Palestinean Minister Analyzes Mideast Peace

The progress of the peace process in the Middle East has stalled, but Palestinians will be repatriated, Dr. Hanan M. Ashrawi, Palestinian minister of education, told a crowd of at least 400 in Sever Hall last night.

The Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations invited Ashrawi to speak on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. In her talk, she explained the meaning of this anniversary for Palestinians in the context of an analysis of the Middle East peace process.

Referring to the anniversary of "Al-Nakbeh," which translates as "the Palestinian catastrophe," Ashrawi told the audience, "We are no longer the faceless, nameless Palestinians."

Representatives of Arab student associations from Harvard and nearby schools joined members of Jewish campus organizations, graduate school students and interested residents in attending Ashrawi's address.

Audience member Sam L. Sternin '01 attributed the turnout, which far exceeded the Harvard Foundation's estimate of 150 people, to Ashrawi's prominence within the Palestinian Authority.

"She's 'Education Minister,' but she's not really just that," Sternin said. "She's a lot more."

In her speech, Ashrawi focused on the legacy of Palestinian displacement and the prospects for peace in the region.

"Fifty years ago, the course of history was distorted...in order to evict an ancient nation," Ashrawi said. "It was the beginning of one of the most shameful chapters in history."

She stressed the tendency of world leaders to "exclude" Palestinians from their "consciousness."

"Somehow the world has never come to recognize our existence," Ashrawi said.

She offered a grim characterization of the situation in Israel today, blaming both the current Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and American diplomats for the stalled progress of peace negotiations since the 1993 Oslo Accords.

"Everybody watched the handshake on the White House lawn," said Ashrawi--referring to the 1993 meeting between Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat and the late Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin--"and they assumed there was peace."

She said the hostility of the Netanyahu administration has led to "a situation of incongruence" in which the Palestinian Authority finds itself dealing with an "anti-peace government."

Ashrawi said that while the Palestinian Authority favors reconciliation, the pro-peace contingent in Israel lies outside the current regime.

The relations between her government andNetanyahu's have deteriorated to the point wherethey "don't speak the same language," she said.

Ashrawi drew an ovation and loud applause fromPalestinians and Palestinian sympathizers in theaudience when she raised the possibility of thedeclaration of a "non-sectarian, secular,democratic Palestinian state" in the future.

"It is not something we ask for," Ashrawiexplained, "but it is something that willhappen--not in this generation but in the next orin two generations."

In analyzing the breakdown of theland-for-peace formula and the chances for atwo-state solution, Ashrawi directed sharpcriticism at United State intervention in theMid-East, accusing the nation of an overtpro-Israel bias.

"The U.S. has taken sides," Ashrawi said. "Andthis creates a serious situation of imbalance."

"American credibility, influence, standing,and, of course, American interests in the region[are being] compromised," she said.

Ashrawi singled out political interest groupsthat donate to American politicians asparticularly damaging to the Palestinian cause.

"Now we understand that the Arab andPalestinian communities cannot deliver campaignfunds in U.S. elections," she said. "Congress ismeddling in areas which are none of its business."

Numerous audience members said they detected ahigh level of tension in the room during andimmediately following Ashrawi's presentation.

Some of the tension may have been triggered bya shortage of space, which forced HarvardUniversity Police officers to deny latecomersaccess to the room.

After all the seats had been filled, about 20people stood listening in the hall outside, andduring the course of the nearly two-hour speech, afew tried to fill seats vacated by audiencemembers who left early.

When those who sought to enter were rebuffed byguards at the door, a member of the audienceinterrupted Ashrawi to request that the policeallow the empty seats to be filled.

Ashrawi nodded approval as other audiencemembers spoke up on behalf of the seat-seekers.Finally Dr. Allan S. Counter, director of theHarvard Foundation, told the police officers, whosaid they had been trying to prevent disruptionsof the speech, to allow some standing audiencemembers to enter.

Except for this disruption, the audiencedevoted its full attention to Ashrawi Many praisedher articulate and passionate delivery.

"She presented the Palestinian narrative veryeloquently," said Adam J. Levitin '98, formerchair of the Hillel Forum.

But Levitin, who is also a Crimson editor,characterized the speech as "more of a one-sidedpiece of propaganda than a realistic vision of thestate of affairs in the Mideast.

Nadia I. Shihata '00, an officer of the ArabStudent Organization at Tufts University, had adifferent interpretation of Ashrawi's message.

"She is one of the best spokespeople for thePalestinian movement," Shihata said.

Nazik D. Kazimi, a Newton resident who ismarried to an MIT professor, said she sees Ashrawias proof that not all Arab women, stay "behind theveil."

"She presents a very good view of Arab women,"Kazimi said.

Luis A. Gonzalez '01, a member of the Navy'sROTC program, suggested another positive aspect ofAshrawi's visit.

"I'm interested in...[a] discussion of thepeace process especially because the area is sovolatile right now," Gonzalez said. "Weestablished a fleet there, which is unusual, andwe sent troops into Jordan."

Rustin C. Silverstein '99, the chair of HarvardStudents for Israel, said he was disappointed byAshrawi's dismissal of Israel's military concerns.

"I was discouraged," said Silverstein, who isalso a Crimson editor.

"Her total lack of sympathy for Israel'ssecurity...is especially shocking given that theseconcerns have been validated recently by multipleterrorist bombings of Israeli civilians and thePalestinian people's support for an Iraqi attackon Israel just a few months ago," Silversteinsaid.

Levitin echoed Silverstein's dismay over thecontentious tone of Ashrawi's speech.

"I don't know why the Harvard Foundationsponsored Ms. Ashwari," Levitin said. "She washardly promoting ethnic understanding."CrimsonJenny E. HellerDr. HANAN M. ASHRAWI, Palestinian Ministerof Education spoke to a crowd of about 400 lastnight. A guest of the Harvard Foundation, shespoke about Israel's 50th anniversary and theMiddle East peace process.

The relations between her government andNetanyahu's have deteriorated to the point wherethey "don't speak the same language," she said.

Ashrawi drew an ovation and loud applause fromPalestinians and Palestinian sympathizers in theaudience when she raised the possibility of thedeclaration of a "non-sectarian, secular,democratic Palestinian state" in the future.

"It is not something we ask for," Ashrawiexplained, "but it is something that willhappen--not in this generation but in the next orin two generations."

In analyzing the breakdown of theland-for-peace formula and the chances for atwo-state solution, Ashrawi directed sharpcriticism at United State intervention in theMid-East, accusing the nation of an overtpro-Israel bias.

"The U.S. has taken sides," Ashrawi said. "Andthis creates a serious situation of imbalance."

"American credibility, influence, standing,and, of course, American interests in the region[are being] compromised," she said.

Ashrawi singled out political interest groupsthat donate to American politicians asparticularly damaging to the Palestinian cause.

"Now we understand that the Arab andPalestinian communities cannot deliver campaignfunds in U.S. elections," she said. "Congress ismeddling in areas which are none of its business."

Numerous audience members said they detected ahigh level of tension in the room during andimmediately following Ashrawi's presentation.

Some of the tension may have been triggered bya shortage of space, which forced HarvardUniversity Police officers to deny latecomersaccess to the room.

After all the seats had been filled, about 20people stood listening in the hall outside, andduring the course of the nearly two-hour speech, afew tried to fill seats vacated by audiencemembers who left early.

When those who sought to enter were rebuffed byguards at the door, a member of the audienceinterrupted Ashrawi to request that the policeallow the empty seats to be filled.

Ashrawi nodded approval as other audiencemembers spoke up on behalf of the seat-seekers.Finally Dr. Allan S. Counter, director of theHarvard Foundation, told the police officers, whosaid they had been trying to prevent disruptionsof the speech, to allow some standing audiencemembers to enter.

Except for this disruption, the audiencedevoted its full attention to Ashrawi Many praisedher articulate and passionate delivery.

"She presented the Palestinian narrative veryeloquently," said Adam J. Levitin '98, formerchair of the Hillel Forum.

But Levitin, who is also a Crimson editor,characterized the speech as "more of a one-sidedpiece of propaganda than a realistic vision of thestate of affairs in the Mideast.

Nadia I. Shihata '00, an officer of the ArabStudent Organization at Tufts University, had adifferent interpretation of Ashrawi's message.

"She is one of the best spokespeople for thePalestinian movement," Shihata said.

Nazik D. Kazimi, a Newton resident who ismarried to an MIT professor, said she sees Ashrawias proof that not all Arab women, stay "behind theveil."

"She presents a very good view of Arab women,"Kazimi said.

Luis A. Gonzalez '01, a member of the Navy'sROTC program, suggested another positive aspect ofAshrawi's visit.

"I'm interested in...[a] discussion of thepeace process especially because the area is sovolatile right now," Gonzalez said. "Weestablished a fleet there, which is unusual, andwe sent troops into Jordan."

Rustin C. Silverstein '99, the chair of HarvardStudents for Israel, said he was disappointed byAshrawi's dismissal of Israel's military concerns.

"I was discouraged," said Silverstein, who isalso a Crimson editor.

"Her total lack of sympathy for Israel'ssecurity...is especially shocking given that theseconcerns have been validated recently by multipleterrorist bombings of Israeli civilians and thePalestinian people's support for an Iraqi attackon Israel just a few months ago," Silversteinsaid.

Levitin echoed Silverstein's dismay over thecontentious tone of Ashrawi's speech.

"I don't know why the Harvard Foundationsponsored Ms. Ashwari," Levitin said. "She washardly promoting ethnic understanding."CrimsonJenny E. HellerDr. HANAN M. ASHRAWI, Palestinian Ministerof Education spoke to a crowd of about 400 lastnight. A guest of the Harvard Foundation, shespoke about Israel's 50th anniversary and theMiddle East peace process.