From: perlman@qso.Colorado.EDU (Eric S. Perlman)
Subject: Re: Jews denounce Israeli racism
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 17:39:47 GMT

In article <1483500308@igc.apc.org> cpr@igc.apc.org (Center for Policy Research) writes:
>
>From: Center for Policy Research <cpr>
>Subject: Jews denounce Israeli racism
>
>/* Written  5:07 am  Dec  9, 1992 by cpr@igc.apc.org in igc:talk.politics. */
>/* ---------- "Jews denounce Israeli racism" ---------- */
>The RETURN Statement
>
>Against the Israeli Law of Return - For the Palestinian Right to Return
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>We,  entitled to the privileges accorded under the Israeli Law of Return
>to Jews and their close relatives, declare our opposition to the state of
>Israel as a Jewish state and to the Zionist movement. We call on our
>fellow Jews and their close relatives to join us in making the following 
>statement:
>
>* the Palestinian people, at whose expense the state of Israel was established
>  and continues to exist, have the right to return, to self-determination and
>  to their independent state on Palestinian soil;
>* the Palestine Liberation Organisation is the sole legitimate representative of
>  the  Palestinian people;
>* the state of Israel does not represent all Jewish people, neither legally, morally
>  nor in any other way;
>* the Zionist structure of the state of Israel is at the heart of the racism and
>   oppression against the Palestinian people, and should be dismantled.

I notice that this statement is a virtual repetition of PLO propaganda.
An impressive-looking list of names follows.  However, you can find
people to support almost any position.  Also, in among the names I
notice one in particular:

>[....]
>Rabbi Elmer Berger, Sarasota

Rabbi Berger is, shall we say, in no way a spokesman for the Jewish
community.  Indeed, his organization, American Jewish Alternatives to
Zionism, has made a ridiculous puff-piece on Syrian Jewry which claims
that they are treated equally in Syria, and very well off.  Several of
those interviewed in his film have admitted that it was a piece of
propaganda.  The information in the film is refuted thoroughly by Middle
East Watch, the middle eastern arm of Human Rights Watch (the best-known 
arm of which is Helsinki watch).  Amnesty International also completely
refutes that film.  Featured prominently in the film was an interview by
Mike Wallace which Mr. Wallace himself has later admitted was rigged by
the Syrian government.  Rabbi Berger's name, if anything, lowers the
credibility of the letter. 

Later on, we also see the names:

[....]
>Lenni Brenner, New York

Talk about a writer who has no respect in Jewish circles!  Once again,
this lowers, rather than raises, my respect for the statement.

[....]
>Steve Goldfield, San Francisco

This name is well-known on the net, and to say he doesn't have much
credibility would be an understatement.

I think that after this posting we see the true nature of the "Center
for Policy Research."  

-- 
"How sad to see/A model of decorum and tranquillity/become like any other sport
A battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee." -Tim Rice,"Chess"
     Eric S. Perlman 				 <perlman@qso.colorado.edu> 
  Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, University of Colorado, Boulder
Xref: sparky talk.politics.mideast:23736 soc.culture.arabic:5779