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Arizona: When in Doubt, Don't Blame Israel
by Daniel Greenberg
 When something bad happens in the Middle East, people blame Israel.
When the United States has international relations issues, people blame
it on America’s support of Israel. When the U.S. forms some unwise
foreign policy, people blame the pro-Israel lobby (AIPAC), as if there
isn’t an anti-Israel lobby or other countries don’t have
lobbyists (take a look at Egypt or Saudi Arabia). The only simple
conclusion that can be made is that those who play the morality card
against US support of Israel, just because Jews have no oil, are
hypocrites. If you’re just worried about the treatment of Palestinians,
take a gander at how countries like Jordan and Syria treat them.
The trouble is, blaming Israel first and last for every other
problem is simplistic as hell. It’s irrational, often to a degree
worthy of hypocrisy. (Daily Wildcat)
What Does "Pro-Palestinian" Really Mean?
by Khaled Abu Toameh
 In recent years there has been a significant
rise in the number of non-Palestinians who describe themselves as
“pro-Palestinian” activists. These people can be found mostly on university
campuses in North America and Europe. What makes them “pro-Palestinian”? In their view,
inciting against Israel on a university campus or publishing “anti-Zionist”
material on the Internet is sufficient to earn them the title of
“pro-Palestinian.” Shouting anti-Israel slogans or organizing Israel Apartheid Week in the U.S. and
Canada does not necessarily make a person “pro-Palestinian.” But
promoting good government and reform in the Palestinian territories does make
one “pro-Palestinian.”
It is time for the “pro-Palestinian” camp in the West to reconsider its
policies and tactics. It is time for this camp to listen to the
authentic voices of the Palestinians – those that are shouting day and
night that the Palestinians want good leaders and an end to
lawlessness, anarchy and financial corruption. Khaled Abu Toameh, an Arab Muslim, is a veteran award-winning
journalist who has been covering Palestinian affairs for nearly three
decades. (Hudson New York)
Extremism and Anti-Semitism at London School of Economics
by Noah Schwartz
  Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon recently lectured at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The school’s administration and student newspaper, the LSE Beaver,
have collectively provided an environment that validates extreme,
hateful views of Israel while failing to provide a competing
perspective. Introduced amidst a chorus of boos, Ayalon had scarcely delivered his
eighth sentence when various students began shouting obscenities at him
and delivering impromptu sermons on their view of Israel. Had anti-Israel protesters brought with them real arguments instead of
empty slogans and obscenities, LSE students may have been persuaded one
way or another. The only take-away from this event was that one side of
the debate wants no dialogue with anyone but themselves. (Pajamas Media)
Texas: Boycotting Israel? Do It Right
by Ben Freed
 The wall erected by the Palestinian Solidarity Committee on the West
Mall calls for UT students to boycott Israel. We at Texans for Israel
would like to help interested students boycott Israel properly. First, you need to get rid of your laptop. The Intel chip that
allows it to run was developed in Israel. If you happen
to have a PC, make sure it does not run a Windows operating system,
because the three most recent were developed by Microsoft Israel. If you are forced to use your computer, make sure you do not use AOL
Instant Messenger, Gmail chat or any other instant-messaging system. The patents for these systems were developed in Israel.
Next to go should be your cell phone. The first cell phones were developed in Israel. So there you have it. You are now armed with all the necessary
information to destroy the country that has given us Bar Refaeli,
Natalie Portman and voicemail. Good luck! (Daily Texan)
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Columbia: A False Flag of Neutrality
by Daniel Hertz
 The Middle East Institute’s Web site claims that it “provides a neutral
atmosphere...” but one only needs to attend a handful of
its events to observe its true nature. MEI provides a platform for
speakers to spread inaccurate “facts” and skewed characterizations of
Israel. MEI has hosted nearly 30 events at Columbia this past semester,
and almost every event that discussed Israel was void of this promised
“neutral atmosphere.” The MEI often invites Israeli journalists and historians to speak in an
attempt to appear even-handed. However, it is these guests who are
often the most biased against Israel. Every group and institution at
Columbia has the right to bring in whomever they want, regardless of
their views, but it is when these biased speakers wave a false flag of
neutrality that we must speak up. (Columbia Spectator)
Georgia: A Formal Call to Retract, Condemn Editorial Cartoon
by Leaders of 9 Jewish and pro-Israel organizations
 On behalf of ourselves and the organizations that we represent, we
strongly condemn the anti-Semitism in [Thursday's] editorial cartoon. In the cartoon, there are three clear anti-Semitic overtones: the use
of a stereotypical Jewish name in "Checkpoint Chaim," the placement of
the Jewish star on the Israeli soldier's helmet and the suggestion that
Jews care most about saving money in the caption. To the reader: What did these three references add to the political
opinion of the cartoon? The slur in the caption takes an edgy, yet legitimate political cartoon and turns it into an ugly smear. Signed by leaders of Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity, Hillel, Alpha Epsilon Phi fraternity, Dawgs for Israel, Jewish Law Students Association, Sigma Delta Tau sorority, Chabad, Christians United for Israel. (Red and Black)
See also Editor Offers "Sincerest Apologies" by Carolyn Crist
I studied abroad in Berlin in May for a photojournalism class and saw
the remnants of the wall firsthand. I saw
the cartoon as a reference to last week's 20th anniversary of the fall
of the wall. Before I traveled to Berlin I went to Washington, D.C. to
attend the annual conference for AIPAC. One session shook me the most: media portrayal of Israel and
Jewish people. And that's what makes me the most upset about the cartoon and the
responses - I didn't see questionable content when it was right in
front of me, even with my editor's eyes. We would never knowingly print
or condone a hateful stereotype. (Red and Black)
Northwestern: The Confused Middle
by Miriam Mogilevsky
  Yossi Klein Halevi is a contributing editor of the New Republic. The talk that Halevi gave (which was sponsored by our “Wildcats for
Israel”) was titled “Facing the Iranian Threat,” but it
turned out to be about much more than that. The most interesting thing he said, though, involved his
characterization of the typical Israeli political viewpoint. He said,
“Most of us are in the confused middle.” Not the radical left, not the
radical right, but the middle. He said that Israeli centrism means being caught between two equally
passionate but opposite opinions. For example, almost all Israelis
strongly support the two-state solution. But at the same time, almost
all of them fear it and worry that it will destroy the country they
worked hard to build. I definitely agree because I feel the same way. (New Voices)
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