine's College, Cambridge]

28th, "Bridge Over the Wadi" screening followed by discussion led by Leo Williams (The Abraham Foundation) [The Ramsden Room, St Catharine's College, Cambridge]

FEBRUARY

4th, "Revisiting 1948", Professor Benny Morris (Ben Gurion Uni) [The Ramsden Room, St Catharine's College, Cambridge]

6th, "The Bubble" screening, in conjunction with CU LGBT, [Keynes Hall, Kings College]

8th, "Secular Jews, Religious Jews and Arabs: The Zero Sum Game of Israel's Multiculturalism", Professor Menny Mautner (Tel Aviv Uni) [Venue TBC]

16th, "Promises" screening followed by discussion, co-hosted with CU Palestine Society [Venue TBC]

All events will begin at 7.30pm.

We hope you can join 'the conversation' in Cambridge.

Goldstone Report Considered

2009-12-01T17:31:00.000-08:00

"The Goldstone Report shows "willful blindness" to other evidence..."

THE ECONOMIST, 18 September 2009

"We did not deal with the issues regarding the problems of conducting military operations in civilian area..."

Excerpt from the GOLDSTONE REPORT

"Those interviewed in Gaza appeared reluctant to speak about the presence of or the conduct of hostilities by the Palestinian armed groups... from a fear of reprisals..."

Excerpt from the GOLDSTONE REPORT

"The Goldstone Report is "irredeemably biased" against Israel..."

Excerpt from Resolution 867, US House of Representatives, passed 3 November 2009

"If this was a court of law, there would have been nothing proven..."

Judge Goldstone, JEWISH FORWARD JOURNAL, 16 October

"The reckless and cynical use of civilian installations by Hamas and indiscriminate firing of rockets against civilian populations are clear violations of international humanitarian law..."

John Holmes, UN Head of Humanitarian Affairs, 27 January 2009

"During Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli Defence Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare."

Colonel Richard Kemp on the Goldstone Report @ UN Human Rights Council, 16 October

Watch Video from UN Human Rights Council

Varsity Respond

2009-11-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

Varsity's editor responded with a 'Private and Confidential' email. This required further complaint to point out the problems with the Clare College Choir Tour article before Varsity apologised and agreed to publish the following:

In our article ‘Choir’s planned tour causing discord’ (issue 705) we wrote that during the 2008 Israel Palestine conflict “1,400 Palestinian people were massacred”. We would like to clarify that this number includes Hamas militants. In addition, we wrongly wrote that since the Six Day War, Israel “has continued a policy of military occupation in [Gaza].” Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

They also published the following letter:

The offensive factual inaccuracies in ‘Choir’s planned tour causing discord’ only serve to reduce the quality of this publication. I do not accept Varsity’s decision to act as a mouthpiece for the PSC. Was this a comment piece masquerading as a report, revealing Varsity’s political alliances? Or was this just symptomatic of rushed student journalism? Either way, the pro-active inter-faith work of the Clare College Choir Tour was unreasonably diminished. I commend their project and wish them luck in their efforts to build bridges, not boycotts. (Jake Witzenfeld)

Open Letter to Editor of Varsity

2009-11-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

CU Israel Society has complained to Varsity about the printing of the following: http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/1483 which featured on the front page of their last edition (Friday 6 Nov 2009).

Dear Editors,

This week Varsity ran a simply diabolical leading article (Choir’s Planned Israel Trip Causing Discord) regarding the Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s (PSC) resistance to the planned Clare College Choir tour of Israel. What began as a legitimate news story, sadly descended into a highly politicized diatribe, granting a platform to outspoken Israel-baiters, and calling into question the integrity of your entire publication.

In her one-sided and factually incorrect ‘article’, Helen Mackreath (your Senior Reporter), has revealed either the political stance of ‘Varsity’ on this most complex issue, or her own journalistic inadequacies. Politically partisan positions have a prominent place in Varsity, it is called the Comment Section.

The piece gave a one-dimensional presentation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel, a democratic Jewish state, which grants equal constitutional rights to the myriad of other nationalities, religions and ethnicities that make up her population (Muslims, Christians, Bahai, Druze, etc), was labelled a “regime”. I am sure I don’t have to point out that ‘regime’ is an extraordinarily sinister and loaded description of a country that has been recognized as a democratic sovereign state and UN member since 1949.

Likewise, the 2008 Gaza conflict was described as an, “onslaught on the trapped population of the Gaza Strip, in which 1,400 Palestinian people were massacred.” The words ‘onslaught’ and ‘massacre’ are hugely provocative, woefully insensitive and downright offensive. I find it shocking that Ms Mackreath is willing to make such judgments whilst clearly failing to contextualize the conflict. The slanderous use of the term ‘massacre’ in relation to the actions of the IDF, whom were (apparently unbeknown to Varsity) fighting a wholly justified war against Hamas (a terrorist organization with no regard for civilian life), is at best ignorant, and at worst malicious. Am I right to conclude that Ms Mackreath (and indeed Varsity) see Israel as having no legitimate right to existence or defence, and as such sees any Israeli military action as an atavistic sadomasochistic pastime? Israel does not ‘massacre’. Does Varsity contend otherwise?

Similarly factual inaccuracies are present in the lines, “Israel invaded the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the Six Day War………and has continued a policy of military occupation…ever since.” Anyone with even a facet of knowledge relating to the history of 1967 will present a more nuanced picture of preventative war in the face of Syrian and Egyptian aggression, whilst the fact that Israel unilaterally disengaged and withdrew from Gaza in 2005 is entirely omitted. I find it baffling that a front page news piece on political resistance can reveal such latent inaccuracy and misrepresentation. Is Varsity unaware of the prehistory, or does she chose to ignore it and apply it selectively? If the former is true, CU Israel Society would be more than happy to provide balanced classes on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The planned performances of Christmas Oratorio in Israel should be welcomed as constructive inter-faith work from Clare College. Instead, for some unfathomable reason, the article failed to focus on the positive aspects that this tour would bring to a troubled region. Sensationalism is obviously contagious. Why for example did the article focus on the contentious history of Karmeil at the expense of Haifa and an exploration of exemplary co-existence? Why does Mackreath not find it relevant to note that the cancellation of this trip is ultimately a step in the wrong direction? The answer is simple. In prostituting Varsity out as a mouthpiece for the PSC, a one sided narrative was bound to ensue. Not only did Mackreath’s article focus on the ugliest side of Israel, it conveniently ignored issues that PSC would rather keep out of the discussion (Hamas’s persecution of Christians for example). Thus Varsity missed the opportunity to present a more balanced picture of Israel and Palestine, and rather than raising the status of important, valuable and productive inter-faith work, she chose to toe a PSC line which drags such schemes through the mud, and calls for a complete cultural boycott.

The piece did highlight strong political action, if not - when read in its wider context - intentionally or unintentionally endorse it. “Palestinian artists academics……..calling on the international community to cease working with Israeli organizations that accept funding from the state.” Friends of mine who are hyper-critical of Israel could not deny that this felt like a positive suggestion in the context of the skewed piece that it concluded. For those who unconsciously made that connection, it is worth noting that a thorough boycott of Israel would mean all computers with intel mirco-chips and micro-processors would have to go. As would Windows XP, Vista and Office, along with instant online messaging and firewalls which were first created in Israel. Any country who has received free Tsunami detectors from Israel will need to return them to the “regime”. An academic boycott would be quite damaging too as the percentage of Israel’s citizens with Ph.D.’s is higher than any other country. The list goes on, but the point is clear.

If it was your intention, I should congratulate you, as you have on the front page of Varsity tacitly shown your support for ‘Boycotting Israel’. Intentional or not, it is not a wild interpretation. Does Varsity really believe boycott to be morally palatable? I am left to conclude so.

This journalism is slanted, contentious, cursory, selective, misinformed and highly politicized in that it offers the PSC an uncontested platform from which to peddle a demonizing narrative. By failing to juxtapose radical PSC viewpoints with a more widely ascribed to, middle ground, Varsity has offered support to the PSC campaign and all the baggage of boycott, demonization and vitriolic anti-Zionism that comes with it.

Had this been a comment piece, I would not be writing. Had anyone from the CU Israel Society been asked to contribute to help paint a more nuanced picture, I would not be writing. Yet this front page so called ‘Report’, not comment, presents a lightly veiled PSC manifesto whilst offering no criticism of its one sided divisiveness and leads me to conclude that it must represent the political affiliations of Varsity.

In alleviating the concerns of myself and many others in the Cambridge community, could the editor confirm Varsity’s political position; clarify the factual inaccuracies and the misleading direction of the article in the next edition; and perhaps allow for a more balanced response from the Israel Society.

Yours sincerely,

Jake Witzenfeld

CU Israel Society, President

Screening of "הבועה/The Bubble"

2009-11-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

7PM, THURSDAY 12TH NOVEMBER

KEYNES HALL, KINGS COLLEGE

Set primarily in the fashionable Sheinkin Street district of Tel Aviv, the story follows three left-leaning 20-somethings (two men and a woman) whose notion of political action is to hold a “rave against the occupation.” But when Noam (Ohad Knoller), a sweet-natured music-store clerk and reserve soldier, meets a handsome Palestinian named Ashraf (Yousef Sweid), their escalating affair forces everyone to face reality in the cruelest possible way.

Squeezing a lot of conflict — sexual, ethnic and intellectual — into its 117 minutes, “The Bubble” is a fascinating portrayal of how identities interact in the Middle East.

WATCH TRAILER NOW