Jewish TV commentator’s speech ‘postponed’ by Rutgers
Lisa Daftari, a Jewish American of Iranian descent, had been invited by Rutgers University to give a speech on Tuesday, but now the appearance is “postponed”–and according to Daftari “cancelled”–by the university after Muslim students charged Daftari with Islamophobia.
Daftari, who frequently appears as a commentator on Fox News, runs “The Foreign Desk” website, and has been a featured speaker at numerous organizations, including the United Nations. She rejects the “Islamophobia” label, saying “”My entire career has been built on defending Muslims who have been victims of FGM (female genital mutilation), sex slavery, the war in Yemen and in Syria.”
Petitioners who wanted Daftari disinvited from an Oct. 16 talk on “radicalism on campuses” said that in past speeches she has equated Islam with extremism, thereby creating hostility against Muslim students. -From news reports
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American Jewish Committee celebrates 20th anniversary of its Berlin office
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) marked the 20th anniversary of the opening of its Berlin office, the AJC Berlin Ramer Institute, with three days of high-level meetings, ceremonies, roundtable discussions with civil society figures and analysts, and gatherings with the German Jewish community. A delegation of 50 AJC leaders from across the United States took part in the program, which was highlighted by an hour-long meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The leadership group, led by AJC CEO David Harris, also met with Heiko Maas, Foreign Minister; Jens Spahn, Health Minister; Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe; Felix Klein, Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life; and other senior officials of the Federal Chancellery and the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, as well as parliamentary leaders of the Christian Democratic, Social Democratic, Free Democratic, and Green political factions in the Parliament. The delegation was also hosted by U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell and Israeli Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff.
In the course of the proceedings, AJC Berlin bestowed the AJC Ramer Award for Courage in the Defense of Democracy to Cem Özdemir, Member of Parliament and an outspoken foe of anti-Semitism and authoritarian regimes, and the Sidney Lefkowitz Award for Renewal of Jewish Life to Dr. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany for his courageous and visionary leadership. Ambassadors, parliamentarians, high-level government officials, and civil society members attended both events.
“Over the past 20 years, AJC Berlin has become an essential pillar of German civil society” said Harris, who has maintained close relations with Germany for decades. “As was reaffirmed by officials at the highest levels of the German government, AJC Berlin is a critical voice on the issues shaping the future of Germany.” — From American Jewish Committee
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Republican Jewish Committee commercial accuses Rep. Leslie Cockburn of Israel bashing
The Republican Jewish Coalition is launching a major broadcast (1500 gross ratings points) and cable TV advertising campaign in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. The $300,000 ad campaign in the Charlottesville and Roanoke markets begins tomorrow and runs through the end of October.
The ad highlights liberal Democrat Leslie Cockburn’s history of bashing Israel and dining with dictators and despots. Click here to see the ad.
Her 1991 book, Dangerous Liaison, was panned in a New York Times review as “largely dedicated to Israel-bashing for its own sake.” Commentary magazine criticized the book for “fabricating quotations, twisting logic, and imputing guilt for nonexistent enormities.”
In an interview with Lloyd Grove of the Daily Beast, Cockburn boastfully and unapologetically recounted having dinner with Saddam Hussein’s war criminal sons, Uday and Qusay, and midnight tea with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said: “Leslie Cockburn is out of touch with the voters of VA-5. Her book is often cited by anti-Semitic hate groups to bolster their claim that Jews have too much control in our country. Her radical agenda for the economy, health care, and foreign policy are far outside the mainstream, especially in the largely rural and Republican communities in central and southwest Virginia.” — From Republican Jewish Committee