From the JPOST:
African-American student leaders from a variety of historically black colleges and universities took out full page ads in numerous American college newspapers Thursday, displaying an “Open Letter to Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP),” to convey that they were offended by SJP’s use of the term “apartheid” at recent Israel Apartheid Week events at campuses across the country.
The 16 signatories to the letter are students and alumni from historically black colleges and universities who are members of the Vanguard Leadership Group, a leadership development academy and honor society for top students. The letter ran or is slated to run in student newspapers at Brown University, University of California- Los Angeles, University of Maryland and Columbia University over the next few days
The Students for Justice in Palestine’s labeling of Israel, an extremely diverse and vibrant country, as an apartheid state is not only false, but offensive,” Vanguard President Michael Hayes told The Jerusalem Post. “Additionally, this rhetoric does absolutely nothing to help Israel-Palestine negotiations or relations. We feel this type of action serves to hinder the peace process domestically and abroad, and have made it our priority to take a stand to shift the tide of understanding.”
In a statement released by the Vanguard Leadership Group as to why they authored the open letter to SJP, Vanguard described itself as “proudly involved in the pro-Israel movement in America.
“The use of the word ‘apartheid’ by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in its characterization of Israel is patently false and deeply offensive to all who feel a connection to the state of Israel,” the letter reads. “Your organization’s campaign against Israel is spreading misinformation about its policies, fostering bias in the media and jeopardizing prospects for a timely resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Such irresponsibility is a blemish on your efforts.”
Read the full article here
2 comments:
rather it's African American students or goldstone himself who clearly and publicly state Israel is not an apartheid state the far left will never stop with that mantra. just like goldstone now coming out to publicly state that his report is some what less then accurate (to put it very lightly) about Israel's so called "war crimes". but that won't have the far left useful idiots like michael lerner and JVP change their tune either. that's because it's never been about peace or any other sort of humanitarian causes with these people.
Black student group slams ‘apartheid’ abuse
April 8, 2011
(JTA) -- An African-American student group took out ads in college newspapers blasting Israel Apartheid Week organizers for abusing the term.
In a full page ad titled "Words matter" and appearing in newspapers on April 7, the Vanguard Leadership Group accused Students for Justice in Palestine of a "false and deeply offensive" characterization of Israel.
"SJP has chosen to manipulate rather than inform with this illegitimate analogy," Vanguard says in the ad, which is signed by members who attend several historically black colleges. "We request that you immediately stop referring to Israel as an apartheid society and to acknowledge that the Arab minority in Israel enjoys full citizenship with voting rights and representation in the government."
The ad appeared in newspapers on campuses that saw Israel Apartheid Week activity in February, including Brown University, UCLA, Columbia University and the University of Maryland.
Vanguard, a leadership development group for students from historically black universities, in recent years has forged ties with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and its members have visited Israel.
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/04/08/3086788/black-students-group-slams-apartheid-abuse
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