c. 1999 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ The Walt Disney Co. is getting a firsthand lesson in just how small the world has become, thanks to a controversial Jerusalem exhibit at Disney World’s Epcot park that has brought the bitterness of Middle East politics to Orlando, Fla.

American-Muslim groups have called for a boycott of all Disney theme parks and products because, they say, the Israeli-financed exhibit flouts international law by depicting Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.”We want to reiterate that the central issue in this whole controversy is Israel’s illegal occupation and annexation of Jerusalem,”Khalid Turaani, executive director of American Muslims for Jerusalem, told a news conference here Tuesday (Sept. 21).”Since Disney has elected to venture from entertainment into politics, the corporation must see that our community will not accept its endorsement of Israel’s acquisition of territory by force.” Not so, said Disney World spokesman Bill Warren.”There is no reference to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, nor do we believe it is implied. But everybody will view this exhibit differently depending upon where they are coming from on this issue.”There is no desire on the part of Disney to create a political forum for anybody. We’re just trying to create quality entertainment,”he said.”Others have made this a political issue.” The Jerusalem exhibit is part of a planned Millennium Village display scheduled to open Oct. 1 and run for 15 months. More than 20 nations, including Israel, have pavilions in the village that are meant to showcase unique aspects of their cultures. Israel contributed $1.8 million toward construction of the exhibit.

Israel captured eastern Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War. It later annexed the eastern portion and declared all of Jerusalem its legal capital, never to be surrendered.

However, most of the world _ including the United States _ points to United Nations resolutions that say Israel’s annexation is illegal under international law. Palestinians want the peace process to end with east Jerusalem as the capital of their hoped-for independent state.

The dispute over the exhibit has taken on international dimensions, with the Arab League and various Muslim nations threatening worldwide boycotts of their own against Disney. Arab League spokesman Ismat Abd al-Majid said a meeting would be held in New York later this week to discuss the issue.

Moreover, the controversy has erupted as Israel and the Palestinian Authority prepare to take up the explosive issue of Jerusalem as part of a final push toward a comprehensive peace agreement. In the United States, supporters on both sides of the issue have stepped up their activities in hopes of influencing the final outcome of the talks.

The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America called the boycott threat”provocative and unproductive”and an attempt to”politicize and prejudice the peace process.” In what Israel and Jewish-American groups criticized as caving in to pressure, Disney said after a meeting last week with Muslim and Arab-American representatives that no references to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital were included in the exhibit.

Following that meeting, some Arab groups said they were now satisfied with the exhibit. Israeli officials also said they were satisfied, and Disney announced that the exhibit would proceed.

Warren declined to say if any change had been made in the exhibit because of the protests.”All of our exhibits are subject to change until they open. But I’m not going to acknowledge any details”because of Disney’s contractual agreements with its business partners, he added.

The Muslim and Arab representatives have not been allowed to view the Jerusalem exhibit itself, but were shown a model and film that will play at the pavilion.

Tuesday, Turaani and other Muslim leaders said Disney had not done enough to meet their concerns. They also said the Jerusalem exhibit presented a distorted view of history by minimizing the Islamic and Christian ties to the city.”Walt Disney does not respect the feelings of people who are not Jewish,”said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Once again, Warren disagreed.”The exhibit respectfully acknowledges the three primary faiths of the region,”he said.

One Muslim Arab who has come out against a boycott is Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Taal, a major shareholder in France’s Euro Disney park.”An Arab boycott of Disney will hurt the Arabs more than it will hurt Disney,”he said.

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