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News, Views, and Analysis Governments, Lobbies, and the Corporate Media Don't Want You To Know

MER | MER World | Forum • MER@MiddleEast.Org • (202) 362-5266 • 14 November 2003

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CHRIST AND "THE JEWS" - MODERN-DAY REPLAY?

NEWSFLASH - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 14 November 2003: Increasingly uptight over the battle with Mel Gibson over his Christ film, American Jewish groups are 'reassessing', realizing first that they are losing and second that they have in fact helped assure Gibson a much larger audience for his upcoming movie at the worldwide box office. Now let's hope just maybe some of the more courageous and reasonable Jewish leaders are thinking...hmmm...if only Abe Foxman, the ADL's top attack dog, could be finally tripped up and pushed out rather than others being sacrificed up...maybe then some good could come of all this!

Just as George Soros finally said in public last week, the Israelis and the Jews themselves are creating much of today's "anti-semitism" (i.e, "anti-Jewishness for cause").

This is getting a little too reminiscent for comfort of times past -- all the way from the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem at the time of Roman rule and Christ's crucifixtion; to the European Pale, the Dreyfus trial, and Herzl's birth of 'Zionism' to finally make the Jews a 'normal' people.

Herzl's "Jewish State" bears little resemblance to modern-day Israel/Palestine -- surely he would be aghast. And with General Sharon commanding the Jewish forces world Jewry bears little resemblance to what those who set up the major international Jewish institutions -- Nahum Goldmann, David Ben-Gurion, and Philip Klutznick -- had in mind. Surely they too would be aghast.

There might even be some further courageous souls who might start pointing out that the whole mess the U.S. is now in from Iraq to Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia to Palestine...the whole 'Clash of Civilizations' and all the still-growing hatred for the U.S....can be traced back to Israeli policies, the Israeli-Jewish lobby, the top owners of the complacent and complicitous international media, and the interconnected effect of all on the policies and attitudes of the United States Government.

Earlier this week an al-Qaida leader was quoted threatening that 100,000 Americans will soon die in a 'spectacular operation'. Daily now...sometimes hourly...Americans are dying. And the vast American reservoir of resources and goodwill is fast depleting; American society itself being seriously undermined for the future. When will the cry be raised "Who Lost the Middle East?"; and maybe another cry as well, "Who Did This To America?"

ADL Shake-Up Over Mel Gibson's 'Passion'

    Rabbi Eugene Korn, a leading critic of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ," has resigned as Anti-Defamation League's director of interfaith affairs.
    The Jewish publication Forward suggests the resignation stems from a major disagreement within the ADL over the organizations aggressive criticism of Mel Gibson's upcoming film "The Passion of Christ." The paper quotes Korn as saying that his resignation was a "mutual decision" stemming from his need for "a more reflective and contemplative environment."
   "Korn's departure has some Jewish communal observers suggesting that a more diplomatic approach is needed in dealing with Gibson's upcoming film," Forward reported. The Forward also noted that while the ADL's "strong rebuke of Gibson and his film was hailed by officials at several Jewish organizations, it has been criticized as counterproductive by an increasing number of communal experts."
   Elan Steinberg, senior adviser to World Jewish Congress, said: "We have to ask questions in the Jewish community about the approach taken to this film. Have we really examined the question of whether bringing greater publicity to the film, broad charges of anti-Semitism and perhaps disenchanting those who are our allies in many struggles should be done in such a cavalier way?"
   Korn "was uncomfortable with the aggressive style of the ADL's longtime national director, Abraham Foxman," on Gibson's movie and other interfaith issues, Forward reported. Orthodox Rabbi Daniel Lapin, president of the organization Toward Tradition, recently denounced Foxman for condemning Gibson as an anti-Semite. And other Jewish leaders are also worried the ADL strategy has backfired.
   "I'm not sure if we're not playing into [Gibson's] hands," said Gilbert Rosenthal, director of the National Council of Synagogues. "He said he's got millions of
dollars in free publicity. I'd like to see statements from the Christian community on this." Hebrew Union College professor Rabbi Michael Cook told the Forward that the Jewish community risks "embarrassment"      NewsMax and The Forward - 13-14 November 2003

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