TRUMAN - CFHU NEWSLETTER 2013 7 some regimes are trying to pretend that we don’t,” stated Nabil. “We are acting against war and for peace, and vocally speak out for peace with

TRUMANTRUMANTRUMANNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsTHE HARRY S. TRUMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF PEACE

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האוניברסיטה העברית בירושליםThe Hebrew University of Jerusalemהאוניברסיטה העברית בירושליםThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem

U.S. Ambassador Visits Truman 3

Tahrir Square Activist Speaks 6-7

Peace through the Arts 8-9

Israeli- Palestinian Dialogue 10

Truman Peace Prize 11

Welcome Young Researchers 12-17

Young Russian Diplomats 20

New on Truman Shelves 26-27

A delegation of attorney generals from seven U.S. states visited the Truman Institute during a mission to Israel organized by the National Association of Attorney Generals and the America-Israel Friendship League.

2 TRUMAN NEWSLETTER 2013

A “LEGAL” VISIT

TO ISRAEL

A delegation from the ASSAN Institute for Policy Studies in Korea joined Truman Institute researchers for a roundtable discussion on Korea and Israel in a Changing International Order. Participants discussed key trends and developments in the Middle East and East Asia and their rami�cations for both regions. They explored areas where South Korea and Israel – both leading democracies – can cooperate more closely with one another while serving as important examples for their regions.

MUCH IN COMMON: SOUTH KOREA AND ISRAEL

AN OBJECT LESSON ON CONFLICT RESOLUTION The case of South Tyrol, Italy – a part of the Austro-Hungarian republic that was annexed by Italy after World War I, and �nally achieved autonomy in a 1992 settlement – can provide insights about the transitional process from con�ict to resolution that are relevant to the Middle East situation today. That was the message of a roundtable discussion on minority-majority relations in Israel and South Tyrol, held at the Truman Institute in cooperation with CIPMO – the Italian Center for Peace in the Middle East. Dr. Luis Durnwalder, president of the autonomous Sudtirol/Alto Adige province in North Italy, was the guest speaker at the event. Along with Truman scholars and Hebrew University researchers, the panel included CIPMO director Janiki Cingoli and Dr. Werner Stu�esser from the European Academy of Bozen/Bolzano (Eurac).

TRUMAN NEWSLETTER 2013 3

U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro (right) was briefed by Truman Scholars on current Middle East issues during a visit to the Truman Institute. The “high point” of the visit: taking in the view of Jerusalem from the Truman roof with the Institute’s director, Prof. Menahem Blondheim.

AN HONORED AMERICAN GUEST

FOREIGN POLICYOn a visit to the Truman Institute, Dr. Richard Haas, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, gave a brie�ng on American Foreign Relations. Among the issues: American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, counterterrorism in Yemen and Pakistan, the Arab Spring and Israel’s take on the Iranian atomic policy versus world sanctions of Iran.

ISRAELI STUDENTS ❤ JAPANMs. Erika Yamatani, a parliament member from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, came to the Truman Institute to discuss Japanese Studies at the Hebrew University and in Israel. She was joined by Truman Scholar, Prof. Ben-Ami Shillony, member of The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and member of Truman’s Asia Unit, who spoke about the high popularity of Japanese studies and Japan-related activities in Israeli Universities.

What changes can be expected in Mid-East foreign policy during the second Obama administration? That was the focus of a brie�ng at the Truman Institute by Ambassador James A. Larocco, director of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies and former U.S. ambassador to Kuwait. Speaking to the Institute’s young scholars, Larocco related to the e�ects of the Arab Spring in Egypt, the growing threat posed by extremist groups in Syria, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Obama Administration’s diplomatic approach toward Iran as new challenges and opportunities in U.S. foreign policy.

TRAVELING TOWARD DIPLOMACYFor a group of international relations students from the National University of Costa Rica, a visit to the Truman Institute was a key part of a study trip to Israel aimed at giving them perspective about Middle East politics and diplomacy. The students, who aspire to diplomatic careers, heard a variety of perspectives about the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian con�ict in lectures by Truman scholars and researchers. Calling the visit extremely valuable for the students, the trip’s organizer expressed hope that the Truman Institute would become a permanent stop on the study program’s itinerary.


A brie�ng for U.S. Consul General Michael Ratney (4th from left) marked the �rst-ever visit by an American consul general to the Truman Institute. Truman scholars presented their current research on the Palestinian-Israeli con�ict, the changing Middle East situation, changes sparked by the Arab Spring and other relevant issues.

A VISIT FROM U.S. CONSUL GENERAL

CHANGES AND CHALLENGES IN U.S. FOREIGN POLICY


“The study of religion can’t be separated from culture or politics,” says Richard Hecht, professor of religious studies at UCLA and a visiting fellow at the Truman Institute.

This statement was vividly illustrated by a one-day conference at the Truman Institute entitled “Contesting Public Spaces – The Religious Factor,” organized by Prof. Hecht and Truman Scholar Prof. Yitzhak Reiter.

With the participation of scholars of di�erent disciplines from Israel and around the world, the conference explored various

disputes about public spaces, both between religious and non-religious groups, and within di�erent religious groups.

These included relations between the Israel Antiquities Authority and the ultra-Orthodox Atra Kadisha organization, self-proclaimed protectors of graves; the Jewish “conversion” of the tombs of Muslim saints in Israel, and the sanctity of Christian sites, including the Last Supper room in Jerusalem, under Israeli sovereignty. The conference also featured studies about the Case of the Golan Heights; The Bayraktar Mosque in Nicosia; Street Names in Benei Brak; the Sidna Ali Mosque; Minority Representation in the Public Space; Ultra-Orthodox Penetration in the Neighborhood of Baka, Jerusalem; The 1949 Plan of the Holy Sepulcher; Gated Communities in West Jerusalem; and Extra-territorial Spaces in Jerusalem.

RELIGIOUS CONFLICT OVER PUBLIC SPACE

LOOKING BACK AT THE YOM KIPPUR WARThe missteps and missed opportunities that ultimately resulted in the Yom Kippur War were the focus of a conference held to mark the publication of 1973: The Road to War, by Truman Scholar Dr. Yigal Kipnis. The book analyzes Israeli-U.S. and U.S.-Egyptian relations in the months leading up to the war.

Speakers at the conference related to the failure of decision makers in the government led by Golda Meir to heed the substantial intelligence information that was available to them; the transmission of a false reality to the public; and the public’s failure to seek out the truth and protest against government actions. Dr. Kipnis, who noted that the intervening decades since the war were necessary for historical perspective, emphasized that the IDF had no information at all regarding political and foreign negotiations that took place prior to the war.

From Tahrir Square To The Truman Institute


When Egyptian human rights activist

and blogger Maikel Nabil visited Israel for the �rst time,

the Truman Institute was not just a natural destination

for him – it was his �rst destination. “The hero of Tahrir

Square,” the �rst political prisoner in post-revolution

Egypt, Nabil kicked o� a peace-building mission

to Israel with a press conference and lecture at the

Institute.

“I’m here to say that we - the peace community and

peace activists in Egypt - exist, even if the media or

From Tahrir Square To The Truman Institute


some regimes are trying to pretend

that we don’t,” stated Nabil. “We are

acting against war and for peace,

and vocally speak out for peace

with all countries, including Israel.”

Expressing the belief that there can

be no real democracy in Egypt in

the absence of peace with Israel,

and vice versa, the dissident said,

“Our fates are linked together.

And as long as dictatorship and

authoritarian governments take

our freedoms and our rights for the

sake of security, we will be moving

backwards. We need to solve the

peace issue in order for my people

and Arab-speaking countries to become democracies, and for

Israel to be able to co-exist in peace in the Middle East.”

Nabil became known in Egypt in 2009 as the country’s �rst

conscientious objector, when he founded a movement against

military conscription. Arrested during the protests in Tahrir Square

and sentenced to a three-year prison term, Nabil was released

after his 130-day hunger strike and a “Free Maikel” Twitter

campaign captured the support of millions worldwide. His visit to

Israel was sponsored by UN Watch, a Geneva-based NGO.

The potential of the arts as a catalyst for communication and con�ict resolution was the theme of the Fourth International Conference on Peace and Reconciliation, held at the Truman Institute in cooperation with York St. John University of England and Young Mak Presbyterian Church of South Korea. Held each year in a di�erent location, the conference drew some 160 delegates from Turkey, Nigeria, Uganda, India, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, South Korea, Austria, Australia, Netherlands, United States, Canada, Germany, Norway and Sweden.


ACHIEVING PEACE THROUGH THE ARTS


As participants explored numerous projects around the world where the arts are used as components of peace building, they considered how these media can play a complementary role to that of governments and policy makers in helping people actively engage in processes of reconciliation.

The conference related to a growing recognition that visual art, music and �lm can help individuals express what they cannot articulate through the spoken word. Thus, the arts have tremendous capacity for helping victims of war and strife regain their sense of worth, dignity, identity and purpose, as well as repairing the breakdown of social trust within and between people.

ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DIALOGUE:


Defense in Gaza. “During these times, I told myself that dialogue is necessary in order to prevent this kind of thing,” asserts Jabour.

Truman researcher Dr. Ran Shauli, a dialogue participant, says that the meetings provided a rare opportunity for both sides to try and understand the other’s feelings and experiences. “The most di�cult time for the group was when the Palestinian participants were once delayed at a checkpoint on their way

to a meeting,” he recalls. “It was a reminder that Palestinians do not have the freedom of movement that we have. Israelis often dismiss these technical matters, but they are immensely important.” Nevertheless, remarks Abulof, while there is no intellectual barrier to understanding the other side, it is emotionally di�cult to put oneself in the other’s position. “We can’t understand the Palestinians’ emotional experiences and they can’t understand anxiety and fear among the Israeli

population,” he reports.

Still, participants on both sides express interest in continuing their quest for common ground. “It is better for us to be talking

than shooting,” concludes Nawwaf Jabour. He expresses the belief that expanding the range of participants in future dialogues could help make headway toward peace. “I am convinced that the average citizen can bring about what governments cannot accomplish,” he states.

UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER

“We all understand that the con�ict needs to end,” says Adel Shadeed, from Kfar Dura who participated in a series of dialogues between Israelis and Palestinians, organized by the Truman Institute. “The dialogues gave me the opportunity to present the Palestinian position to the Israelis and hear their point of view.”

“Before this, I always viewed all Israelis as soldiers,” adds Nawwaf Jabour, from Kfar Yata, “But now that I have met Israelis and spoken to them face-to-face, I see that they are also su�ering and want to end the con�ict.”

Over the course of two years, some 20 participants – including Truman Research Fellows and mid-level o�cials of the Palestinian Authority, met on a regular basis at the Institute. They heard lectures from experts, followed by discussions on di�erent topics relating to the Israeli-Palestinian situation and the roots of the con�ict, issues that the two populations seldom have the opportunity to talk about together. “The dialogue

lessened demonization on both sides,” notes Truman researcher Dr. Uriel Abulof, who also took part in the initiative, “We were able to peel o� many layers to get to the core issues.”

The discussions were frank, open and respectful, even during di�cult periods such as the raid on the Mavi Marmara, the murder of the Fogel family in Itamar and Operation Pillar of


TRUMAN PEACE PRIZE PRESENTED TO

GEORGE P. SHULTZ

American statesman George P. Shultz, whose distinctive career has included four di�erent cabinet positions within the United States government, was awarded the 2013 Truman Peace Prize for many years of exemplary e�orts to advance peaceful co-existence in the Middle East and other parts of the world.

Mr. Shultz served as the United States Secretary of Labor from 1969 to 1970; as director of the O�ce of Management and Budget from 1970 to 1972; as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1972 to 1974; and as U.S. Secretary of State from 1982 to 1989. He is currently a distinguished fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

The Truman Peace Prize honors Mr. Shultz for his commitment to advancing peace negotiations between Israel and her neighbors while strengthening Israel’s defensive capabilities; his extensive e�orts to secure the

right of the Jews in the former Soviet Union to emigrate to Israel and other countries in the free world, and his leadership role in the e�orts to stabilize Israel’s economy in the 1980’s.

The award was presented by Amb. Moshe Arad, Chairman of the Truman Board of Trustees and Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson, President of Hebrew University, at a gala dinner of the American Friends of the Hebrew University in Beverly Hills, California.


Galia Press-Barnathan wants to know how popular culture can be used to mobilize people to pay the price of an ongoing con�ict or to take steps toward peace. Together with Dr. Nissim Otmazgin from the East Asian department, she has begun working with a research group of experts in the social sciences, international relations, political science, anthropology, Eastern Asia and Indian studies, to explore the mobilizing power of popular culture and its potential to serve as a “soft power” tool by states to win the hearts and mind of constituents. “Each of us will do a case study on a di�erent region, or di�erent popular culture good product that is massively consumed,” explains Galia, a senior lecturer of International Relations at Hebrew University. “That includes a broad range of topics ranging from cultural bans to movies that help the public imagine a di�erent reality – within states, between states and in a global context.” The group intends to present its research to the public at an international conference next year.

With expertise in a broad range of �elds, the young researchers at the Truman Institute are exploring issues ranging from popular culture to politics and from communications to economics. Meet this year’s Truman Scholars:

UNITED BY THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE:Young Truman Scholars 2013


Ph.D. student Amit Avigur-Eshel argues that the middle classes in Israel and Chile consented to free market reforms, thus contributing to the political stabilization of neoliberalism in the two countries. “Both countries provide good cases of successful pro-market reforms, which were accepted by the middle class despite some damage that was in�icted upon them,” Amit notes. Despite the fact that the end point of his research is 2008, Amit sees relevance to his argument in the protests that broke out in Chile and Israel in 2011. “In both cases the middle class (or those aspiring to enter it) took to the streets because the neoliberal model did not keep its promises regarding the role of higher education,” Amit says. “In Chile, higher education is so expensive that many cannot a�ord it, while in Israel, many people do have higher education, but it has not helped them improve their standard of living.” In this case, he concludes, the middle classes protested within the boundaries of the pro-market model rather than try to undermine it.

Chanan Cohen is looking at ethnically-mixed cities in Israel with the aim of understanding the connection between violence in a city and its e�ect on voting patterns in municipal elections. “Mainstream political parties take on di�erent characteristics in

di�erent municipalities, depending on the unique context of each city,” he reveals. “In some mixed cities, ethnicity does not play a signi�cant role in local politics, but in other cities, it is a very important element of local politics.” Chanan is currently using police data and social and demographic statistics to analyze the e�ect of inter-ethnic violence, changes in ethnic balance and other variables on voting patterns in all mixed Jewish-Arab cities, including Akko, Nazareth-Illit and Ramla. His next step: interviewing politicians in each location.

An architectural historian on leave from the Technion to pursue her post-doctoral research, Yael Allweil is studying the role of housing in producing and consolidating ideas of nationalism in Israel-Palestine since the 1860’s. At Truman, Yael is investigating thematic cross-sections embedded in housing. Her primary focus is the role of real estate pro�t for citizens in producing the political economy of Zionism; and historical uses of housing as o�ensive and defensive mechanisms in the Israeli-Palestinian con�ict. In order to address the vast historical and geographical scope of inquiry, Yael has developed methodological tools which expand the traditional method of the case study. “I pinpoint and analyze ‘pivotal case studies’ - signi�cant moments of change in the form and structure of housing,” she says. “While some are obvious, such as the �rst kibbutz, the signi�cance of others, like the village of Mazra’a and immigrant subsistence farms around Ramle, are new to the literature.”

Orly Haimovich is a student of communications who immigrated to Israel from Argentina in 2008. Her MA thesis examined media coverage of the 1992 attack on the Israeli embassy in Argentina. Her current doctoral research delves further into Latin American media: Orly is analyzing the depiction of Israel and Jews in newspapers in Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela in the years between 2000 and 2010. She has recently returned from a fact-�nding trip to Mexico. “I am looking at two di�erent newspapers from each country – one conservative and one leftist – and analyzing their coverage of di�erent events to identify instances of anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist and anti-Israel bias,” she explains.


A lecturer of sociology and anthropology at the Ruppin Academic Center, Nir Gazit studies social relations in highly contested spaces such as divided cities and border zones. At Truman, he is researching recent transformations at the Israeli-Egyptian border-zone: the looming security threat and the in�ux of African asylum seekers crossing the border, and the responses of various border populations, including Jews in nearby communities, local Bedouins, military forces and African refugees. “Through in-depth interviews, on-site participant observations and media analysis, I am studying how localized informal practices have been shaping border dynamics over the past �ve years, and how various state and non-state agents have been responding to the new reality as it unfolds at their doorstep,” Nir states.

Micha’el Moshe Tanchum conducts research on issues of religion, national identity, state ideology, and governance. For his Truman project, he is completing a book on Islamic movements and their e�ects on the democratic development of �ve of the world’s largest Muslim-majority societies: Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, and Turkey. “In all of these countries, local forms of Islamic identity are being challenged by Islamist movements through sectarian agitation against non-Sunni and Su�-oriented Muslims,” Micha’el explains. “This implies an agenda to identify the national polity as a narrow religious community where ‘heterodox’ Muslims and non-Muslims are not full and equal members, rather than a national community in which all citizens are equal.” In his book, Micha’el intends to demonstrate that government support for intra-religious accommodation is essential for promoting civil society, particularly in newly-democratizing Muslim countries. “Such accommodation prevents Islamist extremists from being granted privileged status, while providing incentives for those who adhere to local Muslim identities to become active in promoting democratic rights and the development of civil society,” he says.

Regardless of their individual research topics, young researchers have a lot to talk about. That’s why Truman young researcher Deby Babis found it natural to initiate a Doctoral and Post- Doctoral Forum, where scholars at the Institute can discuss research methods and brainstorm together to solve problems relating to topics, theory and methodology.

All of the Institute’s doctoral and post-doctoral students and young researchers are invited to participate in the Forum’s monthly meetings. “We come from di�erent disciplines and have di�erent perspectives” notes Babis, who is doing post-doctoral research about voluntary NGO’s in Bolivia. “It’s helpful for us to get to know each other and enrich each other by providing social and intellectual support.”

Forum members are currently planning an end-of-year meeting in which each researcher will present their research and relate it to the topic of con�ict.

YOUNG SCHOLARS, UNITE!

An extended visit to Israel under the auspices of the Truman Institute enables researchers and scholars from universities around the world to further their research and share their knowledge in a warm and nurturing academic environment. This year, the Institute has been honored with the presence and activity of �ve distinguished international researchers, who have spent weeks or months studying, writing and teaching at the Institute. They are:

• Prof. Andreas Musol�, director of postgraduate research, language and communication studies at the University of East Anglia, U.K. During his two months at Truman, Prof. Musol� worked on developing a project on the use of metaphors in international discussion of the Middle East.

• Dr. Christopher Pokarier of the School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University in Tokyo. Dr. Pokarier devoted his stay at Truman to writing a book on economic nationalism.

• Prof. Richard Hecht, a professor of religious studies at the University of California in Santa Barbara. Prof. Hecht researched symbolic religious space that is being created by the haredi community in Jerusalem. With Truman researcher Prof. Yitzhak Reiter, he coordinated a conference on Contesting Public Spaces: The Religious Factor.

• Prof. Alejandro Lorca, professor of economics at the Universidad Autonoma Madrid in Spain. Prof. Lorca taught a �ve-month course at the Hebrew University on International Economic Politics for the Arab World.

BRINGING THEIR EXPERTISE TO TRUMAN



Robert Hershorn – For his Ph.D. studies in Canada, Robert explored the inherent struggle within internal and cross-cultural collective identity relationships amongst Israeli-Palestinian bridge-building participants. “I interviewed participants at a summer program in Canada that brought together Israeli, Palestinian and Canadian youth,” he relates. “There, activities such as dialogue and �lm production were designed to help the youth understand the other side’s su�ering, by creatively repositioning their narratives.” As a post-doctoral scholar at Truman, Robert is following up with the same participants, with the aim of understanding the long-term impact of their bridge-building experience. “I’m asking questions such as: Are they more critical of entrenched cultural dynamics in their own side’s political and mainstream media landscape? Have they remained involved in peace-related activities? Have they maintained their contact with participants on the other side?” Robert is also attending bridge-building meetings held by NGO’s based in Jerusalem in order to explore how they attempt to shift dominant cultural narratives. “I want to understand the ‘in between spaces’, which, if realized with sincerity, can help people humanize one-another,” he says.

Elie Friedman – For his Ph.D. dissertation, Elie is analyzing the discourse of Israeli political leaders within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian con�ict. “I’m looking at three di�erent time periods to see how Israeli leaders have presented the con�ict to the public, in both domestic and foreign forums,” says Elie, who moved to Israel from Toronto 13 years ago. He has chosen periods with very di�erent political and media natures: the years following the Six-Day War, from 1967-1973, which were characterized by a newly self-con�dent foreign policy and nationalistic media; the Oslo period, from 1993-2000, when intense negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians coincided with the birth of satellite news networks and the beginning of non-governmental television in Israel; and the previous Netanyahu government, characterized by a lack of negotiations, a 24-hour news cycle and the demands of social media. “In each period, I am focusing on how the speaker perceives the audience and the character of the media being addressed, while attempting to design messages to suit these perceptions,” Elie notes.

Four doctoral and post-doctoral students are carrying out research at the Truman Institute this year, thanks to the Rabin Scholarship for the Advancement of Peace and Tolerance. Sponsored by the Canadian Friends of Hebrew University, the scholarship supports studies related to advancing peace and tolerance throughout the world.

RABIN SCHOLARS: RESEARCHING PEACE AND TOLERANCE


Mauricio Dimant – An unusual Israeli-Arab population is enabling Mauricio to explore the “return” to Israel of Israeli Palestinians from Latin America. For his Rabin scholarship dissertation, Argentinian-born Mauricio is studying a group of Palestinian friends with Israeli citizenship who emigrated from the same village in Israel to the same city in Venezuela in 1973, in search of economic advancement. Some 20 years later, with the families they had raised in Latin America, they began returning to their village in Israel, due to economic changes in Venezuela and other reasons. “While this was a homecoming for the parents,” Mauricio notes, “the children – who had South American names and spoke Arabic with a Latin-American accent - were ‘returning’ to a place of origin that had never really been their own.” Mauricio is using interviews, analysis of family documents, personal �les and o�cial Israeli and Venezuelan documents to study the dialogue between two generations with very di�erent diasporic experiences.

Assaf David – An adjunct lecturer of political science at Hebrew University, Assaf is studying the cooled-o� relations between Israel and Jordan nearly 20 years after the peace treaty was signed between the two countries. “While strategic cooperation still exists, deterioration of peace relations is palpable at all levels,” he explains. “I am analyzing how Israelis and Jordanians alike are having “second thoughts” about the treaty due to the declining feasibility of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian con�ict.” Assaf’s research examines the rise of religious and political ideologies in Israel and Jordan, which seek to rede�ne their own countries and change the strategic policies that their elites employ to preserve their dominance over their respective Palestinian populations. He is also exploring the impact of civic cooperation on peace relations, as well as the discrepancy between the ideology and practice of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood vis-à-vis Israel, especially following the breakout of the Arab Spring.


AN AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING

“I am very grateful to the Truman Institute for giving me this head start, and enabling me to interact and brainstorm with the Truman Family,” says Adam Ho�man, winner of the Institute’s Ruth Gilutz scholarship for an outstanding Master’s thesis. Ho�man, a Hebrew University student, wrote his thesis on The Impact of Political Exile on the Radicalization of Al Qaeda. “Most research on the terror organization focuses on security,” Ho�man explains. “I wanted to go behind that and look at how external factors impacted and shaped Al Qaeda’s ideology of transnational Jihadism”.

The Gilutz scholarship enabled Ho�man to pursue intensive Arabic language studies that will help him in his continuing research on the Middle East.

NEW PERSPECTIVES ON MIDEAST CONFLICTTogether with several Truman scholars and Hebrew University researchers, the Rabin Scholars showcased their work at a conference on the Struggle to Shape Israeli-Palestinian Discourse and Identity in the Israeli-Palestinian Con�ict.

Elie Friedman presented an analysis of speeches by Israeli political leaders and concluded that recognition of Palestinian national existence does not necessarily entail the acceptance of Palestinian statehood, nor does acceptance of a Palestinian state necessarily signify recognition of peoplehood. Dr. Robert Hershorn outlined the painstaking personal and collective negotiation processes required of communities seeking to reclaim their identities, and how they fare in reaching out to the “other” as part of their reclamation e�orts.

Dr. Assaf David surveyed liberal “blind spots” of the Israeli left wing: the detachment of many Zionist and radical left wing circles from the importance of Arab culture, language and religion to Arabs, as well as Jews of oriental descent, and the justi�ed expectation on the part of the Israeli public for security in an age of peace. Mauricio Dimant discussed the role of transnational experiences in the development of collective identity within the Israeli-Palestinian con�ict, and asked how the experience of Palestinian-Israelis abroad a�ects identi�cation with the Israeli-Palestinian con�ict.

Ibrahim Hazboun and Yiftach Ron, Ph.D. students at Hebrew University presented their research. Hazboun presented the impact of NGO’s peace education programs on Palestinian and Israeli youths, revealing the obstacles and di�culties that illustrated the peace education programs. Ron highlighted the �ndings of his in-depth interviews with Jewish facilitators of reconciliation-aimed dialogue groups, exploring the impact of Jewish-Arab dialogue encounters, relating to the Israeli-Palestinian con�ict.


IS CHANGE IMMINENT IN IRAN?The Iranian people are poised for a revolution, according to Uri Lubrani, Israel’s former ambassador to that country. In a lecture at the Institute on current dilemmas of the Iranian regime, Lubrani described Iranian society as patient, resolute and able to wait out an unpleasant situation until the time is right for change. That time is quickly approaching, he said, as the Iranian regime is unable to answer the needs of its citizens, and its e�orts to impose religious rule on everyday life are not succeeding. Noting that the feeling of dissatisfaction on the Iranian street as similar to that of before the 1978 revolution, Lubrani predicted that an uprising would take place within months, bringing about a new regime that would quickly work to renew ties with the U.S. “With its population of 70 million, Iran will have a huge in�uence on the Middle East and Asia,” Lubrani concluded. “It will be in Israel’s best interests to advance its ties with the new regime when it comes into power.”

When given the opportunity - even against her parents’ advice - Shima Hemati-Torabi, an MA student in Modern East Asian Studies at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, immediately applied to speak at the Truman Institute’s conference, “The Miracle Narrative of the Korean Cultural Industries: Perspectives from the Middle East in Israel.” Growing up in Germany as an immigrant from Tehran, Shima always felt like an outsider. It wasn’t until she received a German passport that she felt at home.

Family trips to Iran were a reminder of women’s roles in current Iranian society. The inability to move freely outdoors and the traditional roles of cooking and childcare were constant reminders of the oppression of women in modern day Iran. For Shima, they were the catalyst for becoming a feminist and studying feminist roles in Korea and Iran.

As a woman of Iranian and German background, Shima wanted to see and experience the Israel she hears about on a daily basis. “I was surprised to see that culturally, Israel is a mixture of the West and the Middle East,” she reveals. The week at Truman introduced her to numerous Israeli scholars. “I was surprised by the level of education, and the openness to meet and hear everyone’s opinion” she adds.

Shima’s visit to Yad Vashem changed her perspective. “We all in�uence each other’s lives,” she says. What will she take home from her visit to Israel? “The boycott movement has it wrong. Only through dialogue can we understand and except one another.”

AN EYE-OPENING VISIT TO ISRAEL


DIPLOMATIC CAREERS BEGIN HERE For the tenth year in a row, a group of aspiring young

Russian diplomats took an exciting step toward their

future careers as participants in the Seminar on Israel

and the Middle East for Young Russian Diplomats at

the Truman Institute. Like past participants, many of

whom now hold diplomatic positions throughout

the region, the ten students from Russian universities

gained up-close and �rsthand understanding of

political, historical, social and cultural issues through

the two-week program.

In addition to lectures on a broad range of topics,

highlights of the seminar included discussions with

Knesset members at the Knesset, a meeting with the

Russian Ambassador to Israel at the Russian Embassy,

a visit to Sderot, brie�ngs at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign

A�airs and a tour of an army base.

The seminar is jointly sponsored by the Truman

Institute, the Abba Eban Centre for Israeli Diplomacy

and Russian Friends of the Hebrew University.

DIPLOMATIC CAREERS BEGIN HEREDIPLOMATIC CAREERS BEGIN HEREDIPLOMATIC CAREERS BEGIN HEREDIPLOMATIC CAREERS BEGIN HEREDIPLOMATIC CAREERS BEGIN HERE


ISLAM AND POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The Truman Institute is pleased to introduce the newest addition to its Board of Trustees: Prof. Hermona Soreq, professor of molecular neurobiology at the Hebrew University, and the �rst female dean of its Faculty of Science. Prof. Soreq is a founding member of the University’s Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences. She is internationally recognized for her research in communication malfunctions in muscles, nerves and blood cells, and has been awarded numerous honorary degrees and prizes. Prof. Soreq collaborates with top scientists worldwide, has served as a member of the Top European Community’s health advisory committee, and is a consultant for the Israeli ministers of commerce and science.

SYMPOSIUM ON ISRAEL & JORDAN: WHAT’S NEXT?Where are Israeli-Jordanian relations headed? Nineteen years after the two countries signed their peace treaty, a symposium organized by Truman Scholar Prof. Moshe Maoz brought together a panel of Mideast experts to analyze the current status of that historic agreement. Presentations at the well-attended event considered interests and trends in strategic relations between Israel and Jordan, and explored the cooling trend that now characterizes the warm relations between the countries.

WELCOME ABOARDTruman’s Newest Board Member

At a symposium on the challenges posed by the Arab Spring to Islamic politics, a panel of researchers provided an overview of the uneasy relationship between religion and politics in di�erent Middle Eastern countries today. The event marked the publication of The Muslim Brotherhood: Religious Vision in a Changing Reality, a book edited by Meir Hatina and Uri Kupferschmidt.

Reviewing the situation in Egypt, Dr. Oriya Foreman stated that while it seems that the Muslim Brotherhood believes in democracy, there is no guarantee that it will withstand the path of fragmentation and caution that it is following. Prof. Moshe Maoz spoke about the situation in Syria, claiming that the Muslim Brotherhood there has been �ghting for the separation of church and state since 1963, by secularizing various establishment and educational systems. Surveying the Muslim Brotherhood in Iraq, Prof. Amatzia Baram claimed that since the early days of the State, the Muslim Brotherhood has regarded secular Islamic regimes as far from perfect, and has thus attempted to Islamicize them. Prof. Meir Hatina compared Al - Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood, claiming that Al - Qaida �ghts against members of the Muslim Brotherhood who join in�del regimes. The �nal speaker, Dr. Eldad Pardo discussed Islam in Iran. Stating the Iranian government aims to correct the separation of religion and state dating from the Renaissance era, he explained that policy makers realize that the concept of radical Islam has failed and they have no alternate ideology to o�er the Iranian people.


SIDESTEPPING PEACE?Did Israel intentionally avoid making peace in the aftermath of the Six Day War? That was the premise of a Truman lecture by Dr. Avi Raz of Oxford University, based on his book, The Bride and the Dowry: How Israel Avoided the Danger of Peace in the Aftermath of the Six-Day War.

“The victory in June 1967 provided Israel a historic opportunity to resolve the con�ict with its Arab neighbors,” Raz stated. “Both the West Bank Palestinians and King Hussein of Jordan o�ered Israel peace in return for their occupied land.” However, he continued, Israel was unwilling to pay the inevitable territorial price for a settlement – a diplomatic stance that sheds light on the nature of Middle East peacemaking from the late 1960’s until today. “Israel deliberately conducted futile contacts with the West Bankers and with King Hussein, in an attempt to deceive the United States into thinking that the government was weighing the Palestinian and Jordanian options,” he said.

MUCH IN COMMON A comparison can be drawn between Kosovo and Jerusalem, suggested Jovan Culibrk, the bishop of Ulpiana, Kosovo, in a lecture at the Institute about the con�ict in his country. Stating that the con�ict was based on a combination of religious and ethnic rivalry, Bishop Culibrk spoke about the people who were missing, exiled and murdered. As he described e�orts to protect Kosovo’s holy places and save its refugees, the bishop called Kosovo “the Jerusalem of the Serbian people.”

Moving Toward Sustainable PeaceAccording to Igor Radojicic, president of the National Assembly of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, all of the ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina fully accept and are working to preserve the 1996 Dayton Peace Accords, which brought an end to the terrible three-year war in Bosnia. However, regarding most other issues, “there tends to be more emphasis on di�erences than similarities.” In a lecture at the Truman Institute, Radojicic explained that national and religious divisions remain strong, with almost parallel spheres of political, educational and economic institutions, as well as separate media. Further, he continued, the country’s geographic location as a link between the Middle East and Central Europe, supports illegal migration, smuggling, drugs and Islamic terror. Observing that “there is no common vision of the country’s future,” Radojicic concluded that the basic goals in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be sustainable peace and moving toward joining the European Union.


THE BIRTH OF A NATIONThe negative side of the Internet – from online attacks on government websites to hacking computer systems and inserting malware such as Stuxnet, Flame and others, was the focus of a lecture by Dr. Tal Pavel of the School of Communications at the Netanya Academic College. Dr. Pavel discussed speci�c instances of destructive online activity connected to Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza, including the sabotage of hundreds of thousands of websites, leaking databases with details about soldiers, and online psychological warfare by Hamas.

The negative side of the Internet – from online attacks The negative side of the Internet – from online attacks

PHYSICAL THREATS THROUGH THE ONLINE WORLD

The e�orts of South Sudan in establishing itself as a new nation were enumerated and explored byDr. Haim Koren, Israel’s ambassador to South Sudan, in a lecture at the Institute. Koren, an expert in Sudanese history, described the stages of designing and building the new state, and its relations with other nations in Africa and the Middle East, especially in the realm of Islam. The ambassador also reviewed Israel’s strategic interests in South Sudan, highlighting the humanitarian, educational and agricultural aid that Israel is furnishing to the �edgling country.

OPINIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CONFLICTOperation Pillar of Defense put a stop to Hamas rockets – but also increased support for Hamas among the Palestinian population. A joint poll of Israelis and Palestinians, carried out after the Israeli military operation by the Truman Institute’s Prof. Yaacov Shamir and the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research’s Prof. Khalil Shikaki revealed an 11% rise in the number of Palestinians who support armed attack against Israel and a 7% decline of those who favor non-violent resistance. More than 80% of the Palestinians viewed the outcome of Pillar of Defense as a victory for Hamas.

At the same time, there was no signi�cant change in Israeli views of the con�ict. Public opinion about Israel’s response to rockets from Gaza was similar to that which followed Operation Cast Lead in 2009. More than half of the Israelis (54%) expressed the belief that Israel can overthrow the Hamas regime, and 40% agreed that Israel should continue responding to the shelling of Israeli communities with military operations. Yet, more than half (51%) said they supported negotiations with Hamas, if necessary to achieve results.

Palestinians and Israelis agreed on one point: 65% of Israelis and 63% of Palestinians said they considered it impossible to reach a �nal status settlement between the two sides. In a previous poll, both populations overwhelmingly agreed that an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities would ignite a regional war in the Middle East. ‘


LOOKING AT LATIN AMERICA

DEMOCRACY IN INDONESIA – AND EGYPT?

The recent history of Indonesia can provide hope for those who fear for the future of democracy in Egypt. In a lecture at the Truman Institute, Dr. Giora Eliraz detailed the similarities between post-Mubarak Egypt and Indonesia, where massive popular uprisings toppled an authoritarian regime in Indonesia 13 years ago and eventually led to democracy. Like Egypt, Indonesia is a large country with a huge Sunni majority, and a signi�cant regional actor. A parallel look at both countries over the past four decades can provide insightful observations for thinking about a democratic future in Egypt.

COMPLICATED RECONCILIATION

A �lm documenting the reconciliation process between the family of an anti-apartheid political

activist and a police o�cer who had taken part in his arrest, poisoning, disappearance and eventual murder, illustrated a lecture by Dr. Louise Bethlehem on the complex process of reconciliation in South Africa after decades of apartheid. Using the �lm to demonstrate the spheres of memory and denial of the apartheid police in South Africa today, Dr. Bethlehem stated that reconciling is a highly charged process, due not only to the renewed and painful interaction between blacks and whites, but because of emotional processes taking place within the families of the victims.

In recent events organized by the Truman Institute’s Latin America unit, guest speakers have focused on a range of social and political processes in the region:

Dr. Laura Cucci, a historian from Universidad Buenos Aires, looked at political disputes in Argentina in the last quarter of the 19th century. Her lecture proposed that much disagreement stemmed from ideology and not simply a competition for power, as the traditional historical viewpoint holds.

Prof. David Lehmann of Cambridge University was the guest speaker at a seminar that presented an account of the “quotas movement,” which decreed the establishment of large quotas for black, low-income and indigenous students in Brazil’s Federal Universities.

Prof. Horatio Spector, of Universidad Torcuato Di Tella in Argentina, lectured about the ethical and practical dilemmas regarding land ownership in Latin America, where governments in several countries are trying to deal with the legal issues raised by the demands of indigenous populations.


To a certain measure, some of Russia’s current policy and action in the Middle East re�ects Russia’s defensive stance against perceived threats from Islamic activity. That view was presented by Amb. Zvi Magen, Israel’s former ambassador to the Ukraine and Russia, in a lecture at the Truman Institute. Observing that 25 million of its own citizens are Muslim, Magen observed that if Russia were to leave the Middle East “game,” it would signi�cantly weaken her position as an empire. The ambassador noted that Russia currently aims to isolate Syria from foreign intervention by countries such as Turkey or bodies such as the U.N. Security Council. However, he continued, “it is clear that if there will be an understanding between Russia and the United States, Russia will give up on Assad immediately”

A Winning Truman Prize Exhibit

ON RUSSIA, MUSLIMS AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Since 1991, the Truman Institute has awarded its Peace Prize to individuals who have made a signi�cant contribution to the advancement of peace in the Middle East and around the world.

Now, the Institute has established a permanent exhibit of all Peace Prize recipients in the entrance to its building on the Hebrew University campus, further honoring these extraordinary people and their unwavering commitment to building a better world.

FROM JERUSALEM TO DAMASCUS AND BACK: An Intelligence Agent’s Story

By Ronni Shaked

The author tells the fascinating and di�cult story of Massoud Bouton, a former Israeli combat soldier who, from 1956 to 1962, lived under the assumed identity of Mustafa Taleb, a wealthy Algerian

businessman in Lebanon and Syria. In this dangerous role, he worked as an agent among the enemy, providing Israel with intelligence reports and political assessments that he transmitted via Morse code. Yet, unlike Eli Cohen, Israel’s “man in Damascus,” Bouton waited in vain until he died in 2011 brokenhearted and destitute, for some acknowledgement for service to his country.

ONE STATE, TWO PEOPLES: Restoring Hope for Palestinian-Israeli Peace

By Dan Bavly and As’ad Ghanem

The last decade has witnessed the most hostile confrontations between Palestinians and Israelis in their century-long con�ict. Most recently-proposed

peace plans have assumed that partitioning the territory of Mandatory Palestine into two separate states would be the ideal solution. This book argues that any border dividing the country would leave dissatis�ed populations on both sides: a million Palestinians living under Israeli sovereignty and hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens living in Palestinian territory. The authors demonstrate that the only way to break the impasse is to work toward integration with full equality and parity.

ARCHITEXTURE: The Arab House as a Social Text

By Koby Peled

This book takes readers into the homes of Israeli Arabs in the Wadi Ara region, using their design and the lifestyle of their residents to shed light on the historical period between the late 19th century and

early 21st century. The author, an architect and historian, explores connections: between construction and communal solidarity; the fabric of society and family structure; architectural plans and gender identity; and home design and culture.

AMERICAN ISRAELIS: Migration, Transnationalism and Diasporic Identity

By Uzi Rebhun and Lilakh Lev Ari

This volume is a comprehensive analysis of Israelis who live in the United States. It examines the settlement patterns of the Israeli immigrants, their social pro�le, economic achievements and

Americanization process. The authors also explore the nature and rhythm of their Jewish identi�cation, including changes in their attachment to their homeland. The study o�ers nuanced and in-depth insights into transnationalism, identity and diaspora of American Jewish Israelis, shedding light on Israeli society, and have important implications for the Jewish community and Jewish continuity in America.

ON THE EDGE: Palestinians in Israel – National RadicalismBy Ronni Shaked

This book is an analysis of the problematic identity of Palestinian citizens in Israel, who swing between an aspiration to be part of the State of Israel along with their Palestinian identity, and their collective aspiration to be recognized

as a national minority in Israel. The book centers on the El-Ard movement, which established the ideological foundations of national radicalism among Israeli Arabs. The political ideology of Palestinians in Israel today, is �nding a balance between being Israeli citizens and their national aspiration as Palestinians.

THE DEATH CAMPS OF CROATIA: Visions and Revisions, 1941-1945By Raphael Israeli

Anti-Semitism was deeply rooted and widespread throughout Yugoslavia during World War II. Serbs and Croats have long been accusing each other of the wrongdoings that occurred during this

period. Yet, there were also individuals who helped Jews, hid them at great risk, gave them the means to �ght and helped them survive. This volume distills fact from accusation and grievance to set the historical record straight about the events of 70 years ago that nearly extinguished Jewish culture in Yugoslavia.


Truman Shelves

early 21st century. The author, an architect and historian, explores


THE BLOOD LIBEL AND ITS DERIVATIVESBy Raphael Israeli

While the medieval concept of blood libel has been almost completely discarded in the Christian world today, blood libel and similar charges are still part of life in the Arab and Islamic worlds, where enmity towards Israel and Zionism conditions believes, attitudes and fantasies. This book aims to explain the origins of the charge of blood libel and de�ne the ways its derivatives have achieved acceptance in certain parts of the world today. Raphael Israeli argues that individuals and organizations guilty of human rights and project crimes onto Israel to avoid awareness of their own guilt.

THE NORMALIZATION OF WAR IN ISRAELI DISCOURSE, 1967-2008By Dalia Gavriely-Nuri

In the post-World War II period, Israel has taken part in eight wars – more than almost any other Western democracy – as well as two intifadas and repetitive periods of bombings of its border

communities. This book opens a window into how Israelis talk, write and think about war. The author identi�es a “war-normalizing discourse” - linguistic and cultural devices that blur the character of war and transform it into an event perceived as a “normal” part of life. Gavriely-Nuri shows how this device has become a fundamental part of Israeli public discourse and an integral part of Israeli identity.

POPULAR CULTURE CO-PRODUCTIONS AND COLLABORATIONS IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIAEdited by Nissim Otmazgin and Eyal Ben Ari

This wide-ranging volume is the �rst to examine the characteristics, dynamics

and broader implications of recently-emerging regional production, dissemination, marketing and consumption systems of popular culture in East and Southeast Asia. The authors examine patterns of co-production and collaboration, speci�cally in the making and marketing of movies, music, comics and animation. Focusing on these industries in Japan, China, Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia. The essays in the book describe a major shift from national markets to a system

that organizes and relocates production, distribution and consumption of cultural goods on a regional scale.

THE ROAD TO WAR By Yigal Kipnis

The Yom Kippur War surprised the IDF but should not have surprised Israeli leaders, in the wake of a secret Egyptian peace initiative that was presented by the U.S. months before the war. Prime Minister Golda Meir and ministers Moshe Dayan and Israel Galili rejected Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s plea to enter

into peace talks with Egypt, and hid the Egyptian ultimatum of reaching an agreement by the fall of 1973 from Israel’s chief of sta� and the intelligence establishment. Yigal Kipnis uses transcripts of discussions, made public for the �rst time, to reveal the depth of the diplomatic failure that brought about the Yom Kippur War.

ISRAEL’S NEW STRATEGIC DILEMMAS: Survival or Revival?By Raphael Israeli

This book details the strategic problems facing Israel today as the result of the asymmetrical terrorist wars imposed on it. With the motive of delegitimizing Israel and forcing it to react against civilian

terrorists who dwell amidst other civilian populations, and who do not have any legal or international standing, these wars create an untenable situation of retaliation and casualties. The author examines this highly contentious and complex topic, stating that unless Israel succeeds in making reforms in strategic areas of security and domestic a�airs, its chances for survival are dwindling.

TRAVEL WARNING By Nadir Tsur

A book of original poetry, illustrated with the work of outstanding artists, Travel Warning is a critical, personal, social, national and existential journey in a world of evil and cruelty,

hatred and falsehood, su�ering and pain. Nadir Tsur takes readers on a quest in search of truth abandoned at the side of the road, and cautions us about losing it to the tribulations of our lives.

While the medieval concept of blood libel has been almost

and broader implications of recently-emerging regional

Honorary Board of Trustees

Samuel Rothberg*

Senator Rudolph Eli (Rudy) Boschwitz

Ambassador William A. Brown

Senator Daniel K. Inouye*

Senator Frank R. Lautenberg

Todd S. Lundy

Senator Howard M. Metzenbaum*

Senator Daniel P. Moynihan*

Senator Arlen Specter*

Governor Pete Wilson*

*deceased

Academic Committee

Prof. Ronnie Ellenblum, Chairman

Prof. Menahem Blondheim

Prof. Asher Cohen, Rector, HU

Prof. Ruth Fine

Dr. Meir Hatina

Prof. Piki Ish-Shalom

Prof. Avraham Sela

Dr. Lihi Yariv-Laor

Governing Body

Chairman: Ambassador Moshe Arad

Academic Director: Prof. Menahem Blondheim

Executive Director: Naama Shpeter

Board of Trustees

Dan Bavly

Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson, President, HU

Ernest Bogen

Stanley M. Bogen

Prof. Asher Cohen, Rector, HU

Alan Fiske

Lawrence E. Glick

Dan Halperin

Martin Karlinsky, President AFHU

Isaac Kaye

Harvey M. Krueger

Michael S. Kurtz

Celso Lafer

Barbara A. Mandel

Alfred Moses

Dan O�er

Dr. Leonard Polonsky

George A. Schieren

Prof. Hermona Soreq

Ira Lee Sorkin

Harry Van den Bergh

Truman Institute Statistics:

Founded in 1965

Since its establishment: More than 500 researchersMore than 2,000 research projects

A Year at Truman

75 Research Fellows

10 Research Groups and Projects

4 regional research units

An average of 90 lectures, seminars and conferences per year

Prof. Ronnie Ellenblum, Chairman

, Rector, HU

General Editor: Naama ShpeterLanguage Editor: Bracha OsofskyPublications Coordinators: Cheryl Cashriel, Rivka YuvalDesign: Abstract

Photography: Sasson TiramThe Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, 91905Tel: 972-2-5882300 Fax: 972-2-5828076e-mail: [email protected]: http://truman.huji.ac/il

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TRUMAN - CFHU NEWSLETTER 2013 7 some regimes are trying to pretend that we don’t,” stated Nabil. “We are acting against war and for peace, and vocally speak out for peace with