Community Magazine September 2009

104 CoMMUniTy MagazinE the international community Hezbollah Gets Stronger, UN Fails According to Israeli, United Nations and Hezbollah officials, Hezbollah in Lebanon is stronger today than it was in 2006 when it conducted a cross-border raid which triggered a bloody war with Israel. The Shiite Muslim militia’s rearming is seen as a means of helping its proxy, Iran, deter any Israeli action against Iran’snuclearweaponsambitions. The war three years ago cost the lives of 1,191 Lebanese and 43 Israeli civilians. Hezbollah, with the help of Iran, has stock- piled as many as 40,000 rockets and is actively training its to use ground-to-ground missiles capable of hitting Tel Aviv and anti-aircraft missiles that could challenge Israel’s dominance of the skies. A recent explosion at a huge Hezbollah ammunition bunker 12 miles from the Israeli border has shown the scale of the Hezbollah build-up, a viola- tion of the UN resolution which imposed a ceasefire and arms ban after the 2006 war. Jewish Health Study Seeks Volunteers Researchers at the DIPEx Health Experiences Research Unit based at the University of Oxford in England are seeking Jewish subjects who have some experience, either themselves or through a family member, with health issues that are more prevalent within the Jewish pop- ulation. Specific diseases being investigated include Tay Sachs, Gaucher and cystic fibrosis, as well as broader experiences of being a carrier of genetic con- ditions. Although these health issues are not uniquely Jewish, the focus of this project is the way in which they are experi- enced within a Jewish context. DIPEx plans to publish the study in a Jewish Health section on their website, healthtalkon- line.org.uk. Researchers are specifically seeking out Jews from the Orthodox community in order to present a balanced set of experiences and to raise awareness of issues that may be experienced specifically by this group. Individuals who would like more information about becoming involved in the proj- ect can contact Dr. Sara Ryan at sara.ryan@dphpc.ox.ac.uk. Jews Want to Publish Hitler The head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, the country’s leading Jewish group, is asking for the republication of Adolf Hitler’s autobiography and man- ifesto “Mein Kampf” with an academic commentary. Stephan Kramer explained the request by noting, “An academic and historically critical edition needs to be prepared today, to prevent neo-Nazis profiting from it.” “Mein Kampf – My Struggle” has been banned in Germany since the end of World War II, and the state of Bavaria holds the rights until 70 years after the Nazi dictator’s death in 1945. A Bavarian minister recently called for it to be republished with a critical commentary to avoid its being misused by far-right groups when the rights expire in 2015. The book, written in 1924 when Hitler was in a Bavarian prison, is partially an autobiography and also outlines his views on Aryan racial purity, his hatred of Jews and his opposition to communism. US Airways to Fly Direct to Israel America’s fifth largest airline, US Airways, has expanded its international flight offerings to include a direct flight to Tel Aviv. It is now the fourth air- line – joining El Al, Delta and Continental – to travel directly to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport from the United States. US Airways makes the 5592.3-mile flight from Philadelphia and is expected to fly one flight to and from Tel Aviv daily. The addition of another direct flight airline is expected to increase competition between airlines. Some speculate that American Airlines will be quick to follow and open a direct flight to Tel Aviv, as well. Jews should not be building homes in East Jerusalem... Yes, only us Arabs should be free to live anywhere we wish. That’s right. Our terrorists– er, I mean freedom ghters, must be free to murder Israeli civilians– er, I mean... engage in armed resistance. Also, the right of all Palestinians to move around freely must be respected… Netanyahu Obama Abbas Don’t think that pulling out the army, uprooting Israeli towns, and encouraging Palestinian elections in Gaza counts for anything. I almostmiss JimmyCarter Peace negotiations are a two-way street... Israel must start to show a genuine willingness for peace... Exactly. We make demands... and Israel makes concessions.