By Mike Napolitano
Controversy erupted in Snell Library last Thursday when Northeastern hosted veteran journalist Charles Enderlin as part of its “Meet the Author” series.
Enderlin, a veteran reporter for the France 2 television network who has spent years covering Israeli-Palestinian relations, attracted a large crowd of supporters, opponents and others who were just curious.
Promoting his newest book, “The Lost Years,” Enderlin took the audience through a summary of his experiences in the Middle East from 2001 to 2006.
Enderlin is well-known for his involvement in the controversy surrounding the death of a young Palestinian boy named Muhammad al-Durrah. In a France 2 video broadcast around the world, the boy crouches behind his father as they attempt to avoid the gunfire of Palestinian and Israeli security forces in the Gaza Strip. After the smoke clears, Muhammad is seen slumped over his injured father’s legs, dead. It was unclear from the footage whose gunfire hit him.
Enderlin, although not present at the time of the incident, edited and narrated the footage that was broadcast. In his voiceover, he said Israeli soldiers had killed the boy, a remark that has been contested by many for years.
At Enderlin’s lecture, the outrage toward him was apparent at the beginning of the question and answer segment. One student called him a “blatant anti-Semite” and asked why he blamed Israel for much of the violence in the region. Another woman chimed in, calling him a disgrace to good journalism.
“I’m disappointed Northeastern brought this biased speaker,” said Jackie Steinberg, a middler entrepreneurship major, after the session ended. “He clearly demonstrated his anti-Israel agenda in every word he said and every fact he distorted.”
Despite these allegations, Enderlin took each question and offered his explanations. He said all of his remarks had been backed up with factually-based evidence. He went on to say that both sides had taken their own parts in the destruction of peace talks.
“There is no culture against peace on the Palestinian side,” he said.
The radicals, Enderlin said, are part of a minority that does not represent the entire population of the region. However, he also said that when hardship goes up, so does radicalism. Calling the Palestinians an “occupied people,” Enderlin said uses the word “terrorist” as little as possible when reporting in the region. “Fighter,” he said, is a much more suitable word.
While many remained outraged about Enderlin’s remarks, others were simply confused.
“I didn’t know there would be so much controversy,” said Joyce McCauley, a middler international affairs and political science major.
Rachel Hamilton, a freshman international affairs and human services major, said she was surprised by the controversial nature of the event.
“It was pretty incendiary and unexpected,” she said.
Enderlin also talked about his experiences of living in Jerusalem since 1968 as both a French and Israeli citizen, especially focusing on his new book. “The Lost Years” was titled in light of the lost negotiations and peace between Israel and Palestine. It served as the basis for a documentary, which will air on the Discovery Times Channel, called “Years of Blood.”
Enderlin said the political situation in the region hasn’t improved, citing failed curfews and leverage on the Palestinian government posed by the Israelis. Arafat, he said, was a tragic leader as he failed to understand that things changed after September 11. The author blamed Hamas for preventing a cease-fire, and ultimately pushing Gaza toward becoming a totalitarian state. He also speculated that the West Bank will not be evacuated any time soon, claiming that it is impossible.
Despite the controversy, several students said they found the event enlightening.
“It was interesting to get the opinion of someone involved and on the ground, and hear his view on older and younger generations of Palestinians,” said Taylor Pichette, a freshman international affairs major.
