Difference between revisions of "Seth A. Klarman"

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==Overview==
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Seth Klarman is a "Boston-based pro-Israel billionaire."<ref name="blumenthal">Max Blumenthal, "[http://electronicintifada.net/content/weddadys-free-arabs-american-islamic-congress-and-pro-israel-funders-who-helped-them-rise Weddady’s Free Arabs, American Islamic Congress and the pro-Israel funders who helped them rise]," ''Electronic Intifada'', 7 May 2013</ref> The journalist Max Blumenthal describes Klarman as "one of the pro-Israel community’s most prolific financial angels and also one of its most ideologically hardline."<ref name="atfp">Max Blumenthal, "[http://mondoweiss.net/2013/11/palestinian-billionaire-repressive.html American Task Force on Palestine finds funding from anti-Palestinian billionaire and a repressive monarchy]," Mondoweiss, 27 Nov 2013</ref> He reports:
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<blockquote>"Klarman became one of the world’s richest people through the [[Baupost Group]], a Boston-based hedge fund he founded that is now worth upwards of $20 billion. With his philanthropic foundation, Klarman emerged in the past five years as one of the pro-Israel lobby’s most aggressive funders."</blockquote>
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==Views==
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Politically, Klarman is reportedly on the hawkish right of the pro-Israel spectrum.<ref name="atfp" /> In an op-ed co-authored with [[Charles Jacob]] of [[The David Project]], Klarman argued that "there is a new assault on the world's Jews," based on "hatred for Israel" and its supporters. It is promoted, he wrote, by "Islamic anti-Semitism" on the one hand, and Western "Palestinianism" -- sympathy for the Palestinians' plight by "Western radicals" -- on the other. In the West today, "hostility to Jews" manifests primarily as criticism of Israel.<ref>Charles Jacobs and Seth A. Klarman, "[http://www.hasbara.com/v2pages/jacobs.html Jews Are Under Siege: A Call For Action]," accessed on 28 Nov 2013</ref>
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==Activities==
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Klarman funds many pro-Israel lobby groups, including [[The David Project]] (of which he is also co-Chair); [[The Israel Project]]; [[Scholars for Peace in the Middle East]]; [[Birthright Israel]], [[Washington Institute for Near East Policy]], [[Foundation for the Defense of Democracies]], [[Ir David]], [[Middle East Media Research Institute]] and the [[American Jewish Committee]].<ref name="atfp" /><ref name="blumenthal" />
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===The 'Wedge' strategy===
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Unusually, Klarman also funds American Islamic and Palestinian organisations, with the aim, Max Blumenthal argues, of driving "a wedge through mainstream Muslim-American organizing".<ref name="atfp" />
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The [[American Islamic Congress]] was heavily funded by Klarman; it refused to engage with mainstream Muslim civil rights groups and forbade "members of its student arm, Project Nur, from discussing Palestine-related issues on campus."<ref name="atfp" />
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Klarman also funded the [[American Islamic Forum]]. It is led by [[Zuhdi Jasser]], "an Arizona-based physician and practicing Muslim who served as the key protagonist of the anti-Muslim propaganda film, ''[[The Third Jihad]]''."<ref name="atfp" />
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Another recipient of Klarman donations is the Saudi-backed [[American Task Force for Palestine]], a group that has been widely criticised for lending support to US and Israeli measures that in fact work against Palestinians interests.<ref name="atfp" />
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==Affiliations==
 
==Affiliations==
*[[The Israel Project]]
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* [[The David Project]] (funder; co-Chair)
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* [[The Israel Project]] (main funder)
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* [[American Task Force for Palestine]] (funder)
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* [[American Islamic Congress]] (funder)
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* [[American Islamic Forum]] (funder)
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* [[Scholars for Peace in the Middle East]] (funder)
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* [[Birthright Israel]] (funder)
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* [[Washington Institute for Near East Policy]] (funder)
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* [[Foundation for the Defense of Democracies]] (funder)
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* [[Ir David]] (funder)
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* [[Middle East Media Research Institute]] (funder)
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* [[American Jewish Committee]] (funder)
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* [[Baupost Group]] (founder)
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* [[Klarman Family Foundation]] (funding vehicle)
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==Notes==
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<references/>
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[[category:Israel Lobby]]

Revision as of 00:16, 28 November 2013

Overview

Seth Klarman is a "Boston-based pro-Israel billionaire."[1] The journalist Max Blumenthal describes Klarman as "one of the pro-Israel community’s most prolific financial angels and also one of its most ideologically hardline."[2] He reports:

"Klarman became one of the world’s richest people through the Baupost Group, a Boston-based hedge fund he founded that is now worth upwards of $20 billion. With his philanthropic foundation, Klarman emerged in the past five years as one of the pro-Israel lobby’s most aggressive funders."

Views

Politically, Klarman is reportedly on the hawkish right of the pro-Israel spectrum.[2] In an op-ed co-authored with Charles Jacob of The David Project, Klarman argued that "there is a new assault on the world's Jews," based on "hatred for Israel" and its supporters. It is promoted, he wrote, by "Islamic anti-Semitism" on the one hand, and Western "Palestinianism" -- sympathy for the Palestinians' plight by "Western radicals" -- on the other. In the West today, "hostility to Jews" manifests primarily as criticism of Israel.[3]

Activities

Klarman funds many pro-Israel lobby groups, including The David Project (of which he is also co-Chair); The Israel Project; Scholars for Peace in the Middle East; Birthright Israel, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, Ir David, Middle East Media Research Institute and the American Jewish Committee.[2][1]

The 'Wedge' strategy

Unusually, Klarman also funds American Islamic and Palestinian organisations, with the aim, Max Blumenthal argues, of driving "a wedge through mainstream Muslim-American organizing".[2]

The American Islamic Congress was heavily funded by Klarman; it refused to engage with mainstream Muslim civil rights groups and forbade "members of its student arm, Project Nur, from discussing Palestine-related issues on campus."[2]

Klarman also funded the American Islamic Forum. It is led by Zuhdi Jasser, "an Arizona-based physician and practicing Muslim who served as the key protagonist of the anti-Muslim propaganda film, The Third Jihad."[2]

Another recipient of Klarman donations is the Saudi-backed American Task Force for Palestine, a group that has been widely criticised for lending support to US and Israeli measures that in fact work against Palestinians interests.[2]

Affiliations

Notes