On Wednesday, Feb. 3, more than 50 community members and activists converged outside the Hillel Jewish University Center in Pittsburgh to protest the presence of Efraim Eitam, an ultra right-wing Israeli general turned politician.
 Efraim Eitam |
Demonstrators were outraged that the JUC would host such an openly racist figure. Eitam has referred to Arabs as “cancer” and has made thinly veiled calls for ethnic cleansing. During the first Intifada (in the late 1980s and early 1990s), Brigadier General Eitam was an eager supporter of Yitzhak Rabin’s doctrine of “breaking bones,” a policy that entailed breaking the bones of Palestinian protesters, including many youth, arrested by the occupying forces.
Since then, he has served as a leader of the National Religious Party, in which he earned the reputation as “Israel’s Number 1 Fascist,” according to journalist Uri Avnery. He served in the cabinet of Ariel Sharon until 2004, when he resigned out of opposition to the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Teenagers from the youth organization J-Site made up a sizeable portion of the audience at the JUC. This was the source of considerable controversy, as parents were not adequately informed of Eitam’s background. A mother of a J-Site member said, “Both my husband and I were upset that more information wasn’t shared about who he was, and some of the controversial statements he’s made which were quite racist.” (The Jewish Chronicle, Feb. 3)
At the protest outside, representatives from the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America and local Palestine solidarity organizations and ElectronicIntifada.net co-founder Nigel Parry addressed the crowd. The speakers denounced the apartheid policies of the Israeli government, the brutal blockade of Gaza and the possibility of a war with Iran. Eitam’s appearance highlighted support for such a war.
The spirited demonstration effectively overshadowed Eitam’s bigotry. Shouts of “Free Palestine” could be heard for blocks.
When the rally began winding down, about a dozen protesters entered the building. As Eitam spouted racist lies, the activists, including this writer, loudly denounced him as a fascist, war criminal and murderer. One by one, we were escorted out by a police officer.
By exposing Eitam as a supporter and perpetrator of vicious crimes, the protesters ensured that Hillel, which falsely attempts to link the Jewish religion with support for Israel, will think twice before again providing a platform for hate speech.
