Hitchens: Islamic Jihad is among the toxic forms of anti-Semitism

Christopher Hitchens decries anti-Semitism in lecture at UCLA

By Cynthia Lee March 04, 2010   Abridged.

 

Christopher Hitchens, an internationally known columnist, intellectual and author whose provocative books and essays in Slate, Vanity Fair, the Atlantic and other publications have hammered at organized religion, the Clintons, Winston Churchill and Mother Teresa alike, appeared Wednesday, March 3, before a packed audience at UCLA to portray anti-Semitism as "the godfather of all other forms of racism" and "the gateway to the tyranny of fascism and war."

 

Hitchens urged his audience to "be discerning in picking out the real enemies and toxic forms of anti-Semitism, such as that posed by Islamic jihad."

 

Click to view a video of Hitchen's  Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture.

Israel Expects Peace Talks with Palestinians to Begin Next Week

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel hopes to begin peace negotiations with the Palestinians next week, during a visit by U.S. envoy George Mitchell. 

Mr. Netanyahu spoke to his Cabinet a day after the Arab League endorsed indirect peace talks for a period of four months.

The prime minister said direct talks are necessary to reach a peace agreement, but indirect talks are an acceptable way to restart the diplomatic process.

Palestinian officials say the first order of business during the four-month talks is charting the borders of a future Palestinian state.

(Voice of America)