Morton Klein
MORTON A. KLEIN CUf ST COLUMNIST Despite even-handed claims, Churches for Middle East Peace lobbies Capitol Hill zviih afrightening display of unbridled hostility toward Israel, Zionism and...
...aid to the Middle East focused only on U.S...
...It was difficult to avoid the impression that the claim of "even-handedness" was simply a fig leaf, a tactic intended to make the lobbyists' anti-Israel hostility seem more reasonable...
...How can we stop Congress from the fear of being voted out of office if they don't comply with AIPAC and Israel...
...A former economist in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Klein has vjritten and lectured on the Middle East, economic forecasting, health economics and medical research evaluation...
...arms to all Middle East countries, not just Israel...
...Now you get me straight: We don't want this to happen, but you're gonna have barrelfuls of it...
...And let me warn you—the Israeli lobby and Israel are causing antisemitism to rise and continue to rise in this country...
...Their behavior brimmed with unremitting hostility toward Israel and Jews...
...How can we save Congress from the Israeli lobby," a middle-aged man from Sarasota, Florida, demanded heatedly...
...We know that the Irish and the Italians and others are Americans first and Irish and Italians second, but I am concerned that Jews are Jews first and Americans second...
...More than one hundred church activists' from around the country converged on Capitol Hill on May 13, 14 and 15, 1990, ostensibly to lobby for Middle East peace in a balanced manner...
...In addition to many common anti-Israel complaints, the lobbyists delivered to the members of Congress some ludicrous accusations...
...The next question was almost a threat: "The Jewish lobby is causing antisemitism all over this country," the lobbyist warned...
...complained about alleged Israeli human rights violations but also referred to abuses in Egypt and Iraq...
...These lobbyists attempted to hide their anti-Israel animus behind soothing catch words like "justice" and "even-handedness...
...What do we get for our $3 billion, anyway...
...A representative of the Israeli peace movement was asked in an obviously hostile manner, "Are Jews Americans first or Jews first...
...and recommended a reduction in U.S...
...The literature packet that was presented to each of the budding lobbyists called for the establishment of a Palestinian state but also endorsed Israel's right to secure boundaries...
...Despite all their pretensions to the contrary, there was nothing even-handed about the visit to Washington by the members of Churches for Middle East Peace, ij1 Morton A. Klein, affiliated tuith the Committee far Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, is an investment specialist and advisor...
...There was laughter and widespread applause...
...Every American has the right to lobby Congress...
...Again, vigorous applause...
...A similar point was made by a member of the audience during a lecture by Representative Lee Hamilton (D-Ind...
...Some of the lobbyists seemed almost obsessed with American Jewry's relationship to Israel...
...But what began as a legitimate attempt by critics of Israel to exercise their democratic right to influence Congress quickly degenerated into a frightening display of unbridled hostility toward Israel, Zionism and American Jews—and a disturbing refusal to speak out about Arab terrorism, human rights abuses by Arab regimes and the lack of democracy in the Arab world...
...When State Department representative Michele Durocher referred to Israel as "a strategic ally of the U.S.," a lobbyist in the audience shouted, "Is Israel really such a great ally of the United States...
...In fact, the leaders of the lobbying group indicated as much during a coaching session prior to their meetings with members of Congress...
...As it happened, many of the lobbyists failed to pay much attention to these calls for tactical savvy...
...MORTON A. KLEIN CUf ST COLUMNIST Despite even-handed claims, Churches for Middle East Peace lobbies Capitol Hill zviih afrightening display of unbridled hostility toward Israel, Zionism and American Jews...
...A pastor from Illinois charged that "Israelis regularly deface churches and mosques in Jerusalem," that "Arab houses are requisitioned and given to European Jews with no compensation" and that "Israel is responsible for the fighting in Lebanon...
...aid to Israel...
...All the complaints voiced about human rights abuses seemed to focus only on Israel and all talk of reducing U.S...
...The lobbying effort was organized by Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 12 major Christian denominations that publicly claims its purpose is to promote "an even-handed approach that seeks justice for all peoples and countries" in the Middle East...
...Corinne Whidatch, a staff member of Churches for Middle East Peace, launched the session by declaring, "It may stick in our throats, but purely as a tactical measure we should say to the congressmen or senators, 'all Arab countries should recognize Israel.'" Whitlatch was followed by Jim Wetekam, a staff member of the United Church of Christ (one of the constituent groups of the Churches for Middle East Peace), who defined the group's goal as an effort to "change the center of the debate—or, if we can't do that, we should at least change the perception of what the center is...
...But every member of congress, as well as the public at large, has the right to know a lobbyist's true intentions...
...Unfortunately, the even-handedness of the coalition's literature was rarely expressed during the lectures, briefings and meetings with members of Congress that filled the three-day junket to Capitol Hill...
...A second man yelled, "They steal from us and they cooperate with South Africa, too...
Vol. 15 • October 1990 • No. 5
