Politics in the Middle East are a hot topic almost every night on the evening news, and on Tuesday night, a player in that arena will speak at Syracuse University.

Mark Regev, spokesman for the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C., will address students about democracy in the Middle East at 5 p.m. in Room 500 at the Hall of Languages.

‘Mark Regev brings experience both for the media and government to those who may or may not know about Middle-East politics and the current crisis,’ said Emily Raderman, campus coordinator for the Jewish National Fund.

Regev has held many positions at the Foreign Ministry, such as the deputy chief of mission at the consulate general in Hong Kong, and spokesman at the embassy in Beijing and at the Jordan Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. Regev also taught international relations and strategy at Israel Defense Forces’ Staff College.

‘Mr. Regev’s lecture will reinforce the shared values of freedom and democracy that are the bond between Israel and the United States,’ said Sarah Dickens, a sophomore international relations major and member of CusePac, Syracuse’s Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Hillel and CusePac are hosting the event through an organization that brings speakers from a wide range of viewpoints from Israel to college campuses called Caravan For Democracy.

Founded by the Jewish National Fund, Media Watch International and Hamagshimim, Caravan for Democracy encourages critical thinking about politics and media coverage in Israel on college campuses. It also seeks to raise awareness about democratic principles, Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East and Israeli citizens having the same rights as Americans.

‘It promotes dialogue from a new perspective,’ Raderman said.

The Jewish National Fund, founded in 1901, is a nonprofit organization that considers itself the caretaker of Israel and has planted more than 220 million trees and created more than 400 parks throughout Israel. Media Watch International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing Israel’s image by promoting accurate, impartial and timely media coverage of Israel and the Middle East. Hamagshimim, the student-led university Zionist movement, brings Israel to college campuses through a variety of programs.

Caravan for Democracy visits 20 campuses each semester based on several criteria and requests.

‘Middle East politics are important to me because I have family in Israel,’ said Bernard Eckstein, a sophomore management major who has visited Israel more than a dozen times. ‘Last time I went there I was a sophomore or junior in high school and went for my cousin’s wedding, and I didn’t want to go because of the conflict. It’s a great place with lots of things to do, but visiting there is becoming scary.’

Other students’ interest in Israel comes from visiting the country.

‘I have been fortunate to have made numerous visits to Israel,’ Dickens said. ‘Each visit I made has impacted me deeply with personal, historical, religious and political meaning.’

Dickens also said she is going back to Israel next summer to participate in the Caravan Israel Activism Mission, where she will meet with officials and engage in activist training.

Tonight’s event will begin with an educational lecture and then the audience will be allowed to ask questions. The doors open at 4:30 p.m. for the event. Students must register online at www.caravanfordemocracy.org to attend.

Published on October 27, 2003 at 12:00 pm