Israeli morale ‘stronger than ever,’ WZO head says here

Friday, September 6, 2002 | by

JOSHUA BRANDTBulletin Correspondent

"The terrorists [behind the intifada] have not achieved anything," Sallai Meridor intoned last week in San Francisco. "The morale of Israeli society is stronger than ever, and the level of volunteerism is unbelievable.

"Since the start of the intifada, 14,000 terrorist attacks have occurred—but, at the end of the day, these attacks will only be a footnote in history because Israel and the Jewish people will continue to build themselves as a people and as a country."

Meridor's lecture was titled "Israel and the Diaspora: A Renewed Relationship." The Aug. 26 talk, attended by close to 400 people, was part of B'nai B'rith International's convention, held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Other speakers who addressed the capacity crowd that evening were Yossi Amrani, consul general of Israel to the Pacific Northwest; William Korey, a human rights scholar; and Rep. Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo), who received the organization's Human Rights Award. Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the attendees via videoconference.

Meridor, who is also chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel, had stern words for those who accuse Israel of racism in its policies toward Palestinians. "To accuse the Jews—the victims of the Holocaust—of racism is so unfair," said Meridor. "That viewpoint is so out of context, because people just see the end results of Israel's military actions, yet they have no idea what brought them to this point.

"Has there ever been a peace agreement that Israel has refused or a compromise that we have turned down?" asked the Jerusalem-based brother of Israeli political leader Dan Meridor.

The WZO leader also echoed some of the comments made by Lantos, suggesting that the events at last year's conference in Durban, South Africa, prove that when it comes to matters of hypocrisy, the United Nations has few equals.

On the subject of the diaspora, Meridor struck alternately optimistic and bleak notes. Commenting that, as a Jew born after the Holocaust, he believed himself to be inured to anti-Semitism, Meridor said he was shocked at what he sees as a resurgence of prejudice against Jews.

"I did not believe I would live to see the day that Jewish people were indiscriminately beaten, synagogues would be burned or that people would be frightened to wear a yarmulke. And, I did not think that the world would be so indifferent to what was happening."

Meridor nonetheless pronounced worldwide Jewry to be in fine form, noting that more than 1 million Jews, from cities ranging from Washington to Paris and Kiev, had rallied in support of Israel.

"Even in Johannesburg, South Africa, the belief is very strong that 'no Jew should ever stand alone,'" Meridor told the clearly exhausted crowd, which still mustered up enough enthusiasm for applause when he concluded his remarks at nearly 11 p.m.

One area in which diaspora Jews need help, Meridor emphasized, is in education about their liturgy and culture.

"Every single day, we're losing countless Jews to ignorance and lack of education," the speaker said. "We need to impart a Jewish education to every child, and give them a strong Zionist education."