Posts
since Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:04:17.
The news report below shows the absurd lengths to which the "organized Jewish community" will go to make sure that no one is allowed to discuss the State of Israel honestly and openly.
Note that there are some possible connections between the group that pressured Barnes and Noble according to the report below and conspiracies that are harassing Muslims elsewhere in the country (see http://eaazi.blogspot.com/2007/05/singing-hatikvah-while-inciting.html, http://eaazi.blogspot.com/2007/05/emails-show-pro-israel-anti-mosque_08.html, and http://eaazi.blogspot.com/2007/05/anti-mosque-complaint-was-hate-crime.html).
The intimidation described below has the feel of a David Project operation. That organization has a history of abusing of people associated with college ME programs, and it defamed Sheikh Zayed at Harvard surreptitiously without revealing that certain groups and individuals at the University were acting on its behalf. Rachel Fish, who served as the primary David Project agent at Harvard University, now works at the David Project office in New York City.
It really does not matter whether the David Project is directly leading the campaign against Susan Abulhawa and her novel, for the David Project works by leverage. It educates employees at media organizations to be Israel advocates so that they can spike or facilitate stories according to David Project criteria of "benefit to the Jews." The David Project also works to place its trainees at Jewish communal organizations, which through skillful manipulation can serve as appendages of the David Project.
I wonder whether Rabbi Bruce Goldwasser of Temple Sholom might be related to David Project Director Ralph Avi Goldwasser. The David Project and its friends often work through family connections. Temple Sholom is involved in one of Joe Kaufman's activities (see the news report below). Kaufman has also been involved in hassling American Muslim communities in conspiracy with Larry Klayman. All of these groups and individuals have association with FrontPage Magazine. They share information and techniques even when they are not directly collaborating.
Censorship at Barnes and Noble
May 24, 2007, Bayside, NY -- Barnes and Noble Booksellers of the Bay Terrace Shopping Center hosted author Susan Abulhawa to give a brief talk about her book The Scar of David, which was first published in December, 2006.
After the talk attendees brought their copies to her to sign.
Earlier in the day, Ms. Abulhawa had attended a Kingsboro Community College class, whose professor had made the book assigned reading this semester. According to a Kingsboro College spokesperson, such attendance did not constitute a college-sponsored event.
The original Barnes and Noble event was to have included a reading from the novel, but Rabbi Bruce Goldwasser of Temple Beth Sholom in Flushing encouraged a call-in and a boycott of the bookstore as intimidation. He claimed, "It's an historical novel based on made-up stuff. The made-up stuff is that Israelis were forcing the Arabs out of their homes."
Temple Beth Sholom is taking part in the Terror Free Oil campaign of Joe Kaufman, who is the Chairman of Americans Against Hate and CAIR Watch. CAIR is the Committee on American-Islamic Relations, whose "mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding."
The incitement against Ms. Abulhawa and her book started approximately three weeks ago when Queens Jewish Community Council President Jan Fenster and Executive Director Cynthia Zalisky circulated a memorandum throughout the Queens Jewish Community that stated the following.
May 24, 2007, Bayside, NY -- Barnes and Noble Booksellers of the Bay Terrace Shopping Center hosted author Susan Abulhawa to give a brief talk about her book The Scar of David, which was first published in December, 2006.
After the talk attendees brought their copies to her to sign.
Earlier in the day, Ms. Abulhawa had attended a Kingsboro Community College class, whose professor had made the book assigned reading this semester. According to a Kingsboro College spokesperson, such attendance did not constitute a college-sponsored event.
The original Barnes and Noble event was to have included a reading from the novel, but Rabbi Bruce Goldwasser of Temple Beth Sholom in Flushing encouraged a call-in and a boycott of the bookstore as intimidation. He claimed, "It's an historical novel based on made-up stuff. The made-up stuff is that Israelis were forcing the Arabs out of their homes."
Temple Beth Sholom is taking part in the Terror Free Oil campaign of Joe Kaufman, who is the Chairman of Americans Against Hate and CAIR Watch. CAIR is the Committee on American-Islamic Relations, whose "mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding."
The incitement against Ms. Abulhawa and her book started approximately three weeks ago when Queens Jewish Community Council President Jan Fenster and Executive Director Cynthia Zalisky circulated a memorandum throughout the Queens Jewish Community that stated the following.
QJCC values freedom of speech, recognizing that this right is accompanied by responsibility. QJCC does not want to add to the publicity of this book with rallies or newspaper articles/letters to the editor, but suggests a letter writing/phone calling campaign to the Bayside Barnes and Noble stating displeasure with this author's appearance and the lack of balance of Israel's point of view. The issues of the Middle East are complex and require a thoughtful presentation. If Banes and Noble still wishes to have this woman appear then it behooves them to invite an author that relates Israel's point of view such as Michael Oren or Dore Gold.
Please inform your congregations of this unfair and biased presentation.
According to a Barnes & Noble spokeswoman the store received about 15 phone calls a day, many negative, and four Queens rabbis faxed a joint letter of condemnation. CAIR faxed a complaint about the pressure tactics and asked that the scheduled reading take place.
When the Ms. Abulhawa and her literary agent Mark B. Miller arrived, they found that the space for an audience had been filled with display tables. Between 7:15-7:30 PM as attendees arrived, many police officers stood in front of the building. One policeman stated that they were taking their lunch break
Mr. Miller told the audience that not everyone is so afraid to address the crimes committed against Palestinians. "The French publisher will release the French version in 2008 on the 60th anniversary of Israel's formation to make sure that the Israeli version is not the only version the public hears."
Ms. Abulhawa remarked that the central idea of the book was not hers but originates with Palestinian author Ghassan Kanafani, who presented the idea of an Arab child raised as an Israeli Jew in "Return to Haifa." Israeli agents assassinated Kanafani in 1972. Kaiss al-Zubaidi directed a movie version of Kanafani's story. The film was released in 1982.Ms. Abulhawa's book is a page turner and tear jerker in which the metaphor of the scarred stolen child stands for the theft of Palestine. Ms. Abulhawa wanted to "show the Palestinian narrative in a human light." She said, "Art is about finding common human ground and making the connections."
When asked why CAIR attempted to intervene, she pointed out that she cannot speak for CAIR but noted, "I am a Muslim and a big supporter of CAIR. They are a civil rights group. They saw a violation."
Ms. Abulhawa told the audience, "Barack Obama gave an abominable cowardly speech to AIPAC. None of the candidates take a moral stance. We fought a civil war against racial subjugation. We should not support that crime in another country. Israel is founded on the concept of entitlement of one people at the direct detriment of another."
Ms. Abulhawa added that the historical backdrop of her novel was accurate, but all of the characters are fictitious even if some of the story like the orphanage chapter was drawn from her experiences.
She said, "My friends cursed me for making them cry so much." Then she added, "Anytime you humanize Palestinians, you get shut up." But perhaps not this time. Mr. Miller disclosed that a Dutch studio has shown interest in producing a movie based on the book.
Action memorandum from Queens Jewish Community Council, Inc. to organize pressure on Barnes and Noble: http://www.eaazi.org/ThorsProvoni/JewishPolitics/ScarOfDavid.pdf.
