Olmert’s visit sparked protests

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s visited campus Tuesday, sparking protests outside of McAlister Auditorium
Tulane University Campus Programming brought Olmert to campus despite his recent indictment in Israel. He discussed both national issues—such as Israel’s educational system—and international issues, including Iran’s nuclear facilities.

He also spoke about the possibility for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, along with other topics.

“I chose to speak before the students here and in several other academic institutions in the United States because I believe that the future rests in your hands,” Olmert said. “You will undertake the positions of my generation and lead the world forward. You have exceptional abilities, a clear sense of moral justice, the necessary amount of involvement, technological means, and I am here to provide a little more knowledge and background. With all these, your generation’s time to exercise your leadership will come sooner than expected.”

TUCP Direction Chair Matt Simmons said that the event exceeded his expectations.

“I think everyone was captivated by his speech,” Simmons said. “He went in-depth about every question I asked him. I think he did a really good job. I’ve heard that from everyone I’ve talked to so far.”

When two audience members left their seats during the lecture, yelling across the auditorium, Olmert joked that his hearing was failing and thus that he could not understand their comments. He also joked that the disruptions were preventing him from leaving campus early enough to make it to the French Quarter by midnight.

The Tulane University Police Department, New Orleans Police Department, intelligence security, the State Department and Olmert’s own private security oversaw the safety measures of the event, TUPD Colonel Jack LeBlanc said.

“We wanded people, we checked bags — we did a lot for this event,” LeBlanc said. “We didn’t chance anything. We felt that we were definitely prepared for the event. “

Three organizations — the Tulane Politics Club, Amnesty International and another non-student group — registered with Student Affairs to protest Olmert’s visit to campus.

Though some students and community members opposed Olmert’s visit to campus, Tulane’s administration supported TUCP’s decision to invite the former Prime Minister to Tulane.

“Mr. Olmert was invited to speak at Tulane by… a student-run, student-funded organization,” said Public Relations Director Mike Strecker said. “TUCP and many others on campus worked hard to produce an informative event. Despite the fact that Mr. Olmert’s appearance was opposed by some—whose right to protest we fully supported and protected—this event was of great interest to many in the university community and, for that reason, we supported this endeavor.”

Though it remained peaceful, the protest grew throughout the evening, LeBlanc said. Once the protests became too loud, TUPD officers gave the protesters 10 minutes to finish the demonstration.

Junior Dinah Reda, who represented Amnesty International at the demonstrations, said that her organization protested because of the human rights violations that occurred under Olmert’s term as Prime Minister.

“Our stance was different from the pro-Palestine groups,’” Reda said. “Those were arguing for independence. Amnesty International has no involvement with the politics of independence. All Amnesty International was arguing against was the human rights abuses.”

A group of protesters walked out of the lecture halfway through wearing red tape over their mouths, on which they had written Israeli war crimes. Graduate student Shereen Naser, member of the NOLA Palestine Solidarity Group, participated in this demonstration and in the street theater piece, which involved several students simulating the dead bodies of Palestinians outside of McAlister Auditorium.

“My own personal goals were to provide a second opinion on the proceedings of Tuesday night and to make sure that Olmert, as well as the university, knew that there are people in the Tulane and New Orleans community who do not support a man who as the Israeli Prime Minister killed thousands in Lebanon and Gaza and committed war crimes, including illegally using weapons against civilian targets and deliberately attacking hospitals and medical staff in the Gaza strip,” Naser said.

Reda said that several students told her that though they supported Amnesty International’s stance, they would not participate in the demonstrations because they were afraid that would be blacklisted on campus.

“There needs to be a more open environment,” Reda said. “I sympathize with pro-Israelis. Personally, I’m pro-Palestine; I’m Arab. But there needs to be an open environment. There was some of that at the protest.”

Tulane graduate Emily Ratner, another member of the New Orleans Palestine Solidarity and of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, said that she ultimately hoped that Olmert’s lecture would be cancelled.

“For Palestinians in our community who are from Gaza and have family in Gaza, it’s a really heartbreaking event to happen in our community,” Ratner said. “Primarily, we’re here to challenge that and just say we don’t all agree with this, and we won’t allow him to come here and not be challenged. “

Tulanians for Israel President Jesse Berkson said that he thought Olmert spoke well and targeted important issues affecting Israel despite the protests.

“They have every legitimate right to protest, and it was a very small group, but I just don’t see how it helps to further the conversation,” Berkson said. “I don’t know how it helps to bring mutual understanding and to eventually come to a place where we can live in coexistence and bring about a two-state solution between Israel and a Palestinian state.”