Goldstone and Gold at Brandeis, November 5, 2009

The Brandeis event was held the same day as the General Assembly's endorsement of the Goldstone report. By a vote of 114 ayes, 18 nos, 44 abstentions and with 16 member states not voting, the GA confirmed the report. Notable abstentions were France, the UK and Japan. China voted with "aye". All Scandinavians countries abstained. Ireland was the only Europeon country voting "yes".

A video of the Brandeis presentations is here. As you will note, the introducers, not least Ilan Troen were at pains to underline their rejection of the Goldstone report.

Campagna - Kerven Lecture on Modern Turkey

at Boston University

"Muslim Politics, Secular Predicaments and State Transformation"

Professor Berna Turam

Time:  5 PM (Lecture)

Date:  Wednesday 4 November 2009

Location:  225 Bay State Road, Boston on the Boston University Campus

* Co-Sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations

 ** About the Speaker:  Berna Turam is an Associate Professor of Sociology and International Affairs at Northeastern University. She received two B.A degrees from Sociology and Political Science departments at Bosphorus University, and her Ph.D. in Sociology at McGill University. Her specialization is in political sociology focusing on state-society interaction, and intersections of religion, urban space and gender.

*** For more information on the Campagna-Kerven lecture series see the webpage where you may read more about this year’s speaker, as well as see encores of recent lectures in streaming video.

 **** Seating is limited, and we usually have a full house for this annual lecture. If you plan to attend, please email Ms. Allison Goodwin Patenaude algoods@bu.edu to reserve a seat.

Adapted from remarks at Boston College, Octover 27, 2009.

Imagine yourself in a position of national leadership in Israel. Would you be worried?

Support for Israel has declined further around the world, thanks in part to Israel's attacks on civilians in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively in 2008-9 and 2006. Israel's claims to occupy a position of moral superiority to the Palestinian people living under Israeli occupation are met with growing skepticism. Increasing momentum for boycotts and divestment, threaten to further de-legitimize Israel.

Economic pressures from key trading partners are likely to grow in response to Israel's continuing colonization of the West Bank. For instance, EU rulings deny West Bank producers customs breaks, which affects as much as one third of Israel's exports to Europe.

Strategically, there is reason for concern as well. Not only does Iran's quest for expanding influence in the Middle East explicitly challenge Israeli military superiority but the strategic chessboard has changed. The key alliance with Turkey may be in jeopardy. Strategic re-orientation by Turkey has been underway for several years, as evidenced by Erodgan's comments on the Iranian nuclear program and a cooling of Israeli-Turkish military cooperation.

In the U.S., Israel's crucial supporter, public support for Israel's expansionist goals has declined, and even among U.S. Jews there is a mood of questioning skepticism vis-a-vis the hardline Netanyahu government.

Meantime, Hamas, which now controls Gaza, has gained the support of at least a sizable minority Palestinians. As a result, it now requires a truly credulous person to believe that a bi-lateral deal between Palestinians and Israeli is possible unless Hamas is included, at least tacitly. Hamas has been a beneficiary of Israeli obduracy, which has tended to substantiate its relatively hardline narrative.

Reflect back on the early 1990s, where there was significant optimism among Palestinians, and Hamas enjoyed only weak support. There is clearly a inverse reciprocal relationship between hope and the success of Hamas. In other words, if you want to undercut Hamas? Promote realistic hope.

This is not the time for the U.S. to go weak at the knees in its diplomacy with Israel, as the Secretary of State recently did in Jerusalem when she distanced herself from President Obama's insistence that Israel freeze all settlement. Given Israel's declining strategic advantages and its counterproductive policies, which often blatantly frustrate U.S. interests, this is a moment for emphatic and unyielding tough love.

Gideon Levy: "Israel of 2009 is a spoiled country, arrogant and condescending, convinced that it deserves everything and that it has the power to make a fool of America and the world. The United States has engendered this situation, which endangers the entire Mideast and Israel itself. That is why there needs to be a turning point in the coming year - Washington needs to finally say no to Israel and the occupation. An unambiguous, presidential no."

The clear-eyed Henry Siegman offers important wisdom to President Obama:

"Only a U.S. president with the political courage to risk Israeli displeasure — and criticism from that part of the pro-Israel lobby in America which reflexively supports the policies of the Israeli government of the day, no matter how deeply they offend reason or morality — can cure this pathology.

"If President Obama is serious about his promise to finally end Israel’s 40-year occupation, bring about a two-state solution, assure Israel’s long-range survival as a Jewish and democratic state, and protect vital U.S. national interests in the region, he will have to risk that displeasure. If he delivers on his promise, he will earn Israelis’ eternal gratitude."

Goldstone Commission member Desmond Travers

"5. What is your view of the claim by Israeli officials that the IDF is the most “moral” army in the world?

"Given the tactics, the weapons used, and the indiscriminate targeting, I think this is a dubious claim."

The Islamic Republic's Failing Political Formula

Iran: The Revenge - The New York Review of Books

Bill Moyers interviews Judge Richard Goldstone

Thugs attack Ayman Nour in Hurghada: standard--state encouraged--practice for dealing with dissidents in Egypt

Dina Guirguis, Executive Director of Voices for a Democratic Egypt, reports in an email on October 24, 2009:

"At the conclusion of a tour conducted by former presidential candidate Ayman Nour of towns and cities in the Red Sea governorate, a brutal assault by "thugs" occurred this evening (Cairo time) on Nour and his associates as they were exiting a restaurant in the Sheraton Street in the Red Sea town of Hurghada. The assailants attacked Nour's press secretary, Ahmed Abdel Gawad, who was accompanying Nour, with canes, and attempted to steal and confiscate his camera and documents in his possession. The restaurant owner intervened by bringing Nour and his party back into the restaurant and securing the restaurant against the assailants' entry.

"As of now, the assailants are surrounding the restaurant and are chanting pro Mubarak slogans. Some of the assailants have been identified by some Al Ghad party members in Hurghada as NDP affiliates.

"Attempts by Nour to contact the police and the prosecutor's office are to no avail, and despite the call for assistance to various law enforcement agencies, no police or officials have responded.

"At this time, Nour and his party remain trapped in the restaurant. Nour has stated he will remain inside until there is a response from the Hurghada General Prosecutor's office. Nour and his party remain endangered.

Later the same day:

"A showdown which lasted an hour and half between assailants identified (by Al Ghad Hurghada members) as NDP affiliates and former presidential candidate Ayman Nour and his associates, which included a US citizen, has concluded. Reportedly, up to 500 Hurghada residents turned out in the street in which the restaurant where Nour and his associates were taking cover is located, and demonstrated in support of Nour, outnumbering the assailants, and forcing security to intervene.

"Security forces have now safely escorted Nour and his associates to the airport, where they are scheduled to depart to Cairo on a flight at 1 am Cairo time. Nour supporters and political activists are gathering at the airport in Cairo to express solidarity with Nour and his associates upon their arrival."

Also see bikyamasr.

Professor Turam on "Muslim Politics, Secular Predicaments and State Transformation."

The annual Campagna-Kerven lecture on modern Turkey will be presented on November 4, 2009 at Boston University. This year’s lecture, co-sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations, features Professor Berna Turam. Professor Turam will address "Muslim Politics, Secular Predicaments and State Transformation."

The speaker is an associate professor of sociology and international affairs at Northeastern University. She received two B.A degrees from sociology and political science departments at Bosphorus University, and her Ph.D. in sociology at McGill University. Her specialization is in political sociology focusing on state-society interaction, and intersections of religion, urban space and gender.

She is the author of a very well-received book, Between Islam and the State: The Politics of Engagement (Stanford University, 2007; Bilgi University 2010), in which she reveals and analyzes how Muslims negotiate and cooperate with secular states inside and outside Turkey. She shows that the political interaction of pious Muslims and the Turkish state has fosters a variety of unexpected and unintended transformations. She has also published in a variety of scholarly journals, including the British Journal of Sociology (vol 55:2), Nations and Nationalism (vol 10:3), and the International Feminist Journal of Politics (vol 10:4). She was the guest editor of a special issue titled "Secular Muslims?" in Comparative Studies of South America, Africa and Middle East (vol 29:3). Her current project explores urban sites of multi-faceted polarization in Turkey. Turam is also a recipient of and collaborator in an NSF-funded comparative project on religion and science, which examines the tensions between evolution and Islamic creationism within and outside the Muslim world.

This lecture begins at five o’clock p.m. on November 4, 2009, at "The Castle," 225 Bay State Road, on the Boston University campus. The closest "T" stop is BU-Central on the "B" line. Should you wish to drive, you will probably be able to find meter parking on Bay State Road. (For further information and more directions, see: http://www.bu.edu/ocs/castle/castle.html)

Tea will be served at 4:30 o'clock p.m. and the lecture will be followed by a reception in honor of the speaker. The lecture, followed by a question and answer period, begins promptly at 5:00 o'clock p.m.

For more information on the Campagna-Kerven lecture series see the webpage where you may read more about this year’s speaker, as well as see encores of recent lectures in streaming video.

Seating is limited, and we usually have a full house for this annual lecture. If you plan to attend, please phone 617 353-8910, or email Ms. Allison Goodwin Patenaude algoods@bu.edu to reserve a seat.

BJ remembered

From a University of Texas conference in honor of "BJ" Fernea.



See my earlier posts, as well as this personal tribute by "Kamil Pasha".

Visiting the Hawza

Over the past week I have had the unique opportunity to visit the Hawza of al-Najaf. I will post some of my reflections here in the coming days as well as a few images of al-Najaf, which rightly claims to be most important center of Shi'i Muslim scholarship over the course of history.