Visiting scholar to share insights on Mideast at CLC
Students at Central Lakes College who want to learn more about the Mideast in the next four weeks will have a chance to hear the perspective of an Israeli scholar who has specialized in Islamic studies.
Ron Shaham, the director of the Levtzion Center for Islamic Studies at Hebrew University, will be a visiting Fulbright Scholar at the school. During his four-week visit, Shaham will do short-term lecturing at CLC and also speak at St. Cloud State University, a Rotary club and area high schools.
"I hope in four weeks I'll be able to share some knowledge and different frameworks," Shaham said.
The 53-year-old scholar said it's not a stretch for an Israel-born academic to specialize in Islamic studies since his homeland is surrounded by Arab countries and 20 percent of the population in Israel is made up of Palestinian Arabs. Shaham speaks Hebrew, Arabic and English. He spent considerable time in Egypt, studying family life in modern Egypt for his Ph.D. dissertation.
Ron Shaham, Central Lakes College's visiting Fulbright Scholar from Israel, is the senior lecturer and director of the Levtzion Center for Islamic Studies at Hebrew University. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
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Although there are some strong common characteristics found in Islamic law, worldwide there are differences in each country, he said. In some countries, such as Egypt, Jordan and Syria, Islamic laws have been westernized to a degree. In other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, there has been little western influence. And in countries such as Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan Islamic revolutions have led to a more traditional following of Islamic laws.
While in Minnesota he hopes to share with Minnesotans his perspective that there are no clear-cut or simple solutions to the very complicated problems of the Mideast. A casual observer might wonder why the parties can't reach agreement, Shaham said, but there are many historical nuances that play a role in the disagreements.
"You need two persons to tango," he said. "All problems are quite complicated."
The issue of Jewish settlers in the West Bank, he said is rooted in their religious belief that that area is part of the holy land promised to Jews. Their perspective is also colored by the experience of the evacuation of 2,000 families from the Gaza Strip.
"I don't think many countries would do such a brave step without getting any reciprocation," he said. "We tried it. We did it. We did it in the Gaza Strip. Why should we do it in the West Bank?"
Shaham noted that without the West Bank Israel would be a width of only 15 miles at its narrowest point. It's one thing to experience enemy fire in a remote periphery, he said, but it's a little different when that firepower could reach Ben Gurion National Airport.
"People have become quite suspicious," he said.
There needs to be a period of mutual trust-building in the Mideast, he said.
Expressing his own opinion, he said he would prefer not to see any further expansion of settlements on the West Bank.
Addressing Israel's relationship with Iran, Shaham said he believes Iran has the capability to wage nuclear war and the western nations should inflict harsher sanctions on Iran before it destabilizes the region. In particular, he said the nations of Europe could be stronger in pressuring Iran.
"Iran is a prominent regional power," he said. "I wouldn't want Israel to go with direct conflict with Iran."
The conflicts between Lebanon and Israel are tightly connected to Syria's strong influence of Lebanon and the strength of Hezbollah, a group which has called for the elimination of Israel, according to Shaham.
"There is not any reason for any hostility," Shaham said of Israel and Lebanon. They (Hezbollah) are becoming stronger every day. They are a destabilizing force."
Shaham has made several visits to the U.S., studying at Cornell for a period. His first glimpse of the U.S. was as a 20-year-old Israeli naval officer aboard a ship that was participating in the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial Celebration on the Hudson River. He even spent enough time in New York to become a New York Knicks fan.
He will be joined by his wife for the last two weeks of his time in Brainerd. They are the parents of three adult daughters. Shaham is a first-generation Israeli - but just barely. His father traveled with his family to Israel in 1933 as a 1-year-old. His mother moved to Israel as a youngster from Syria.
MIKE O'ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.