Campus leaders voice support for US-Israel alliance
Campus leaders from 15 different student organizations signed a new statement that was published by Trojans for Israel online Sunday night in support of the United States-Israel relationship.
President of Trojans for Israel Sarah Sax said the leadership statement, published every semester, has shifted its focus from previous semesters.
Though the statement released last fall aimed to denounce the state of Iran’s efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon, the new statement focuses on promoting the importance of the United States’ relationship with Israel. The statement highlighted the similarities between the two nations, specifically their focus on democracy, innovation and social rights.
“The idea was to really show students on campus that this is an issue that people of different backgrounds care about — business leaders, USC leaders and political leaders,” Sax said. “We tried to get a wide variety of people.”
Signatories include College Democrats President Aaron Taxy, College Republicans President Maddy Lansky, 2012-13 USG President Mikey Geragos, 2012-13 USG Vice President Vinnie Prasad, 2013-14 USG President Kurth Park, 2013-14 Undergraduate Student Government Vice President Ryan Park, Black Student Association President Lamar Gary and Interfraternity Council President Ofek Lavian. In total, 22 signatures were collected.
The signatures solely reflected the views of the individuals signing the statement, not the organizations they represent.
For Sax, the statement reflects that the U.S.-Israel relationship is not only of importance to Trojans for Israel, but also to a wide variety of students on campus. It is this same sentiment that Sax said Trojans for Israel tries to convey when lobbying local officials.
“It’s more powerful if students go lobby on an issue as important as the U.S.-Israel relationship,” Sax said. “They don’t get student lobbyists very often and since our group is very knowledgeable about the U.S.-Israel relationship, it not only makes [Trojans for Israel] look good, but also the student body.”
Kudos to the courageous student leaders who signed this petition. It is shocking to see the reaction by those so filled with hate that they try to stifle the free speech of these leaders and the ability of the Daily Trojan to report on this important campus news. Keep up the great work!
Trojans for Israel is AIPAC, you numbskulls at the Daily Trojan.
You publish lobbyist directly–how incompetent can you be? You are supposed to vet your sources not act as the propoganda wing for AIPAC.
AIPAC/HILLEL/TFI all the same.
Stunning lack of university oversight.
I wonder what would become of these courageous student leaders if they had rejected
Trojans for Israel’s approach? No pressure there, especially with the Daily Trojan in Hillels’ pocket.
President Obama, no friend of Israel, is scheduled to go in a few weeks. I wonder if the article is a coincidence? No doubt, it is not. It is designed to bolster support for Israels policies in the face of American disapproval. Heck, we pay for everything the Israelis do, why should we have a say?
Not sure who the editor of the DT is but obviously Miss Sax and Miss Serhan have close ties to him/her as they continue to print their stories at will with no interest in the other side.
I have never seen an anti Israeli word published in the DT. Apparently, Israel can do no wrong. Mr/Ms. Editor, you are not Sal Zell. You do not have the right to propound your own agenda. How the USC Hillel got a hold of the DT is beyond me, but I hereby call for an investigation into the ties between Hillel and the DT. The bias of the DT is so obvious as to be offensive to those who do not support Israel’s policies in the Middle East. The DT is not Heratz. USC is not a satellite of Israel; get out of our paper before you are thrown out.
Again, we need an investigation into who is approving these articles–the DT has become a farce. As an alumni, I will call Student Affairs to find the discovery process. I am sure, the path is short and direct.
I despise prejudice and that is exactly what is the DT is advocating by ignoring Israeli injustices while sleeping with Hillel.
I am embarrassed by the DT’s lack of objectivity–no awards this year unless they come from Tel Aviv.
tro9u
I am so proud of these brave 22 student leaders (and future leaders of our communities) who have taken a stand in favor of the US-Israel Alliance. Congratulations to the Daily Trojan for acknowledging this important statement of support. You all have a lot to be proud of!
Signed,
A very proud soon to be Trojan alum
Arafat,
You are the perfect spokesmen for the Trojans for Israel–rabid, amoral, koolaid drinking racist. You are a credit to your beliefs and a discredit to humanity.
Truly Disgraceful soul, showing all that is Israeli. A real mensch and credit to your parents.
Jihad Jane,
You are the perfect apologist for the Muslim Trojans – rabid, amoral, koolaid drinking racist. You are a credit to your beliefs and a discredit to humanity.
Truly Disgraceful soul, showing all that is Islamic. A real jihadist and credit to your parents.
Now, wasn’t that a productive effort, really contributing to the discussion at hand?
You’re pathetic Jihad Jane. In capable of challenging any of the points I have raised. Only able to attack the messenger due to your inability to discuss these issues as an adult.
Truly pathetic.
Orwellian Apartheid.
There is not one single non-Muslim citizen in Saudi Arabia.
Afghanistan once home to a thriving Buddhist civilization is now 100% Muslim.
Pakistan once home to a thriving and ancient Hindu civilization is soon-to-be devoid of all Hindus. Meanwhile the Muslim population in India is soaring.
Yemen once home to a large Jewish population now has a dozen, or so, Jews left living there. The same is true in Iraq and Morocco.
Sudan once home to a large Christian and Animist people has seen most of these people killed or fled or forcibly converted to Islam.
Iran once home to a large, historic Zoroastrian community is helping to ensure these ancient people are ethnically cleans. The same thing is happening to the Assyrians of Syria, the Chaldeans of Iraq, the Copts of Egypt….
Meanwhile the Muslim demographic in Israel is soaring.
Islamic propaganda, supported by unhinged professors, knee-jerk liberals, politicians who have sold their soul for the petrol dollar and student who don’t have a brain between them all tell us it IS Israel that practices apartheid.
Orwellian apartheid, that is.
There are two UN refugee agencies in the world: First is the United Nations
Relief and Works Administrations (UNRWA) for 5 million Palestinian refugees
(which includes the descendants of the original 500,000 Palestinian refugees
from the Israeli War of Independence) which employs 30,000 workers. The UNRWA
has resettled no Palestinians.
The second refugee agency is the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR), which assists every other refugee in the world–including 100
million displaced people during the last 50 years–and employs 7,000 people. The
UNHCR has resettled tens of millions of refugees.
Looking at these numbers, one would think that the cause of the Palestinians
is somehow morally superior to that of all other war refugees. After all, why
have so many more workers been assisting a dramatically smaller group of
people? But if the Palestinians are unique it is only because of their moral
inferiority, as they are the only group of refugees that regularly commit acts
of terrorism against innocent civilians.
Another obvious question: why hasn’t the UNRWA resettled any of the
Palestinian refugees? The answer, of course, is that the surrounding Arab
states would rather have these refugees remain a thorn in Israel’s side, than
help them start a new life. The UNRWA is happy to oblige.
The official media narrative is that these differences are the results of eons of oppression,
checkpoints and blockades. Fair enough. But then why does the IMF put Israel’s
GDP Per Capita well ahead of the oil rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia has no Israeli checkpoints, no Israeli soldiers or planes flying
overhead. It has wealth literally pouring out of the ground with a fifth of the
world’s petroleum reserves. And yet the IMF puts it 13 places behind Israel and
the World Bank puts it 8 places behind Israel. The only Muslim countries with a
better GDP Per Capita rating than Israel are small monarchies drowning in oil.
The non-oil Muslim countries who are closest to Israel are Malaysia and
Lebanon, 32 and 33 places behind Israel. Both countries also have sizable
non-Muslim populations. Muslims make up only 50 percent of Lebanon and only 60
percent of Malaysia.
38 places below Israel is Turkey, which until recently was a secular country
and actually has a statistically significant atheist population. And that’s it.
Below that we fall off a cliff into places like Belarus, South Africa and
Grenada; all of whom still have better GDP Per Capita rates. No Muslim country
without oil has a better GDP Per Capita than a Muslim country that has sizable
Christian or Buddhist minorities.
Palestinians are a miserable and pathetic
people. They slit the throats of innocent Israeli families, then whine when
Israel sets up check points to prevent this. They blow themselves up on crowded
Israeli buses, then whimper when Israel prevents this with a wall. The shoot
rockets at Israel by the thousands, then kvetch and moan when Israel deploys
Iron Dome defenses to prevent this, too.
They forced the construction of the wall. They necessitated the checkpoints. All of
their misery is their own doing. But they will never acknowledge that truth;
because that would mean self-reflection and intelligence (decency and kindness)
on their part– all characteristics they and their leadership know nothing
about.
Michelle,
Outrageous comparison to the Germans, TRUE, but outrageous.
FORCED STERILIZATION
CONFISCATON OF LAND AND PROPERTY
DENIAL OF EDUCATION
DENIAL OF FREEDOM
DENIAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS
CLUSTER BOMBS
DENIAL OF BASIC HUMAN NEEDS
DENIAL OF FREEDOM
Lots’ of good Israeli Policies to support. let’s all Support the Alliance. NOT
Saudi Arabia…
FORCED CHILD MARRAIGES
FORCED BLACK BURKAS IN SWELTERING HEAT
FORCED GHETTOS FOR ALL NON-SUNNI MUSLIMS
DENIAL OF EDUCATION
DENIAL FO ALL INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS
DENIAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Lots’ of good Saudi policies to support. let’s all Support the Alliance. NOT.
The following are facts, not the Bullsh*t written in these comments.
The only country where Palestinians are given full rights is in Israel. In Jordan and Lebanon they have some rights, but not to the same extent as they have in Israel, but in every other Muslim country they are denied citizenship and all other rights conferred with it.
Palestinians in Israel have built successful businesses, have become successful lawyers, doctors and professors while they live in squalor, with no hope of bettering themselves in all Muslim countries.
The lies found in the comment section here are reminiscent of what would find in German papers in the 1930s, and like the authors of those blood libels then I doubt the writers of today’s comments feel any shame either.
What sort of person revels in other’s misery other than sadistic pigs and/or people whose ability to be honest, curious and decent have been destroyed?
“Democracy, Social Rights” in Israel?
Bit of a stretch don’t you think?
My definition of Democracy is Democracy for all and Social Rights for all, not just for Jewish Israelis but even for Arab Israelis.
Great Article. It’s nice to see such wide range support from any university campus.
@Jon, I’m sorry, as much as the media likes to make this seem like a balanced conflict, in reality you cannot equate the claims or actions of both sides.
As a prospective USC parent, I’m concerned about the prevalence of pro-Israel propaganda on this campus. Where is the balance in presenting divergent perspectives that one expects in an institution of higher learning. Gives me pause in having my child attend USC. It’s bad enough that my tax dollars help add to the misery experienced by Palestinians, but to pay tuition that would further Israeli propaganda too? Don’t have the stomach for that.
Let’s not confuse supporting our friendship with Israel with supporting their Middle East policies. Frankly, they treat their neighbors monstrously, undeniable. They are intent on taking as much from the Palestinians as they can before the world finally says “Enough”, which I hope is soon.
Boy, AIPAC is working overtime these days at USC. Never seen so many articles supporting the Jewish cause.
That’s all right but lets be balanced.
Let’s also support the Palestinians in their cause for statehood, supported by the UN; the exact same method that Israel used to gain statehood.
Let’s see the situation for what it is. It is two sided.
While Saudis repress all their people (other than the royal family whom have private $500 million dollar private airplanes) we focus our angst on Israel for deep down we are really just anti-Semites pretending to be humanitarians.
While Pakistanis ethnically cleanse that once Hindu country of its remaining Hindus we focus our angst on Israel for deep down we are really just anti-Semites pretending to be humanitarians.
While Egyptians ethnically cleanse that country of its ancient Coptic community we focus our angst on Israel for deep down we are anti-Semites masquerading as humanitarians.
While Mali Islamists turn Mali into the next Sudan we focus our angst on Israel for deep down we are really anti-Semites dressed up in humanitarian’s clothes.
While Yemenis turn that bread basket of the Arabian Peninsula into a place of starvation we focus our crocodile tears on Israel for deep down we are really anti-Semites dressed up in fancy humanitarian clothes.
While Islamists in Southern Thailand kill off over 5,000 Buddhists in the span of a few years we ignore their plight and turn our focus on Israel for we are anti-Semites pretending to be concerned humanitarians.
While Hezbollah kills off what remains of the Christian leadership in Lebanon we turn the spotlight on Israel for they are just Jews and we all know nobody has ever defended the Jews. They’re easy pickings and we are really just Brown Shirts pretending to be humanitarians.