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Jewish World Review Oct. 21, 1999 /11 Mar-Cheshvan, 5760
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http://www.jewishworldreview.com --
WHILE THE NEW YORK-BASED United Jewish Communties (UJC) continued to
deny its intent ever to issue its Isaiah peace award to Yasir Arafat, an aide
to Arafat insisted that the award still will go to the PLO leader.
In an interview with Boston's Jewish Advocate yesterday, an Arafat spokesman who
helped plan the reception of 130 members of the UJC’s Prime Minister’s
Mission, said that he had received a letter from the United Jewish Appeal
(the UJA is an organization absorbed by the UJC), confirming that Arafat
would receive the award. “Believe me it is confirmed and we have received an
official letter,” he emphasized.
He added that “we received official notification from the UJA that the award
would be given to Arafat — the same award that was given to President Clinton
and Nelson Mandela. The chairman of the delegation, said that as soon as the
next time they meet with President Arafat, the award will be given to him. He
said that in front of everybody in his speech — in front of our minister and
his delegation.”
The spokesman identified the UJC chairman as Joel Tauber, a Detroit
businessman, who is chairman of the UJC’s executive committee. Tauber was
traveling on Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.
As detailed in JWR on Monday, the UJC originally confirmed on Oct. 5
(two days before its Prime Minister’s Mission left) that the Isaiah Award
would go to Arafat. Later that day, they denied that Arafat was ever to be
the recipient.
At that time, Dr. Anis Al-Qaq, the head of the PA’s department of
international cooperation stated that he had been informed that Arafat would
still receive the award. Al-Qaq said that he was contacted by Ronit Dotan, a
United Israel Office (UJC’s Israel internal office) worker, and was told by
Dotan that press reports of the cancellation of the award were wrong, and
that Arafat would get the award at a later date.
Despite these confirmations, UJC President Stephen D. Solender has continued
to deny that Arafat was to be the recipient. UJC issued a flat denial of the
report on Oct. 15. The UJC statement reads, “Information published today
about a decision to present Yasser Arafat with the United Jewish Communities
Isaiah Award misrepresents the facts and is misleading. There was never any
intent to issue the award to Chairman Arafat. In addition, Stephen D.
Solender, president of the United Jewish Communities, stated that he is very
concerned that inaccurate information has circulated. He plans to review
internal procedures so that this type of situation does not occur in the
future.”
This week, the Advocate received a copy of an Oct. 14 e-mail sent by Solender
to Federation presidents and executives. It reads, “Arafat Clarification.
There is much confusion and discomfort emanating from various press reports
describing a decision by United Jewish Communties to present Yasser Arafat
with the organization’s Isaiah Award.
“While Chairman Arafat’s name was one of several considered early on, it was
decided by UJC not to bestow the award on any individual. The award is not
given out annually.
“Reports that Chairman Arafat received the award are erroneous. Members of
our Prime Minister’s mission did meet with representatives of the Palestinian
Authority. No award of any kind was presented. I hope this clears up any
confusion concerning this issue. If you have any further questions, please
call either Gail Hyman at 212-284-6568 or Norman Eisenberg, 212-284-6736.”
The PA spokesman described the Oct. 13 meeting of PA and UJC officials as
“interesting” and “important.”
“Such meetings between American Jews and Palestinians can only strengthen the
efforts toward peace in the region. It’s an honor for us to receive such a
prestigious delegation in our country, Palestine,” he said.
When contacted for comment on Wednesday, UJC spokesman Norman Eisenberg
reiterated UJC’s statement. “We stand by our statement that no award is going
be presented of any kind. It’s not going to happen,” he said.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) spokesman was told the award was not given
because Arafat was in Japan at an international Palestinian donor conference,
and could not receive it in person.
The Advocate has received documentation that the UJC had already purchased
the award in early October and had set an award ceremony for Oct. 13. Also
last week, the Advocate printed a draft of the presentation statement
prepared for Tauber.
JWR contributor Steven Rosenberg is editor of Boston's
Jewish Advocate. Comment on this article by clicking here.
