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June 2, 2000/28 Iyar 5760, Vol. 52, No.39
'Anti-Zionist week' sparks campus row
ALEZA GOLDSMITH
Jewish Bulletin of Northern California
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - An anti-Zionist event sponsored by the Student Muslim Association at Santa Clara University last week came as a blow to several Israelis and Jews who felt unfairly bombarded.
For the event, "Anti-Zionist week 2000," members of the Muslim student group lined campus walls with fliers that named Zionists as the "Pioneers of Terrorism." Another posting read: "Zionists deliberately and systematically murdered, maimed and menaced the innocent...until 780,000 Palestinians ran for their lives."
"It's propaganda," said Oli Reinat, an Israeli student in the Leavey Business College at Santa Clara University.
The week closed with a lecture by U.C. Berkeley Professor Hatem Bazian titled "Zionism and Israel: A Strategic Liability to the United States." Although it was billed as "an analysis of U.S.-Israeli ties," Reinat said it was an attack, not an analysis.
Sara Azad, an officer of MSA and an organizer of the theme week, stood by the content of the fliers and the events. She also apologized that some people were offended, but added, "I am sorry that they subscribe to a racist ideology."
Kate Lapan, president of the Jewish Student Union at the university, said, "(The event) upset a lot of people and it doesn't make people feel very good about being on campus."
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