"Israeli fruit tastes bitter. Say no to the occupation of Palestine. Don't buy any fruit from Israel" read a controversial poster displayed on the Oxfam Belgium website last July. Oxfam Belgium is an independent affiliate of Oxfam International, an umbrella organization which runs various programs, campaigns and projects throughout the world to find solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice based on human rights. Its affiliates include Oxfam Great Britain, Oxfam America, Oxfam Germany and Oxfam Hong Kong. Brandeis is a major participant in the Oxfam America collegiate click drive; a national competition among colleges across America to generate the most donations from their school by clicking on the link to povertyfighters.com.

The poster evoked many letter-writing campaigns by individuals and organizations, namely the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international human rights organization that fosters educational outreach and social action. Oxfam Belgium has since removed the poster from its website explaining that its position is not anti-Israel, but is rather opposed to the occupation of Palestinian territory by the Israeli government. It has replaced the old poster with a new poster that reads, in translation: "Stop the Occupation of Palestine."

Ian Anderson, Chairman of Oxfam International responded to the numerous letters of protest and complaints about the poster from various organizations in a letter on July 16. In the letter he apologized for any offense that was caused by the poster and explained Oxfam's position with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to Anderson's letter, Oxfam currently has five affiliate groups working in the region on long-term development projects with both Israeli and Palestinian peace activists.

"Oxfam International...supports a two state solution through negotiation," said Paul Adler '04, an Oxfam CHANGE leader, Oxfam America intern, and one of the coordinators of the Oxfam America Collegiate Click Drive at Brandeis. "(Oxfam) is critical of both the Israeli occupation and Palestinian terrorism."

Oxfam America President Raymond Offenheiser wrote a letter to Simon Wiesenthal Center Associate Dean, Rabbi Abraham Cooper, on July 29 stating that Oxfam International does not support a public campaign for a boycott of Israeli produce, and is not to be associated with the messages and images produced by the Oxfam Belgium campaign.

Oxfam Great Britain refused a u5,000 donation from Ted Honderich, formerly a Professor of Mind and Logic at University College, London, whose book entitled After the Terror, defends Palestinians' right to carry out suicide bombings and terror attacks. The donation would have come from his advance against royalties for his book, and was refused because of its link to the book.

According to Adler, Oxfam International coordinates between the affiliate Oxfam groups with regard to larger campaigns and themes that all affiliates endorse while each affiliate deals with smaller projects and goals individually. "Oxfams work together, but each has a lot of autonomy," he said.

Some organizations and individuals have not accepted the apology made by Oxfam Belgium and Oxfam International. The Simon Wiesenthal Center continues to urge people via its website to petition against Oxfam, stating that Oxfam's views of the conflict are dangerously one-sided. However, in an e-mail, Paul Adler said: "this is for the parties concerned a resolved matter".

Brandeis has a history of involvement with Oxfam America, including avid participation in the Oxfam America Collegiate, Click Drive, and the Oxfam Hunger Buffet, which takes place annually during Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week at Brandeis, mainly coordinated by Hillel.

According to Deb Wachenheim, Tzedek Hillel Coordinator at Brandeis Hillel, Brandeis Hillel continues to support the anti-hunger and anti-homelessness work of Oxfam America.

"In doing this, we are not stating that we support everything that Oxfam International or any of its affiliate country-based organizations does or says," she said in an e-mail.

Brandeis Hillel is a Tzedek Hillel, meaning that it puts extra time and resources into social justice programming. At Brandeis, this programming is focused on hunger and homelessness.

"Oxfam America is well-known as one of the major national organizations working to combat hunger and homelessness around the world... Brandeis Hillel works with them in that capacity, using the resources of Oxfam America to further the hunger and homelessness programming that we coordinate on campus," Wachenheim said in an e-mail.

According to Adler, Brandeis students should continue to participate in Oxfam sponsored events. "Oxfam does so much good work around the world...I think it would be sad...if one poster that Belgium put up back-lashed on Oxfam's activity," he said.