Speaking out on Breaking the Silence

The Telegraph

By Ami Eden · March 10, 2008

The Harvard Crimson reports on the controversy stirred up by a multi-media exhibition at the Harvard Hillel featuring testimonials from Israeli soldiers about their time in Gaza and the West Bank:

"Breaking the Silence" – a traveling exhibit of over 100 photographs and videos testimonials curated by former Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldiers – drew a crowd of nearly 200 on its opening night on March 1. Critics have said the exhibit portrays only the extremes of military life – such as a picture of an IDF soldier smiling in front of several corpses – and offers little context.

"By hosting this exhibit, Harvard Hillel only promotes enmity and hatred towards Israel and gives legitimacy to these sentiments by stamping its approval on the biased, distorted collage of pictures," said [ZOA's Mort Klein].

But Franklin M. Fisher – an MIT economics professor and chair of Americans for Peace Now, which advocates for peace in the Middle East and sponsors "Breaking the Silence" – said he disagreed with Klein's view. Fisher said the exhibit does not constitute criticism of Israel, adding that "not all criticism of Israel is hostile."