Washington Report - January/February 2017 - Vol. XXXVI, No. 1

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THE TRUMP ERA BEGINSâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;FIVE VIEWS

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TELLING THE TRUTH FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS...

On Middle East Affairs

Volume XXXVI, No. 1

INTERPRETING THE MIDDLE EAST FOR NORTH AMERICANS

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January/February 2017

INTERPRETING NORTH AMERICA FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

THE U.S. ROLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE

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The Trump Era Begins—Five Views —Ramzy Baroud, Jonathan Cook, Gideon Levy, Charles Swift, Paul R. Pillar

Will Trump Son-in-Law Jared Kushner Serve as Israel’s Direct Line to the White House?—Janet McMahon

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Israel Moves to Legalize Settlements and Further Its Crackdown on BDS—Dale Sprusansky

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Former Dutch Ambassador, Son of “Righteous Gentile,” Apologizes for Ethnic Cleansing—Jonathan Cook I Miss the Gaza Strip—Gideon Levy

What Palestinians Want From Trump —Mohammed Omer

One People, One Voice. This Is the Sound of All of Us—Delinda C. Hanley

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Hands Off the Iran Deal—Eric S. Margolis

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The Senate Passes a Dumb and Dangerous Bill —James J. Zogby

Republicans Keep Both House and Senate, But With Smaller Majorities—Shirl McArthur

Just Like the President-Elect, Trump Cabinet Appointments Send Mixed Messages—Ian Williams

Growing Numbers of Americans Want Their President To Be Even-Handed—Delinda C. Hanley

SPECIAL REPORTS

A Turkish Freeze—Jonathan Gorvett

Indonesia: Attack a Governor to Attack the President?—John Gee

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CRITICAL ISSUES POLL

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Are the Israel Lobby’s Attacks on Keith Ellison Working?—Dale Sprusansky

Prof. Shibley Telhami released the results of his latest poll. See story p. 38.

ON THE COVER: An Iraqi girl pauses in a refugee camp in Debaga, Iraq, where people displaced by fighting in and around Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, have sought shelter, Oct. 22, 2016.

CARL COURT/GETTY IMAGES

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(A Supplement to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs available by subscription at $15 per year. To subscribe, call toll-free 1-888-881-5861.)

Other Voices

Compiled by Janet McMahon

Fidel Castro on Israel and the Jews? It’s Complicated, Arturo Lopez-Levy, The Forward Tom Hayden’s Haunting, Jim Kavanagh, www.counterpunch.org

OV-4

Keith Ellison Seeks to Placate Israel Lobby, by Saying He Is Against BDS, Philip Weiss, http://mondoweiss.net FL State Sen. Dwight Bullard Opposed an Anti-BDS Measure—And Lost His Job, Laila Abdelaziz, http://mondoweiss.net Welcomed, but Uninterested: America’s Intermarried Jews Reject Jewish Outreach, Steven M. Cohen, Haaretz

DEPARTMENTS 5 Publishers’ Page

6 letters to the editor

39 the World looks at the Middle east — CARtoons

42 israel and JudaisM: Is It Fair to Use the term “Apartheid” to Characterize Israel’s occupation? —Allan C. Brownfeld

44 Waging Peace: HCEF Conference Examines Future of Palestinian Christians

The Middle East Books and More booth (at right) was a popular exhibitor at the Dec. 3 American Arabesque celebration in Alexandria, VA. See p. 67.

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Praying for Freedom: Why Is Israel Silencing The Call for Prayer in Jerusalem?, Ramzy Baroud, www.ramzybaroud.net

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Groping and Crying, Amy Kaplan, http://mondoweiss.net

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NYT Advocates Internet Censorship, Robert Parry, http://consortiumnews.com

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Israel Refuses to Sign U.S. Document Outlining Drone Sales, Usage, Gili Cohen, Haaretz

OV-11

Suez: The End of Europe’s Empires, Eric S. Margolis, http://ericmargolis.com

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Europe Capitalizes on the Iran Deal, Eldar Mamedov, http://lobelog.com

OV-13

Pseudo-Scholarship About Iran: Insulting Cyrus the Great, John Limbert, http://lobelog.com

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Students Under Siege as Schools Burn in India’s Troubled Kashmir, Stella Paul, Inter-Press Service

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58 huMan rights: stand Up, speak out! Youth Rally 59 diPloMatic doings: Qatar’s Ambassador Reflects on His Washington tour

60 arab aMerican activisM: René Moawad Foundation Honors Lebanese-American Cancer Fighters 62 MusliM aMerican activisM: Islamic Relief, third Pillar Provide 1,000 thanksgiving turkeys

63 Music & arts: the Art of the Qur’an

68 other PeoPle’s Mail

70 book revieW: syrian Dust: Reporting From the Heart of the War —Reviewed by Nathaniel Bailey

71 Middle east books and More 72 2016 aet choir oF angels 43 indeX to advertisers

COURTESY AMR FOTOS

How Steve Bannon and Breitbart News Can Be Pro-Israel—and Anti-Semitic at the Same Time, Naomi Zeveloff, The Forward OV-1

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A Nation Divided?

American Educational Trust

The electoral map for the Nov. 8 presidential election is truly disheartening, showing as it does such complete separation between the so-called red and blue states. Clearly Americans need to start talking to one another. But in New York City and Washington, DC, for example, very few people seem to know someone who voted for President-elect Donald Trump, and the reverse might be the case in some red state capitals. How, then, can that conversation begin?

That’s Where We Come In.

Many Americans agree that this country’s urgent needs—such as infrastructure, unemployment and poverty—should take priority over aid to foreign countries (particularly welloff countries such as Israel!). At the same time, Congress objects to Iran’s proposed purchase of Boeing airliners, regardless of the jobs that sale would create. As Washington Report readers know only too well, there is a common impetus at work here, one that can be summed up by the recent “Memorandum of Understanding” between the U.S. and Israel:

Israel $38 Billion, America $0.

Americans also are weary of fighting neverending wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Recently President Barack Obama authorized increased military action in Somalia and the first American serviceman was killed in Syria. Is President-elect Trump’s promise to extricate the U.S. from such misadventures something Americans can unite behind (and hold him to!)? The vast majority of Americans are…

Appalled by the Acts of Hate…

Committed by the few, but which affect our fellow citizens in so many ways. Already there have been numerous gestures and expressions of caring, goodwill and solidarity (see p. 26 of this issue) toward members of minority communities, including Arab and Muslim Americans. Surely that is something we can build on! JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Publishers’ Page

“The Israel Lobby and American Policy.”

See p. 21 for our exciting keynote speakers—OK, we can’t help ourselves, they’re Hanan Ashrawi, John Mearsheimer and Ilan Pappé! For your convenience there’s a registration form on the back of that page, so tear it out, fill it in and send it on! In other words…

Americans Reject…

White supremacy, and many protested against the National Policy Institute’s postelection conference in the nation’s capital, at which some members gave the Nazi salute. How, then, to explain NPI head Richard Spencer’s response to Rabbi Matt Rosenberg, who told him, “My tradition teaches a message of radical inclusion and love.” Replied Spencer: “Do you really want radical inclusion into the State of Israel?” Rabbi Rosenberg literally was at a loss for words—because, of course…

The Answer Is No.

Let us renew our commitment to American values—and question the degree to which these are “shared” by Israel. Let us reaffirm our commitment to our fellow Americans, rather than to an apartheid state (see p. 42). Let us emphasize humanitarian aid rather than weapons. Above all, let us start…

Talking to One Another. We’ll Do Our Part…

By continuing to bring Americans the information the mainstream media refuses to provide; by offering outstanding books and DVDs, beautiful Palestinian pottery and crafts, and scrumptious olive oil through Middle East Books and More; and by cosponsoring with the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy our fourth annual conference March 24 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC…

Be There or Be Square.

Help us make our most ambitious conference ever the success we’re sure it will be. We need your financial support as well as your commitment to help get the word out. Needless to say, this is a time of great change, and it’s our hope that more Americans than ever will be seeking information about what got us where we are and how we should move forward. Next year is important for another reason, too:

It’s Our 35th Birthday!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 35 years since Richard H. Curtiss, Andrew I. Killgore and Edward Henderson got together and decided to publish a magazine that would give the whole story about U.S. policy in the Middle East and the role of the Israel Lobby. Won’t you help us celebrate by making a special contribution—one that will honor the past and help us prepare for the future? After all, we want to be around for another 35 years! Maybe by then we won’t be writing about wars and suffering, but a world characterized by…

Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Men.

That’s something we can all unite behind. We are profoundly grateful for your support over our first 35 years. We would not be here without you, and we look forward to collaborating with you in the future. After all, you have proven that: Together, we will...

Make A Difference Today!

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

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Publisher: Managing Editor: News Editor: Assistant Editor:

Middle East Books and More Director:

Finance & Admin. Dir.: Art Director: Executive Editor:

ANDREW I. KILLGORE JANET McMAHON DELINDA C. HANLEY DALE SPRUSANSKY NATHANIEL BAILEY CHARLES R. CARTER RALPH U. SCHERER RICHARD H. CURTISS (1927-2013)

Washington Report on Middle East Affairs (ISSN 8755-4917) is published 7 times a year, monthly except Jan./Feb., March/April, June/July and Aug./Sept. combined, at 1902 18th St., NW, Washington, DC 200091707. Tel. (202) 939-6050. Subscription prices (United States and possessions): one year, $29; two years, $55; three years, $75. For Canadian and Mexican subscriptions, $35 per year; for other foreign subscriptions, $70 per year. Periodicals, postage paid at Washington, DC and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, P.O. Box 91056, Long Beach, CA 90809-1056. Published by the American Educational Trust (AET), a non-profit foundation incorporated in Washington, DC by retired U.S. foreign service officers to provide the American public with balanced and accurate information concerning U.S. relations with Middle Eastern states. AET’s Foreign Policy Committee has included former U.S. ambassadors, government officials, and members of Congress, including the late Democratic Sen. J. William Fulbright and Republican Sen. Charles Percy, both former chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Members of AET’s Board of Directors and advisory committees receive no fees for their services. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs does not take partisan domestic political positions. As a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli dispute, it endorses U.N. Security Council Resolution 242’s landfor-peace formula, supported by nine successive U.S. presidents. In general, it supports Middle East solutions which it judges to be consistent with the charter of the United Nations and traditional American support for human rights, self-determination, and fair play. Material from the Washington Report may be reprinted without charge with attribution to Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Bylined material must also be attributed to the author. This release does not apply to photographs, cartoons or reprints from other publications. Indexed by Ebsco Information Services, InfoTrac, LexisNexis, Public Affairs Information Service, Index to Jewish Periodicals, Ethnic News Watch, Periodica Islamica. CONTACT INFORMATION: Washington Report on Middle East Affairs Editorial Office and Bookstore: P.O. Box 53062, Washington, DC 20009-9062 Phone: (202) 939-6050 • (800) 368-5788 Fax: (202) 265-4574 E-mail: wrmea@wrmea.org bookstore@wrmea.org circulation@wrmea.org advertising@wrmea.org Web sites: http://www.wrmea.org http://www.middleeastbooks.com Subscriptions, sample copies and donations: P.O. Box 91056, Long Beach, CA 90809-1056. Phone: (888) 881-5861 • Fax: (714) 226-9733 Printed in the USA

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LetterstotheEditor AFTER A WEST BANK VISIT

Reading in your October issue about increasing America's “aid” to Israel to $4 to $5 billion dollars per year from $3.1 billion dollars annually leaves me stunned. I can look almost anywhere in this country to see our infrastructure in decline or already collapsing. Who is going to send aid to us?! Six years ago I looked at life very differently before visiting the West Bank. I was stunned at how clueless I was about the situation in that country, having read only American newsprint or watched American TV for years. Since that trip, no one even wants to listen to my viewpoint, including some of my closest friends. Instead they continue to read/watch news pertaining to the Palestinian “situation” through an almost breathtaking lack of knowledge of the real situation going on there. Their willingness to believe this biased information without any investigation leaves me feeling discouraged. I have looked for activist groups both in Pennsylvania and now in Florida, but have found none. Therefore my thoughts and feelings about apartheid in Israel have made me a complete loner about this issue. Year after year I see little change in Israel, and I find this personally upsetting. But I am even more concerned about my inability to convey the message of what is going on in Israel to my friends. I'm sure many of your readers find themselves in the same situation. Thank goodness for the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs that monthly reminds me that I am not alone in my assessment of what is happening in Israel. Lois A. Carrig, Port Orange, FL As we now know, U.S. military aid to Israel was increased to “only” $3.8 billion per year. As you note in your first paragraph, one would think that, informed about Israel or not, Americans would object to so much of their tax dollars going to a foreign country—and a well-off one, at that! One hears a great deal about the “uninformed” American public. It seems to us, however, that Americans are “misinformed”—and not by accident. It’s been our mission for the past 35 years to present Americans with “the whole truth,” and readers such as yourself only make us more determined to do so.

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

BORROWING FOR ISRAEL

According to the last of “Three Israeli Views” in your Nov./Dec. issue [“With New Israel Aid Deal, Obama Is Patron of the Occupation” by Gideon Levy], the $38 billion aid deal the U.S. agreed to for Israel means each U.S. taxpayer will pay $300 a year for the next 10 years to fund it. Of course, all the money the U.S. gives Israel is money the U.S. borrows. It does not come from current tax revenues. In other words, because the U.S. runs a deficit every year that far exceeds what we give Israel, every penny we give to Israel is money we borrow and that we obligate ourselves to repay. We U.S. taxpayers will have to pay back the $38 billion, as well as the other tens of billions, that we have given to Israel, plus billions in interest, at a future date. Israel is certainly not going to step in and offer to pay the huge debt we have incurred on its behalf. Farris Cadle, Garden City, GA Indeed, the face value of U.S. aid to Israel is only the tip of the iceberg—and icebergs have been known to sink ships.

RETROACTIVELY LEGAL

Right-wing Israeli politicians eager to capitalize on Donald Trump’s election gave preliminary approval to a bill that would retroactively legalize illegal settlements built in the West Bank. The bill was rushed through the Israeli parliament to forestall the demolition of an illegal outpost by Dec. 25. Education Minister Naftali Bennett expressed his disdain for international law, boasting “the era of the Palestinian state is over.” Israel’s defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, went even further, urging his government to negotiate a deal with the Trump administration to approve expanded construction in major West Bank settlements. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit, oppose the bill, warning that it violates international law. This development is a monumental failure of successive U.S. administrations which have failed to broker a peaceful two-state settlement. Billions of U.S. tax funds have been squandered rewarding Israel for its bad behavior. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) denounced Israel’s blatant theft of Palestinian land JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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stating, “One of the most effective I call on the Washington Report KEEP THOSE CARDS AND LETTERS ways that ISIS and other terrorist publicly to correct this error and COMING! groups have attracted recruits is to include in your magazine the Send your letters to the editor to the Washington by tarring the United States with truth about Jill Stein's position on Report, P.O. Box 53062, Washington, DC 20009 Israel’s expanding occupation of foreign policy, the Middle East or e-mail <letters@wrmea.org>. the West Bank. This legislation to and Israel-Palestine, so voters retroactively legalize illegal settlements funds, the refusal of both the Democratic who read your column in the future can will be welcomed by those murderous and Republican parties to include her in vote (as you so passionately urge them to groups as further evidence that America’s the debates, the ignorance of voters, and do) in an as informed manner as possible. closest ally in the region is bent on de- the palpably false claim that a vote for David Plimpton, Cape Elizabeth, ME stroying a peaceful solution, including the her was a vote for Trump and against Your point is well taken. We did indeed Clinton. Now add to that the false state- focus on the major party candidates, and possibility of a Palestinian state.” Let us hope that President-elect Trump ment that she is as bad as the rest of the at the very least should have specified that. will use his dealmaking skills to broker a candidates and it amounts to an almost We promise to be more inclusive in the fupeaceful and equitable solution to the total media whitewash. ture. We absolutely believe that the excluWith respect and appreciation for your sion of third party candidates from presifestering Israeli-Palestinian conflict. long-time work to cover fairly and com- dential debates and other forums does a Jagjit Singh, Los Altos, CA It’s hard to predict what Trump will do prehensively the many regions and is- real disservice to the American people, as president—but, then again, predictabil- sues in the Middle East, I was greatly and contributes to the small percentage of disappointed by your mistake on some- voters who support them. Even with that ity hasn’t worked out so well before. thing so important as the presidential level of support, however, their ideas deTRIBUTE OR PROTECTION? candidates' respective positions on the serve to be presented to and discussed by John Whitbeck's letter to the editor was a Middle East and Israel/Palestine. the American people. fitting juxtaposition to mine in the Nov./Dec. Maybe you meant to refer to the “major” issue. However, U.S. financial support of Is- candidates, which might explain the error. WEST BANK PIED-NOIRS rael isn't so much “tribute” (they have not lit- But even so, to discuss issues like Israel- Enclosed is a money order in the amount erally conquered us) as “protection money.” Palestine and the Middle East and the can- of $29 for a one-year subscription to the That is, as long as our politicians approve it, didates' positions, without mentioning Washington Report on Middle East Afthey will be secure from the wrath of Israel's Stein's position was misleading and unfair, fairs. I read with great interest your magalobby and receive its financial and political not to mention implying that you were zine at the Ohio County (WV) Public Library here in Wheeling and decided to support. But woe unto them if they don't. grossly misinformed on these issues. subscribe to your informative magazine. Gregory DeSylva, Rhinebeck, NY Please send me the Nov./Dec. issue. Subscribers to our 16-page “Other In May 1987, I was awarded a Ph.D. in Voices” supplement may recall Badruddin political science from Temple University Khan’s article, “Has Israel Effectively Colin Philadelphia. I firmly believe that Jews onized the United States?” in the same living in Israel and the occupied territories issue. Colonization, he argues, “does not will suffer the same fate as the pied-noirs mean total control of everything. It means in the former French Algeria. At this time I total control of what matters.” And, in Isam reminded of the book by the African rael’s case, without firing a shot. writer Kwame Nkrumah, Neo-ColonialALL VOICES MATTER ism: The Last Stage of Imperialism. In “Every Voice Matters in This Election” Dr. John Finnissey, Wheeling, WV in your Nov./Dec. issue, author Delinda Many of the most extreme settlers, of Hanley states: “None of the presidential course, are Americans. We consider Zionor congressional candidates inspire hope ism to be a European/Western phenomethat peace and justice in the Middle East non. It certainly was not indigenous to the will ever be on their agenda.” Arab world, or to the Jews living there. That was categorically incorrect and unOTHER VOICES is an optional 16-page supBORROWED BEAUTY fair to Jill Stein and the Green Party. She plement available only to subscribers of the Washwas quite clear in her support of peace in Thank you for letting us borrow some of ington Report on Middle East Affairs. For an addithe Middle East, including support for your beautiful pottery for our “5 Senses tional $15 per year (see postcard insert for Palestinian rights, BDS, and withholding of Palestine and Lebanon” station at the Washington Report subscription rates), subaid from Israel until it changes its policies ANERA annual dinner. They made the scribers will receive Other Voices inside each issue to promote peace and justice for Palestiniexhibit a whole, and we are so grateful of their Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. ans. Her position was diametrically the opfor your generous support. Back issues of both publications are available. posite of that of both Clinton and Trump. Skylar Lawrence & Liz Demarest, To subscribe telephone 1 (888) 881-5861, fax Hanley’s comment was a grave disserANERA, Washington, DC (714) 226-9733, e-mail circulation@wrmea. org>, vice to voters in light of the fact that Our Palestinian pottery comes direct Stein was on the ballot in most states from Jerusalem and can be seen by all or write to P.O. Box 91056, Long Beach, CA 90809and faced headwinds because of lack of online and at our Middle East Books and 1056. mainstream media coverage, limited More store (see ad p. 70). ■ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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Five Views

The Trump Era Begins

CWS/CARTOONARTS INTERNATIONAL

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from a United Nations concert at Lincoln Center in 1995.” Considering earlier statements made by Trump himself last May—that the expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank “should keep moving forward”—to more recent comments by Trump’s point person in Israel, Jason Greenblatt, that the illegal colonies are “not an obstacle to peace,” it is fairly certain that the Trump administration is decidedly anti-peace and anti-Palestinians. Israeli officials are, of course, rejoicing at the opportunity of working with such an administration, with Education Minister Naftali Bennett celebrating the “end of a Palestinian state” era and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman inviting Trump to “coordinate the development” of the illegal settlements. But the media forecast for the next four years in U.S. foreign policy toward Palestine and Israel is also prejudiced. It is true that Trump’s prospective line-up of old politicians is not conducive to the achievement of a just peace in Palestine by any stretch of the imagination, but presenting the news as if the prospects of a thriving just peace had existed under the administration of Barack Obama is simply laughable. The Obama administration, despite the uneasy relationship between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, has been one of the friendliest and most generous toward Israel. Obama has remained steadfast on Israel’s side as they both fought against Palestinian political aspirations in international institutions. Only recently, Obama signed a “landmark agreement” by giving Israel $38 billion in military funding, the largest aid package in U.S. history. So those worried about things getting worse for Palestinians under a Trump presidency can take comfort in the fact that they already have. But will this impact the American position toward a Palestinian state? Not in the least because, again, Obama, like his predecessors, fought tirelessly to prevent a Palestinian state from ever taking form. If a distinction is to emerge between the Obama

What Should Palestinians Expect— Can Trump Be Any Worse? By Ramzy Baroud

FEAR AND trepidation are slowly building up, as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is fortifying his transitional team with people capable of bringing about a nightmare scenario, not only for Americans but for the rest of the world, as well. For Palestinians, however, the signs are even more ominous. From former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to Republican leader Newt Gingrich, the Trump team is filling up with dishonorable men who have made careers out of pandering to Israeli interests and unabashedly discounting Palestinian rights. While Gingrich had claimed in 2011 that Palestinians are “invented” people, Giuliani, according to the Jewish News Service, “is fondly remembered in the Jewish community for expelling Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chief Yasser Arafat

Dr. Ramzy Baroud is an internationally-syndicated columnist, a media consultant, an author of several books and the founder of PalestineChronicle.com. His latest book is My father Was a freedom fighter: gaza’s untold story (available from AET’s Middle East Books and More). His website is <www.ramzybaroud.net>. Copyright © 2010-2016 RamzyBaroud.net. All rights reserved. 8

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and Trump administrations, it is likely to be manifested in rhetoric, not in action: the former refined and articulate, the latter belligerent and demagogic. Either way, Palestinians lose. In his last speech before the United Nations, Obama dedicated a single sentence to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict—a sentence that accurately reflected his failure to positively affect the outcomes of the Middle East’s most protracting, destabilizing conflict. Both sides would “be better off if Palestinians reject incitement and recognize the legitimacy of Israel, but Israel recognizes that it cannot permanently occupy and settle Palestinian land,” he said. Nothing more. While his previous speeches dedicated much rhetoric to the conflict in Palestine and Israel, the last U.N. speech—and that sentence alone—was a more honest indication of eight years that lacked vision, or even a sincere attempt at finding one. Over that eight-year period, during which time thousands of innocent people—the vast majority of whom were Palestinians—were killed, Obama purportedly labored to achieve the proverbial, although misleading, “middle ground.” The outcomes of his policies were quite devastating: whereas he sold Palestinians false hope, he granted Israel most of its needs of military funding and technology, shielding it from international censure, too. Moreover, during the last Israeli war on Gaza in 2014, which killed and wounded thousands, Obama ensured the Israeli army’s storage of ammunitions and military hardware remained at full capacity. On the political front, he ensured Palestinian efforts aimed at obtaining recognition for their future state were soundly defeated. He went as far as denying the U.N. cultural organization, UNESCO, from nearly a quarter of its funding simply for admitting Palestine as a new member. Yet, some are, naively, hoping that Obama will seek recognition for the State of Palestine at the U.N. Security Council in his remaining weeks in the Oval Office. These hopes have been buoyed by media reports that Obama had instructed the State Department to develop an “option menu” regarding his vision for a resolution to the conflict. While Palestinians and their supporters are optimistic that Obama will redeem himself, even if symbolically, and support the Palestinian push for statehood, Obama is unlikely to carry out any such steps, especially since Trump is bound to defeat such initiatives once he moves into the White House. Additionally, the soon-to-depart president has had eight full years to show real grit and to take advantage of his first-term popularity to challenge the pro-Israel lobby and present his country as a truly “honest broker” in an unequal conflict. He could have, at least, sided with the majority of humanity by adding his country’s voice to those that recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations. As of September of last year, 139 of the U.N.’s member states (and two non-member states) have recognized Palestine. But JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

those recognitions remain largely symbolic as long as the U.S. is unyielding in its rejection of Palestinian aspirations. An unwavering supporter of Israel, the U.S. is not only blocking full Palestinian membership at the U.N., but is doing its utmost to prevent “Palestine” from gaining access to international institutions. Regardless of what position is to be recommended by the State Department to Obama in his final days in the White House, the misfortunes of the Palestinians are unlikely to be reversed overnight, or in the foreseeable future. Judging from Trump’s friendly overtures toward Israel—for example, inviting Netanyahu and his wife to visit Washington shortly after winning the elections—the immediate future does not look promising. History has taught us that, when it comes to U.S. foreign policy toward Palestine and Israel, things are likely to get worse, not better. Despite the current chasm within American society among the media and political elites, the American love affair with Israel will continue. The ongoing war on Palestinian rights and aspirations will also linger. The Palestinian leadership seems unable to understand such an obvious reality. The Palestinian Authority in Ramallah is either unaware of or, perhaps, oblivious to the fact that its salvation will not arrive from Washington, but from its ability to navigate the U.S.-Israeli alliance in a resolved and united manner. Indeed, regardless of what position Obama—or even Trump—may or may not take, it will have little bearing on the outcome if Palestinians remain divided. Far more significant than the inflammatory drivel of Gingrich and Giuliani, Palestinian division and their inability to confront the Israeli occupation with one unified and daring strategy is Palestine’s greatest and most pressing challenge.

Why Netanyahu Should Fear What The Future Holds By Jonathan Cook

WHILE THE United States presidential election bitterly divided the American public, most Israelis were sanguine about the race. Both candidates—Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton—were keen to end the eight years of icy mistrust between Barack Obama, the outgoing president, and Binyamin Netanyahu. The Israeli prime minister should—at least on paper—be happier with Mr. Trump. Mr. Netanyahu, elected four times, has always faced off with Democratic incumbents. Now he has not only a right-wing Republican in the White House but a Republican-dominated Congress too. Standing guard over the relationship will be Sheldon Adelson, a U.S. casino magnate who is Mr. Netanyahu’s most vocal sup-

Jonathan Cook is a journalist based in Nazareth and a winner of the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. He is the author of Blood and Religion and Israel and the Clash of Civilisations (available from AET’s Middle East Books and More). Copyright © Abu Dhabi Media Company. All rights reserved.

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porter. It will not be lost on Mr. Trump that the billionaire is one of the Republican Party’s main financiers. Mr. Netanyahu was among the first to congratulate Mr. Trump by phone. The U.S. president-elect reciprocated by inviting him for talks “at the first opportunity.” And yet Mr. Netanyahu is reported to be anxious about a Trump White House. Why? It is certainly not because of Mr. Trump’s stated policies on the Israel-Palestine conflict. He has backed moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem—a move that, if implemented, would make the U.S. the first Western state to recognize the city as Israel’s capital. It would effectively rubber-stamp Israel’s illegal annexation of East Jerusalem, the expected capital of a Palestinian state. Previous Republican candidates have made the same promise, but Mr. Trump looks like the first who might carry it through. A nervous Palestinian leadership warned they would “make life miserable” for him if he did. A Trump policy statement issued just before the election could have been written by Mr. Netanyahu himself. It dismissed a two-state solution as “impossible,” blaming the Palestinian leadership for rewarding terrorism and educating children in “hatred of Israel and Jews.” It suggested that Israel would have a free hand to expand the settlements. There were hints too that U.S. military aid might be increased above the record $38 billion over 10 years recently agreed by Mr. Obama. And the statement proposed a crackdown on all boycott activities, even those targeting settlements. “The false notion that Israel is an occupier should be rejected,” it concluded. So why the nerves in Tel Aviv? However hawkish Mr. Netanyahu appears to outsiders, he is relatively moderate compared to the rest of his Likud party and his government coalition partners. The prime minister has won favor at home by presenting himself as an embattled leader, but one best placed to look out for Israel’s interests against a hostile White House. Now with the battlefield gone, Mr. Netanyahu’s armor risks making him look both clumsy and surplus to requirements. There is another danger. Mr. Trump’s advisers on the IsraelPalestine conflict are closer to settler leader Naftali Bennett, the education minister, than Mr. Netanyahu. After Mr. Trump’s victory, Mr. Bennett crowed: “The era of a Palestinian state is over.” The Israeli prime minister could find himself outflanked by Mr. Bennett if the Trump administration approves settler demands to annex most or all of the West Bank. Mr. Netanyahu’s realization of his Greater Israel dream may prove Pyrrhic. Israel’s complete takeover of the West Bank could trigger an irreversible crisis with Europe; the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, forcing the military and financial burden of the occupation back on to Israel; and a full-blown intifada from Palestinians, battering Mr. Netanyahu’s security credentials. The creation of a Greater Israel could also damage Israel by reframing the Palestinian struggle as a fight for equal rights in a 10

single state. Comparisons with earlier struggles, against South African apartheid and Jim Crow in the U.S. Deep South, would be hard to counter. But Mr. Netanyahu has an additional reason to fear an imminent Trump presidency. There were few U.S. politicians Mr. Netanyahu had a better measure of than Hillary Clinton. He knew her Middle East policy positions inside out and had spent years dealing with her closest advisers. Mr. Trump, by contrast, is not only an unknown quantity on foreign policy but notoriously mercurial. His oft-stated isolationist impulses and his apparent desire to mend fences with Russia’s Vladimir Putin could have unpredictable implications for the Middle East and Israel. He might tear up last year’s nuclear accord with Iran, as Mr. Netanyahu hopes, but he might just as equally disengage from the region, giving more leeway to Iran and Russia. The effect on the international inspections regime in Iran or the proxy wars raging in Israel’s backyard, in Syria and elsewhere, would be hard to predict. In short, Mr. Trump could kill Mr. Netanyahu with kindness, turn Israel into a pariah state in Western capitals and leave it exposed strategically. In addition, becoming the poster child of a controversial and possibly short-lived Trump presidency could rapidly transform Israel into a deeply divisive issue in U.S. politics. The adage—be careful what you wish for—may yet come to haunt Mr. Netanyahu.

Suddenly It’s Okay to Be Pro-Israel and Anti-Semitic By Gideon Levy

ALL OF A SUDDEN it’s not so terrible to be anti-Semitic. Suddenly it’s excusable as long as you hate Muslims and Arabs and “love Israel.” The Jewish and Israeli right has issued a sweeping amnesty to anti-Semitic lovers of Israel—yes, there is such a thing, and they’re en route to taking power in the United States. So now we know: Not just pornography but also anti-Semitism is a matter of geography and price. Right-wing American antiSemites are no longer considered anti-Semites. The definition has been updated: From now on, anti-Semites are only found on the left. Roger Waters, a courageous man of conscience without stain, is an anti-Semite. Steve Bannon, a declared racist and closet anti-Semite who has been appointed chief strategist in the Trump White House, is a friend of Israel. Jewish and Israeli activists who left no stone unturned in their effort to discover signs of anti-Semitism, who viewed every parking ticket for an American Jew as an act of hate, who moved heaven and earth every time a Jew was robbed or a Jewish gravestone was cracked, are now whitewashing an anti-Semite. Suddenly they’re not convinced we’re talking about that particular disease.

Copyright © Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Alan Dershowitz, one of the biggest propagandists in this field, has already come out in defense of the racist Bannon. In a midNovember Haaretz piece, Dershowitz wrote that the man whose wife said he didn’t want their children to go to school with Jews isn’t anti-Semitic. “The claim was simply made by his former wife in a judicial proceeding, thus giving it no special weight,” Dershowitz wrote, with specious logic. After all, Dershowitz’s former research assistant, an Orthodox Jew who later worked with Bannon, assured him that he had seen no signs of anti-Semitism in Bannon. And suddenly that’s enough for Dershowitz. Suddenly it’s possible to separate racism from anti-Semitism. Israel’s ambassador in Washington, Ron Dermer, naturally hastened to join the party. Over the weekend, he said he expects to work with Bannon. And boy, does he expect to work with that racist. After all, they’ll agree about everything: that there’s no Palestinian people, that there’s no occupation, that the settlement of Yitzhar should remain forever, that leftists are traitors. For Dermer—ambassador of the illegal outpost of Amona, friend of the Tea Party and boycotter of J Street; a man who if the bilateral relationship had been normal would have been declared persona non grata by the United States—the new appointments are like the dawn of a new day. He’ll feel so at home with Frank Gaffney, another hater of Muslims who reportedly was likely to receive a senior appointment in the new administration; he’ll be so happy working with Bannon. And Mike Huckabee is exactly his cup of tea. Dermer, after all, was given the Freedom Flame Award by the Center for Security Policy, a hate group that proudly flies the flag of Islamophobia. These racists and their ilk are Israel’s best friends in the United States. They’re joined by the racists of the European right. If you discount the guilt feelings over the Holocaust, they’re the only friends Israel has left. When friendship for Israel is judged solely on the basis of support for the occupation, Israel has no friends other than racists and nationalists. That ought to have aroused great shame here: Tell us who your friends are and we’ll tell you who you are. These racists love Israel because it’s carrying out their dreams: to oppress Arabs, to abuse Muslims, to dispossess them, expel them, kill them, demolish their houses, trample their honor. This bunch of trash would so dearly love to behave as we do. But for now this is only possible in Israel, so it’s the light unto the nations in this field. What happened to the days when Jews in South Africa went to prison with Nelson Mandela? Nowadays Jewish activists in America support the new rulers—the racists and anti-Semites. The Palestinian-American author Susan Abulhawa wrote on Facebook: Palestinians are calling white nationalist Bannon an anti-Semite, while AIPAC and Dershowitz think he’s not such a bad guy. What more proof do you need that Zionism is a face of white supremacy, and ultimately antithetical to Judaism? Last summer, Abulhawa was deported via the Allenby Bridge. And she’s right. The United States and Israel now share the same values—and woe to that sense of shame. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Barack Obama’s Trumpesque Policies By Charles Swift PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump campaigned on restoring economic security by curbing illegal immigration, and restoring physical security by banning outright or severely limiting immigration of Muslims to the United States. When challenged during the debates about his proposal to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, Trump responded by pointing out that “President [Barack] Obama has moved millions of people out. Nobody knows about it. Nobody talks about it. But under Obama, millions of people have been moved out of this country. They’ve been deported.” Trump’s statement that nobody talks about President Obama’s aggressive deportation policies was an over-generalization, as the Department of Homeland Security’s statistics on deportations are matters of public record and have been widely reported and protested. What Trump presumably meant was that none of his supporters were aware of President Obama’s vigorous enforcement policies. The same can be said for Trump’s proposal for “extreme vetting” of Muslim immigrants, which he apparently believes is a novel idea, ignored by the Obama administration. He was wrong here, too. The Obama administration, without congressional authorization, has already engaged in extreme vetting, but when it comes to the Obama administration’s extreme vetting of Muslims, Trump and his supporters’ ignorance is more forgivable. Extreme vetting of Muslims began in 2008 under a program dubbed the Controlled Application Review and Resolution Policy, also known as CARRP. Shrouded in secrecy and barely publicized by the media, CARRP authorizes special vetting by the FBI of persons thought to pose a terrorism threat. As a practical matter, all of the immigrants subjected to CARRP are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim. Vague and questionable factors such as unusual travel patterns to countries with high levels of terrorist activity, large transfers of funds, or proficiency in certain technical skills can land applicants on this secret separate track. CARRP mandates the rejection of any person whose name appears on a Terrorist Watch List. These lists are shrouded in secrecy, and there is no way for a person to know whether he or she has been placed on the list, let alone challenge such placement in a court of law.

Charles Swift is a retired lieutenant commander with the United States Navy and worked in the Office of Chief Defense Counsel, Military Commissions from 2003 to 2007. He is a past visiting professor for Emory University School of Law and currently serves as the director of the Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America, a legal nonprofit organization which challenges unconstitutional treatment of Muslims through the legal system. Copyright © 2016 Al Jazeera Media Network. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.

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Omission from a Watch List, however, does not mean that a perspective Muslim seeking to obtain residency or citizenship is in the clear. CARRP mandates that anyone who demonstrates other “national security indicators” in their application also be placed in that separate track for adjudication. Vague and questionable factors such as unusual travel patterns to countries with high levels of terrorist activity, large transfers of funds, or proficiency in certain technical skills (which includes foreign language expertise) can land applicants on this secret separate track. For example, an individual with a Ph.D. in South Asian languages who has traveled to and from Pakistan for a conference will be identified as a possible potential national security concern, whose application will be delayed or denied under CARRP. Once a person is caught in CARRP, the time limits set by Congress for adjudication become meaningless, and under the best of circumstances adjudication will be withheld for years while appointments are cancelled by the government without explanation and case requests administratively closed without notice. At best, an applicant can expect to be interrogated by FBI agents on matters entirely unrelated to the application under examination, including their political and religious beliefs, the mosques they attend, beliefs of other persons in the community, etc. Based on Trump’s rhetoric, these are precisely the type of policies that he wants to pursue to curb terrorism. The key to CARRP was maintaining a fig leaf of neutral language that did not identify any religious or ethnic factors, to hide what amounted to religious and racial profiling. Whereas President Obama succeeded in his programs by keeping them secret, Trump prides himself on “telling it like it is.” For Muslim Americans, Trump’s repudiation of politically correct language may have a silver lining, by stripping away the artful denials of discrimination in American immigration policy and demonstrating the pervasive anti-Muslim bias. Whether Trump maintains President Obama’s discriminatory policies or tries to expand them, religious tests for government benefits are plainly prohibited by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Trump is about to discover that telling it like it is has a price and that before his administration subjects Muslim immigrants to extreme vetting, his policies are likely to be subject to the strict scrutiny of the U.S. courts.

Building on the Iran Nuclear Agreement By Paul R. Pillar

AMONG THE foreign policy issues on which Donald Trump took a simple anti-Obama, or anti-Clinton, stance during the campaign but about which he had not seemed to have devoted much thought, one of the most prominent and important is the agreement that restricts Iran’s nuclear program, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive 12

Plan of Action or JCPOA. When the new president does get a chance to give the subject more attention, he will see that opposition to the agreement is primarily a matter of old political baggage. If he does not want to be burdened with such baggage and desires instead to set his own course, he will build on the agreement rather than succumb to the pressures of those who would like to kill it. The baggage has had two parts. One has been the effort by President Obama’s political opposition to deny him any major achievements—applicable to the JCPOA in that it has been one of the president’s most significant foreign policy achievements. Even viewed through a crass partisan political lens, this motivation will get more out of date with each day that goes by after Mr. Obama leaves office. The other part has been opposition of the Netanyahu government in Israel, with all the usual implications of how that government’s postures affect U.S. politics and how the Iran issue has thus been treated as if it were an Israel issue. Netanyahu’s opposition has been motivated by the objectives of keeping a regional rival to Israel isolated forever, portraying Iran as the root of all problems in the Middle East, distracting attention from problems that involve Israel and its policies, and keeping U.S. diplomacy and cooperative measures in the Middle East confined to Israel or channels approved by Israel. This opposition was maintained even though the agreement that has precluded an Iranian nuclear weapon is very much in the interests of Israel’s security, as testified to by the large majority of senior Israeli security officials and former officials who have been free to discuss the topic. The JCPOA is a success. It has been fully working for well over a year. It has blocked all possible avenues to an Iranian nuclear weapon. Iran has been complying with its extensive obligations under the agreement, as certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Those opponents who have stretched to accuse Iran of violations have been doing exactly that: stretching. Regarding recent accusations regarding Iranian production of heavy water, for example, the agreement does not prohibit Iran from ever exceeding a specified limit of 130 metric tons. Instead, the JCPOA requires Iran to make any excess available for export—which is exactly what Iran has done. For the new U.S. administration to withdraw from the JCPOA— either explicitly by declaring so, or through sanctions policies that would violate the agreement—would clearly be a big mistake. To begin with, any such unilateral move by the United States would run up against the fact that this agreement involves not only Iran and the United States but also five other parties, including major Western allies as well as Russia and China. The European allies have made quite clear that they are committed to the agreement. U.S. abrogation would not only involve problems with them but also would upset any early efforts by President Trump to develop

Paul R. Pillar is nonresident senior fellow at the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University and nonresident senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution. He is a contributing editor to The National Interest, where he writes a blog. Copyright ©2016 The National Interest. All rights reserved.

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more cooperative relations with Russia. A U.S. withdrawal could lead Iran to react in either of two ways, each of which would be disadvantageous to U.S. interests. If the Iranians judged the U.S. part of the economic and sanctions provisions of the JCPOA to be too large to overlook, they would declareâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as they would be entitled toâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that the entire agreement was null and void. This would mean Iran would be freed from all the nuclear limitations in the agreement. The Iranians could spin as many centrifuges, stockpile as much highly enriched uranium, and build as many plutonium-producing reactors as they want. (And forget the notion of negotiating a â&#x20AC;&#x153;better dealâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;that was never a possibility with an agreement that was laboriously negotiated and that was barely politically acceptable in Iran.) Alternatively, the Iranians might say that it considered the agreement still to be in force with all the parties other than the United States. This would mean the Europeans getting business deals such as large sales of commercial airliners rather than American companies like Boeing getting the business, and it would mean Russia and China getting both commercial deals and diplomatic influence that the United States would not be getting. This would be a situation that Donald Trump himself said during the campaign was unacceptable. Withdrawal from the JCPOA would have additional, farther-reaching negative implications for President Trump. It would reopen an old issue that had been resolved through diplomacy, create a new crisis, and consume much high-level time and attention that otherwise could be devoted to countless other foreign policy problems, including ones centered in the Middle East. Withdrawal also would weaken the credibility of anything else the new U.S. president wants to do that involves, like the JCPOA, executive action rather than a treaty. Much of what Mr. Trump has talked about regarding trade and other matters falls into this category. Not least important, backing away from the JCPOA would kill opportunities to build on the agreement by doing diplomatic business with Iran on many important issues JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

where Iran is unavoidably a major player. the technical details of what goes on inside An excellent guide to those opportunities is Iranian nuclear facilities, although the nua just-released report titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maximizing the clear nonproliferation objectives that the acOpening with Iran: How President Trump cord has advanced are indeed very imporCan Secure American Interests in the Mid- tant. It is important also as a step away from dle East,â&#x20AC;? prepared by the National Iranian the self-hamstringing American habit of not American Council (NIAC) and signed by 76 fully using available diplomatic tools to purnational security experts and scholars (in- sue U.S. interests, because of a distaste for cluding myself). The report states, â&#x20AC;&#x153;If diplo- dealing with regimes we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen to macy could be successful in resolving the like. Making America great on the world most volatile and complex point of tension stage requires getting rid of that habit. â&#x2013; between the U.S. and (Advertisement) Iranâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the nuclear disputeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;President Trump should also employ diplomacy to peacefully resolve or manage the remaining differences between Washington and Tehran.â&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just bilateral issues and remaining differences in the U.S.-Iranian relationship that are at stake. It is the ability of the United States to address effectively many other problems important to it. In the words of the NIAC report, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iran has substantial latent pow erâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;population size and potential for wealth generationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and thus it is bound to be a leading power in the greater Middle East. Washington The Palestine Childr Children's en's Relief Fund has launched a special campaign dedicated cannot change this. Nor to pr providing oviding medica medical al aid to babies and can Washington stabilize childr children en bor born n with heart defects. the Middle East without Iranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involvement. Iran 1998 WKH 3&5) KDV EHHQ WKH PDLQ QRQSURĂ°W Since 1998 WKH 3&5) KDV EHHQ WKH PDLQ QRQSURĂ°W organization on the ground ground developing and building a will be part of the regional pediatric cardiac cardiac program program for children children which contributes solutionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t services in the Palestinian health-car health-care e sector sector. r.. Since be a solution.â&#x20AC;? The report then, we have provided provided thousands of childr children en with CHD evaluations and surgery. surgery y.. includes many specific recommendations reHelp us pr provide ovide life saving car cardiac diac surgeries garding problems rangin the W West est Bank and the Gaza Strip by ing from warfare in Syria, lear learning ning mor more re e and donating today Iraq and Afghanistan to http://pcrf.net/healing-hearts.html htt http://pcrf.net/hea // f t/h aling-hearts.html li h t html energy and security in the Persian Gulf. The JCPOA is important not just because of

TO HELP CHILDREN NGENIT TAL AL WITH CONGENITAL CONGENIT HEART HEART DISEASE

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Post-Election Watch

Will Trump Son-in-Law Jared Kushner Serve As Israel’s Direct Line to the White House?

By Janet McMahon

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

While Trump famously has said, “I want to remain as neutral as possible because, if you’re not somewhat neutral, the other side is never going to do it.” He has also made it a point to declare, “There’s nobody more pro-Israel than I am.” According to The Washington Post, “Kushner is expected to play the role of informal gatekeeper and confidant to the president and may be entrusted with the enormous task of trying to broker an end to conflict in the Middle East.” (In such an “informal” capacity, of course, Kushner would not be subject to Senate approval.) So far, Kushner has consulted with Ron Dermer, Israel’s American-born ambassador to the U.S., prior to Trump’s March Jared Kushner (r) with his father-in-law, Donald Trump, and wife, Ivanka Trump, at an election- speech—scripted and adhered to!—to AIPAC. Kushner and Dermer also arranged night party at a New York hotel. for a sit-down meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, according to The New AS FORMER ASSISTANT Treasury Secretary Paul Craig York Times. Roberts has noted, “The fact of the matter is that presidents “Much as he once courted the media mogul Rupert Murdoch have little idea of what is transpiring in the vast cabinet departas a mentor, now that he is immersing himself in politics, he has ments and federal agencies that constitute ‘their’ administration. been seeking the counsel of Henry Kissinger,” the Times also Many parts of government are empires unto themselves.” reported. Both are influential partisans of Israel. It’s no surprise, then, that an incoming administration’s cabinet Murdoch’s News Corporation was the founding publisher of appointments (which are subject to Senate approval) are scrutithe Weekly Standard newspaper, edited by leading neocon nized for hints as to the new reality about to unfold. Most presiWilliam Kristol (see June 2003 Washington Report, p. 24). It also dents-elect are known political quantities, usually with a record as owns the New York Post, Wall Street Journal and Fox TV. Aca governor or member of Congress. It goes without saying that cording to the Jewish Forward newspaper, “Kushner, who with Donald J. Trump has no such record as a politician—with the rehis wife [Trump’s daughter Ivanka] has taken family vacations sult that even more is being read into his appointments. with News Corp owner Murdoch and his ex-wife Wendi Deng, But in Trump’s case there is an even greater mystery, in the has worked to calm Murdoch’s ire with Trump over the candiperson of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. An Orthodox Jew, date’s criticism of the company’s Fox News Channel and star anKushner was a close adviser to his father-in-law during the rechor Megyn Kelly, two people familiar with his activities say.” cent campaign, and is generally expected to continue to be a After Kushner, a real estate developer who had little journalmember of President Trump’s inner circle. istic experience, bought the New York Observer in 2006, many Because the question of particular interest to this magazine’s of its top editors left. Its current editor is family friend Ken Kurreaders is the Trump administration’s policy toward Israel and son, a former speechwriter for New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Palestine, let’s engage in some scrutiny of our own. who also helped craft Trump’s AIPAC speech. Mondoweiss founder Philip Weiss has said Kushner fired him from the ObJanet McMahon is managing editor of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. server because he was not sufficiently pro-Israel. 14

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As it turns out, Kushner’s attachment to Israel is a family affair. A Dec. 5 Haaretz article details contributions made to Israeli organizations and institutions—many located in the occupied West Bank—by the family charity named after his parents, the Charles and Seryl Kushner Foundation. According to Haaretz: “Among organizations and institutions in the West Bank that receive funding from the Kushner family, the leading beneficiary is American Friends of Beit El Yeshiva. Located in one of the more hard-line, ideological settlements, Beit El Yeshiva received $20,000 from the Kushner family in 2013. “The president of American Friends of Beit El Yeshiva, whose offices are located in Forest Hills, New York, is David Friedman, Trump’s senior adviser on Israel affairs. Friedman, who has served as Trump’s real estate lawyer for the past 15 years and is considered to be very close to the president-elect, has expressed interest in being the next U.S. ambassador to Israel.” The Kushner Foundation also gave the Etzion Foundation, located in the illegal Gush Etzion settlement bloc outside Jerusalem, $5,000 in 2012 and $10,000 the following year. Another beneficiary of Kushner Foundation funds (a relatively paltry $500) “was the radical Od Yosef Chai yeshiva in Yitzhar,” Haaretz reported. “This particular yeshiva has served as a base for launching violent attacks against nearby Palestinian villages and Israeli security forces, as well; as a result, it no longer receives funding from the Israeli government.” In addition, between 2011 and 2013 the Kushner Foundation donated a whopping $315,000 to the U.S.-based Friends of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). Jared Kushner is a member of its board.

LOYALTY TO FATHER, FATHER-IN-LAW—AND ISRAEL?

The trait most frequently cited to explain Kushner’s influence with President-elect Trump is loyalty. One often hears about how Kushner stuck by his father, a prominent New Jersey real estate developer, after the latter was sentenced to prison on 18 felony counts of tax fraud, witness tampering and illegal campaign donations, and served 14 months of a 2-year sentence at a prison in Montgomery, AL. “‘Jared is a devoted son in an almost old-world sense of respect and duty and devotion,’ said former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey (D), who counted Charles Kushner as his biggest donor until McGreevey resigned in 2004 amid a sex scandal,” The Washington Post reported on Nov. 27. But it certainly wasn’t your typical sex scandal. On a visit to Israel sponsored by the United Jewish Federation of Metro West, McGreevey was introduced to Golan Cipel, then a spokesman for the mayor of his hometown, Rishon Lexion (see May 2002 Washington Report, p. 48). The two men hit it off, and soon Cipel was flying to New Jersey to work on McGreevey’s gubanatorial campaign. According to the Forward of Aug. 20, 2004, Charles Kushner “reportedly sponsored Cipel’s visa application and reportedly employed him for a time.” JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

As the March 22, 2002, New Jersey Star-Ledger reported: “When Cipel got to the United States, McGreevey said, he recommended him to his top political contributor, developer Charles Kushner, for a second job to supplement his income from the campaign. Kushner hired Cipel for a $30,000-a-year public relations job at Kushner Cos. “In the past decade,” the paper added, “Kushner, his family members and associates have donated more than $418,000 to McGreevey’s campaigns.” When McGreevey won the election, he named Cipel his homeland security adviser. That turned out to be a controversial move. According to the Star-Ledger: “Cipel, 33, a former campaign aide who is paid $110,000 a year, was removed as McGreevey’s homeland security adviser two weeks ago after Republican senators threatened to block all appointments unless he appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to outline his qualifications. “One of their major issues was that Cipel, as a foreign national, would not qualify for a security clearance to receive intelligence information from federal agencies monitoring terrorist activities.” McGreevey subsequently removed Cipel from the homeland security post and appointed him a special counsel. On Aug. 12, 2004, however, amid reports of an affair with Cipel, who reportedly was about to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against him, McGreevey resigned from office, saying, “My truth is that I am a gay American.” In retrospect, one can’t help but wonder whether Cipel was used as a honey trap for the then-closeted governor. Whether or not that’s the case, it’s clear that Charles Kushner is far from “neutral,” and instead has very partisan feelings for Israel. Will that affect his son’s advice to the incoming president? Apparently there’s not much that can trump his devotion to his father. As Haaretz reported in late November: “Wendi Deng…famously reunited them after Ivanka broke off the relationship, sore that Jared didn’t stand up to his father, who insisted she convert to Judaism, according to The New Yorker.” Ivanka Trump is now an Orthodox Jew. Will Jared Kushner stand up to his father on Israel? Will he even want to?

YOU’D RATHER HAVE CHICKENHAWKS?

The grumbling has begun over the number of retired military men Trump has appointed to his cabinet: Gen. James “Mad Dog” Mattis as defense secretary, for example, and Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, as national security adviser. But Mattis has called Israel’s occupation of Palestine “unsustainable” and warned that Israel risks becoming an apartheid state with its continued settlement building, and Flynn— who has made a number of anti-Muslim and anti-Iran statements, and has co-authored a book with über-neocon Michael Ledeen— has described Washington’s support of jihadist rebels in Syria linked with al-Qaeda as a “willful decision.” So perhaps there’s an inclination to revisit U.S. Middle East policy on the part of Trump and some of his advisers. The question is, will they be allowed to? ■

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Special Report

Israel Moves to Legalize Settlements and Further its Crackdown on BDS

By Dale Sprusansky

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

generous assistance from the government may seem like a mere formality, it is actually a significant development. Many observers view this bill as an indication that Israel may move to annex Area C, which covers 60 percent of the West Bank and is currently home to at least 325,000 settlers. Israel presently maintains total control over security and land management in Area C. The bill’s most vocal proponent, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, used its initial passage as an opportunity to promote his vision for a Palestine-free Middle East. “Our nation cannot be an occupier in its own land,” he said. “For the first time sovereign Israel states that the half a million Israeli residents living in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] are not guests, Israeli settlers play basketball in the outpost settlement of Amona, established in 1995 in the Israelithey are not occupiers.” occupied West Bank, Nov. 29, 2016. The outpost, where some 40 families live, is under an Israeli Should the bill receive final approval, Supreme Court order to be demolished by Dec. 25 because it was built on private Palestinian land. Bennett signaled his Jewish Home party would move to propose the annexation of Ma’ale Adumim, an ON DEC. 5, the Israeli Knesset, by a 58-51 vote, preliminarily enormous settlement of 38,000 Israelis located just outside of approved a bill—known as the regulation, or settlement, bill— Jerusalem. If this pans out, one wonders how long Bennett and that would legalize 4,000 settlement homes built on private company would wait to move for a full annexation of Area C. Palestinian property in the West Bank. The legislation must pass One potential roadblock to the settlement bill is the Israeli two more readings in order to become law. Supreme Court. Should the bill pass, it is expected that human Though all settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and rights organizations will ask the court to strike down the law. the annexed Golan Heights are considered illegal under internaFor now, though, the bill looks primed to pass. Although he initional law, Israel draws a distinction between settlements and what tially opposed the legislation, Prime Minister Binyamin Neit calls “outposts,” with the latter being illegal under Israeli law and tanyahu is now in favor of the bill. Observers believe Netanyahu the former seen as legitimate. The settlement legislation seeks to was initially concerned about the bill’s international ramifications, retroactively legalize some 75 of the roughly 100 outposts in the but ultimately decided to support it for political reasons, as he West Bank by giving Jewish settlers rights to Palestinian land. feared losing support to Bennett among right-wing settlers. Despite their illegality, Israel provides security, water, power As expected, the international community was swift to conand infrastructure to most outposts. Many of Israel’s 220 settledemn the bill. U.N envoy for the Middle East peace process Nickments and outposts border Palestinian villages that suffer from olay Mladenov described the legislation as “a very worrying iniextreme water shortages and frequent attacks by radical settlers. tiative” that will have “far-reaching legal consequences across the Palestinians and settlers living side-by-side in the West Bank are occupied West Bank.” Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Germany’s also subjected to two different systems of law—Palestinians to Foreign Ministry decried the bill as a violation of international law Israel’s harsh military law, and settlers to Israel’s civil law. and said his government has “noted with consternation stateWhile officially legalizing outposts that were already receiving ments made by Israeli government officials during this debate.” In Washington, State Department officials responded to the bill Dale Sprusansky is assistant editor of the Washington Report on Middle east affairs. with familiar words of condemnation. “This legislation would be a 16

Washington RepoRt on Middle east affaiRs

JanUaRY/feBRUaRY 2017

sprusansky_16-17_Special Report 12/8/16 11:33 PM Page 17

dramatic advancement of the settlement enterprise, which is already gravely endangering the prospects for a two-state solution,” warned Elizabeth Trudeau, director of press operations at the State Department. Meanwhile, speaking at the Brookings Institution’s pro-Israel Saban Forum on Dec. 4, Secretary of State John Kerry expressed frustration at Israel’s insistence on expanding and legitimizing settlements. “Every president, Republican and Democrat, has been opposed to settlements,” he said. “We issue a warning when we see a new settlement announced. Nothing happens. It’s ignored, a new settlement goes up. New units, new sales.” The problem, Kerry added, extends to the highest levels of the Israeli government. “More than 50 percent of the ministers in the current government have publicly stated they are opposed to a Palestinian state and there will be no Palestinian state,” he noted. Kerry’s forceful words are nothing new. Throughout the past eight years, the Obama administration has repeatedly expressed its frustrations about Israeli policies. Less than two months after taking office, in March 2009, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem as “unhelpful” and a “matter of deep concern.” She pledged that the issue

would be discussed with Israeli officials. Eight years later, home demolitions continue, settlements have expanded, and Israel’s leadership has proven the Obama administration to be all bark and no bite.

ISRAEL DENIES ENTRY TO CHURCH MEMBER FOR BDS ACTIVISM

As Palestinians ponder the possibility of life under Israeli annexation, international supporters of Palestine have increasing reason to suspect they may be turned around next time they fly into Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion airport. On Dec. 5, Israel denied entry to Dr. Isabel Apawo Phiri, a Malawi citizen who was planning on attending a meeting of the World Council of Churches. Upon arriving from Germany, she was told she would not be permitted to enter Israel due to her organization’s support for the BDS movement. The World Council of Churches has subsequently denied that it endorses BDS. While Israel has denied entry to many of its critics, particularly those of Palestinian descent, this is the first time the government has explicitly denied entry to someone on the grounds of their support for BDS. It’s likely, moreover, that Phiri’s dismissal from the country will not be an isolated incident. The Knesset is currently considering a bill that would allow Israel to bar individu-

als or representatives of organizations that support BDS from entering the country. However, under current law the interior minister already has the right to prohibit individuals from entering Israel. Interior Minister Arye Dery apparently used this authority in Phiri’s case. According to reports, he decided to deny her entry after consulting with Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, who runs the Strategic Affairs Ministry, which is mandated with countering anti-Israel boycotts. Erdan told Haaretz that he intends to continue denying entry to BDS activists. “Their whole goal is to hurt Israel through collecting information and presenting it with distortions and lies to hurt Israel's image in the world,” he said. “Boycott activists belong outside the state's borders, and we will continue to prevent their entry into our country.” Given the abundance of BDS supporters who plan trips to Israel and Palestine every year, time will tell how serious Israel really is about implementing this policy. Regardless of how wide of a net Israel decides to cast, Phiri’s denial of entry puts all BDS activists on notice and, coupled with recent anti-BDS legislation passed in the U.S., sends a chilling message that complete freedom of conscience and speech will not be tolerated in the “liberal democracies” of Israel and the United States. ■

WILL TRUMP REVEAL ISRAEL’S NUCLEAR “SECRET”?

Throughout the presidential campaign, critics of President-elect Donald Trump frequently warned that the temperamental businessman could not be trusted with the country’s nuclear arsenal. One of Hillary Clinton’s most replayed commercials of the campaign featured a former nuclear missile launch officer warning, “The thought of Donald Trump with nuclear weapons scares me to death.” Other critics alleged that Trump had an unhealthy obsession with nuclear weapons, citing an anonymous foreign policy expert who told MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough that Trump repeatedly asked him why the U.S. couldn’t more freely use its nuclear weapons. Still others fretted over Trump implying that he’d be content with South Korea and Japan, and possibly Saudi Arabia, obtaining nuclear weapons. Following his election, panic regarding Trump’s foreign policy expertise escalated after he spoke via phone with the president of Taiwan and signaled his openness to ending Washington’s decades-old one-China policy, which affirms Beijing’s authority over the dissident island. Some believe Trump deliberately provoked China with his call, while others maintain it was an act of naïveté. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Regardless of his motivations, Trump’s conversation with the Taiwanese president signifies that his administration will not be beholden to protocol. This raises the question: Will Trump spill the beans on Israel’s nuclear weapons program? The world has long known that Israel maintains a nuclear stockpile. In 1986, former Israeli nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu leaked explicit details of the country’s nuclear weapons program. More recently, in 2015, a Freedom of Information lawsuit filed by the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRmep) unveiled a 1987 Defense Department report that confirms the U.S. government is aware of Israel’s nuclear program. In spite of this public knowledge, Israel has insisted on maintaining a policy of nuclear opacity. No U.S. president or official has ever betrayed Israel in this regard, keeping their lips zipped on the matter, even when directly asked by reporters (most notably the late Helen Thomas). Will Trump maintain this policy? Will he intentionally—or inadvertently—reveal the open secret? Only time will tell, but if the nonsensical policy is ever to come to an end, it makes sense that it would be during the Trump administration. —D.S.

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The Nakba Continues

Former Dutch Ambassador, Son of “Righteous Gentile,” Aplogizes for Ethnic Cleansing

By Jonathan Cook

PHOTOS COPYRIGHT JONATHAN COOK

of Dutch Jews escape the extermination camps. Ader said he had been shocked to discover a decade ago that under the small conifer forest dedicated to his father were concealed the ruins of a Palestinian village. All of the 2,400 Palestinian inhabitants of Bayt Nattif, southwest of Jerusalem, were expelled in 1948, the year Israel was established. The Israeli army destroyed the 350 homes there, and none of the villagers has ever been allowed to return. Ader reserved special anger for the Jewish National Fund, an international Zionist charity with semi-governmental authority in Israel, that had raised funds from Dutch Jews to plant the trees. He said those who made the donations had been deceived and did not know what their money was used for. He urged the JNF to remove his father’s name from the forest. “It is scandalous what JNF did,” he said. “These trees served both as a way to prevent the refugees from returning to their homes and to conceal the act of ethnic cleansing that was committed against them in 1948.” He added: “The fact that they used the name of my father, who paid with his life for upholding human rights, to carry this out makes it all the more shameful. They have made him complicit in the village’s ethnic cleansing.” Ader also turned his fire on the Dutch government for taking part in the original dedication ceremony of the forest planted over Bayt Nattif. “They must have known what had happened here,” he said, “but they raised no objections.” The former ambassador joined a group of farmers and activists in late November to plant the hundreds of trees he donated to the small village of Farata, close to Nablus, in the West Bank. He said he had selected Farata because he had learned during a visit in 2010 of repeated attacks by armed Jewish settlers on the village and its groves. Over the past decade settlers from neighboring Havat Gilad have cut down and burned olive trees, stolen the harvest and assaulted Farata’s farmers.

Erik Ader (l) makes his official apology to the refugees of Bayt Nattif, alongside Khader Dibs (c), by the forest planted in his father’s name. INSET: The Jewish National Fund’s plaque dedicating the forest over the ruins of the village to the Rev. Bastiaan Jan Ader was vandalized after it was made public that his son was going to issue an apology to the village’s refugees. A FORMER ambassador has planted 1,100 olive trees in the West Bank to make amends, he says, for the fact that Israel exploited his family’s name to “cover up an act of ethnic cleansing.” Erik Ader, a former Dutch ambassador to Norway, said the trees were his way of apologizing for a similar number of pine trees planted in Israel in the 1960s to honor his father. The Rev. Bastiaan Jan Ader, who was executed by the Nazis in 1944, was named a “Righteous among the Nations” in 1967 by Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust museum. He had helped hundreds

Jonathan Cook is a journalist based in Nazareth and a winner of the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. He is the author of Blood and Religion and Israel and the Clash of Civilisations (available from AET’s Middle East Books and More). 18

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

One of those farmers, Zahi Suwad, 43, said the trees would restore to the villagers income that had been lost from the repeated attacks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The coordinated strategy of the settlers and the Israeli army is to drive us off our land through this constant pressure so that they can take it for themselves,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These trees will help us to keep working the land and stay in our village.â&#x20AC;? Muhannad Qaisy, coordinator of the Olive Tree Campaign, which organized the planting, said the trees donated by the former ambassador had sent â&#x20AC;&#x153;a powerful message to Palestinians that he stands with them against these acts of injustice.â&#x20AC;? Shortly before the planting ceremony, Ader had taken an emotional journey to Bayt Nattif, escorted by Khader Dibs, whose late father was among those expelled from the village in 1948. The Dibs family, who live in the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem, have Israeli residency permits. Today they are the only Bayt Nattif family still able to travel freely into Israel and visit their former village. Organizers had hoped more refugees would be able to attend to hear Aderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statement of apology. But other village families are in camps in Jordan and the West Bank, many in Bethlehem, and can only enter Israel with a difficult-to-obtain permit from Israel. Dibs recalled that in the mid-1970s, as a boy, he had joined his grandfather on the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first visit to the village after the 1948 war. It had been possible to reach Bayt Nattif again only after Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He saw the village lying in ruins and was devastated,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He sobbed inconsolably. He wanted to return to his lands here till his dying day.â&#x20AC;? Dibs said his family tried to preserve a connection to the village by bringing the children a few times a year, often holding a picnic amid the ruins. Today, part of the villageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lands are used by Israelis as a hiking trail. Dibs said Aderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apology was important to the villagers, and reassured them that not everyone in the international community had turned a blind eye to the refugeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; plight. The former ambassador arrived at the forJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

COPYRIGHT JONATHAN COOK

cook_18-20_The Nakba Continues 12/8/16 6:47 PM Page 19

Khader Dibs (r) leads the tour of Jewish Israeli activists through the village of Bayt Nattif, as they carry signposts to identify the ruined buildings. est to discover the dedication plaque to his father had been smashed by vandals a few days earlier, after news of the event was publicized online. He addressed a group of several dozen Israeli activists from an organization called Zochrot, or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rememberingâ&#x20AC;? in Hebrew, which tries to educate Israeli Jews about the Nakba, the mass dispossession of Palestinians in 1948 to create a Jewish state. Ader told them he was â&#x20AC;&#x153;ashamedâ&#x20AC;? of his country for giving Israel â&#x20AC;&#x153;a blank checkâ&#x20AC;? to carry out acts like the expulsions from Bayt Nattif. The village is one of more than 500 that were razed after some 750,000 Palestinians (Advertisement)

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were expelled from their homes in 1948. In most, the JNF has planted forests to conceal the destruction. Neighboring Jewish communities are often unaware that they are sitting on lands that once belonged to Palestinians. Ader said the JNF was responsible not only for planting forests over the villages destroyed in 1948. It also assisted Israel in taking over Palestinian lands in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and in dispossessing Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bedouin citizens in the Negev through forestation programs. He called on his government to end the tax-deductible status of donations to the JNF. He concluded that it was time for Israel to create a truth and reconciliation commission like the one that followed the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Instead of covering up its sins by means of the JNF, instead of denying its past, it would help if Israel finally stood up and acknowledged the sins it committed in its creation,â&#x20AC;? Ader said. Dibs, aged 51, led the group on a tour of the destroyed village, locating the ruins of the mosque, school and homes, as well as crumbling agricultural terraces and the cemetery. At each spot Zochrot erected a signpost in three languagesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Hebrew, Arabic and Englishâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;identifying the rubble.

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

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cook_18-20_The Nakba Continues 12/8/16 6:47 PM Page 20

WHY IS ISRAEL BURNING?

Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rural landscape is saturated with pine trees. These trees are new to the region. The pine trees were introduced to the Palestinian landscape in the early 1930s by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) in an attempt to â&#x20AC;&#x153;reclaim the land.â&#x20AC;? By 1935, JNF had planted 1.7 million trees over a total area of 1,750 acres. Over 50 years, the JNF planted over 260 million trees largely on confiscated Palestinian land. It did it all in a desperate attempt to hide the ruins of the ethnically cleansed Palestinian villages and their history. Over the years the JNF made a crude attempt to eliminate Palestinian civilization and its past, but it also tried to make Palestine look like Europe. The Palestinian natural forest was eradicated. Similarly the olive trees were uprooted. The pine trees took their place. On the southern part of Mount Carmel the Israelis named an area â&#x20AC;&#x153;LitParts of Bayt Nattif were under immediate threat of further destruction, said Dibs, from the rapid expansion of the city of Beit (Advertisement)

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tle Switzerland.â&#x20AC;? By now, there is not much left of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Switzerland.â&#x20AC;? However, the facts on the ground were pretty devastating for the JNF. The pine tree didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t adapt to the Israeli climate as much as the Israelis failed to adapt to the Middle East. According to JNF statistics, 6 out of every 10 saplings planted did not survive. Those few trees that did survive formed nothing but a firetrap. By the end of each Israeli summer the Israeli pine forests become a potential deadly zone. In spite of its nuclear ability, its criminal army, the occupation, the Mossad and its lobbies all over the world, Israel seems to be vulnerable. It is devastatingly alienated from the land it claims to own and care for. Like the pine tree, Zionism, Israel and the Israeli are foreign to the region. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Gilad Atzmon, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Burning Bush,â&#x20AC;? Dec. 2, 2010

Shemesh. Cranes and apartment buildings loomed over the group as a signpost was placed at the cemetery. Ader said he had first started to have doubts about what was underneath the forest when he visited it a decade ago, while he was ambassador to Norway. Close to his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forest, he found old carob, almond and pomegranate trees and the agricultural terraces. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I raised the question with the JNF about who these other trees belonged to, but got no real answer,â&#x20AC;? he said. After he returned to Oslo, he kept up the pressure long-distance on the JNF. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They promised they would do the research and get back to me. Well, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still waiting to hear from them more than a decade later.â&#x20AC;? Dan Weinstein, a spokesman for the JNF, issued a statement rejecting the criticisms, saying the organization was dedicated to â&#x20AC;&#x153;environmental development.â&#x20AC;? According to Weinstein, the JNF â&#x20AC;&#x153;has never deprived a person [of] his or her propertyâ&#x20AC;Śand has not planted a single tree on land that does not belong to it or to the state.â&#x20AC;? Niva Grunzweig, of Zochrot, said Ader had approached the organization for help in finding out about the site and to locate Bayt Nattifâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s refugees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a very significant moment for us,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We hope Erikâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apology to the

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

refugees of Bayt Nattif for the misuse of his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name might encourage Jews to follow suit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It may open their minds a little to consider whether it is time to take responsibility for what was done in their name during the Nakba, to apologize and to begin a process of reconciliation.â&#x20AC;? For many decades the JNF has collected donations from Jews in Europe and the United States in its small blue boxes, telling donors their money would help to â&#x20AC;&#x153;make the desert bloom.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a total nonsense,â&#x20AC;? said Ader. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These trees were not planted on barren land. They were planted over lands that were already bearing fruit, as can be seen in Bayt Nattif.â&#x20AC;? Grunzweig said Zochrot had sent an invitation to the Dutch embassy to attend the apology ceremony but had received no response. The JNF is currently planting an Ambassadorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Forestâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in honor of serving ambassadorsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;over the lands of the Bedouin village of Al-Araqib in the Negev. The village has been destroyed by Israel more than 100 times over the past few years. So far, only one ambassador, Ismail Coovadia of South Africa, has publicly refused the trees named for him. â&#x2013; JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

conference-ad_21-22_Jan-Feb 2016 Conference Ad 12/8/16 5:32 PM Page 21

Keynote Speakers

Hanan Ashrawi

John Mearsheimer

Hanan Ashrawi was the first woman to be elected a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 2009. In 1998 Ashrawi founded and continues to serve in MIFTAH, the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy. In her keynote speech she will discuss the Israel Lobby and the “ Peace Process.” John Mearsheimer is the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science and the co-director of the Program on International Security Policy at the University of Chicago. Mearsheimer will address what, if anything, has changed in the decade since his book The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy (with Stephen M. Walt) was published and what the new administration could do differently in the future that would better serve broader American interests. Ilan Pappé is Professor of History and Director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter in the UK. He is the author of many books, including The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine and The Idea of Israel: A History of Power and Knowledge . He will discuss how Zionist myths have been shaped and/or perpetuated by the Israel Lobby, and what framework is necessary to overcome these myths.

Ilan Pappé

GROWING NUMBERS OF AMERICANS question massive, automatic and unconditional U.S. support for Israel. The American Educational Trust, publisher of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, and the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy will host an historic fourth annual conference on March 24, 2017 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Attendees receive lunch and an invitation to a special attendee-speaker reception. There will be book-signings, interview opportunities and a marketplace with the latest books and DVDs. Through December 31, a limited quantity of partially tax-deductible $79 year-end discount tickets are available. View more information at the conference website and register online at:

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levy_23_Special Report 12/8/16 6:51 PM Page 23

I Miss the Gaza Strip

Special Report By Gideon Levy

JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER lies on a stretcher, her body covered with blood. The minibus is parked beside her. The cannon fires shells, the children lie on the road. This is a child’s drawing on the wall in the town of Beit Lahiya in the Gaza Strip. It was drawn 10 years ago, a day after an Israel Defense Forces shell hit the kindergarten minibus, killing the teacher and two children who were standing in the street. This description was published 10 years ago today, in my last story from Gaza. For 10 years, the only Israeli journalists who have visited Gaza are Haaretz’s Amira Hass, who was there twice, once via the sea and the other time via Egypt, and the military reporters accompanying the IDF, who see nothing but the soldiers’ heroism. Israeli journalists have been in Syria and Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, but not in Gaza, an hour’s drive from Tel Aviv. Israel forbids such visits and nobody protests. During my last visit, I saw an elderly man lying wounded on a donkey-drawn cart in the courtyard of the shabby Kamal Radwan clinic. He had been hit by an IDF shell. Afterwards, we went with the children to the funeral of their kindergarten teacher, who had been killed in front of their eyes. It didn’t occur to me that this would be my last visit. The toddlers have since become teenage boys and girls, some of them may have been killed. The IDF killed 344 children in the 2008-09 Gaza Hamdi Aman and his then-7-year-old daughter, Maria, paralyzed in a 2006 Israeli miswar, known as Operation Cast Lead; 180 toddlers sile attack on their family car, arrive at the Israeli Supreme Court in Jerusalem, July 8, and 366 children were killed in the 2014 Israel- 2008, to argue that she should not be sent to a hospital in Ramallah, which would be unable to give her adequate care, but allowed to remain in Jerusalem, where she was Gaza conflict, known as Operation Protective currently being treated. Edge. No Israeli journalist can write their stories any more. The Israeli reader knows nothing about them, nor does he sile fired by Israeli air force pilots at the house next door. Dam was killed in her sleep, curled up in her mother’s arms. The IDF want to know. For him, all the dead children are terrorists, or chilsaid it was an attack on a tunnel. dren that terrorists hid behind, as Israeli propaganda tells it. All of Abdallah a-Zak was able to identify half of his son’s body in Gaza is Hamas, Israelis are told, and everyone in it wants only to the morgue because he recognized the belt he was wearing. destroy Israel. I look at my last reports from Gaza. A visit to the remnants of That was in an Israeli military offensive in the summer of 2006. the Abu Udah family—Mohammed, whose son Ismail and Only after the IDF left, did he find the other half. Mohammed was 14 and buried twice. daughter Hanan were shot dead by soldiers; Dam al-Ez Hamad, Dr. Nabil Abu Salmiya lost his wife and seven children in an 14, the only daughter of a paralyzed mother, was killed by a misair force bombing. Khaled Wahabe, an 18-month-old infant, is Copyright © Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved. Continued on p. 25 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

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omer_24-25_Gaza on the Ground 12/8/16 6:52 PM Page 24

Gaza on the Ground

What Palestinians Want From Trump

By Mohammed Omer

SAID KHATIB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

ton, whom they viewed as someone “we have seen very much of as secretary of state,” explains 21year-old engineering student Shrouq Jouda. For so long, she adds, Israel has controlled what Gazans eat, wear and drink, and even if and when they can travel abroad for vital medical care, education and family visitations, through its arbitrary—and punitive—opening and closing of Gaza’s borders at will. But now it is time, Jouda says, for Palestinians to say what they really want. “Think of all the international aid, and jets, that came to fight the recent brush fires in Israel, from countries all around the world,” she points out. “Yet Gaza was bombed Palestinians await permission to enter Egypt via the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, to pieces, by that same Israel, and no one said a thing. Their silence Nov. 14, 2016, after Egypt announced it would open the border for five days. spoke volumes: it is Israel that counts, and no one else—have we no value as human beTHE YEAR 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Balfour ings?” Declaration, the British government’s promise of support for a Today Gazans are more cynical, and dubious, than ever “national home for the Jewish people” on the populated land about U.S. elections. They wonder if seeing flamboyant busiof Palestine. nessman Donald Trump in the Oval Office will cause more Many Palestinians believe that 2017 could turn out to be Americans to face reality and act, and Gazans can look for similarly fateful for them. But as U.S. President-elect Donald changes in U.S. foreign policy. Trump prepares to take office, Gazans remain cynical about “It is time we Palestinians directly address Trump, without what might happen. mediators, regarding the changes we want,” states Buthina “Obama gave $38 billion [to Israel]—this money will be used Abdelraouf, 40, the director of a Rafah-based civil charity. on us, the people of Gaza,” says Salem Hamad, a 35-year-old In response to a social media survey asking Palestinians news producer. “If you think about it, Israel has no intention what they would wish for, most wanted Trump to end Israel’s but to practice war on a harmless Gazan population of two blockade on Gaza. million people, and our boxed-in Hamas leaders. Abu Hassan Lafi, 45, says he wishes the new American “Obama allowed three Israeli wars on Gaza in the eight president would present Israel with two alternatives, both of years since he was elected—did he even know, or care, that which should be acceptable for Gazans. we cheered for and believed in him in 2008? Did he actually “Either allow a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders,” he hear our desperate voices?” Hamad asks. says, “or let Israel take full control over Gaza and abide by inGazans weren’t particularly enthusiastic about Hillary Clinternational agreements, whereby the occupier takes care of all the human rights and needs of millions of Palestinians.” Award-winning journalist Mohammed Omer reports regularly on the Gaza Strip. Follow him on Twitter: @MoGaza. Most Gazans also seem to support the idea of an interna24

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tionally monitored airport where humanitarian supplies could be delivered to them directly, rather than through Israel. Gazans have no other options right now, reporter Hajar Harab points out, and humanitarian conditions are the worst they have ever been. “I accept the idea of an internationally monitored airport,” says 21-year-old Hasan Al Hams. However, he adds, there should be solid guarantees that it will not be bombed, “like the fishing harbor invested in by international donors was.” Al Hams had hoped that the $38 billion in U.S. military aid was the price for Israel to agree to a two-state solution. “But we were dreaming,” he laments. “And I am sure, even if Trump is a madman, he can’t do more damage than Obama— and he will not drive us away from our homes in Gaza,” he vows. With tensions growing, residents of Gaza fear an explosion may be imminent. But Palestinians retain their re-

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

silience, steadfastness and deep sense of identity, and many proud Gazans still hope that the U.S. monopoly on peace in Israel-Palestine will be shared among the wider international community. After all, as Abu Hassan says, “It is better to share peace than perpetual war.” ■

I Miss the Gaza Strip Continued from page 23

anaesthetized and on artificial respiration. His pregnant mother was killed, as was his uncle, who had just arrived from Saudi Arabia. They were having lunch when the Air Force missile struck their Khan Yunis home. Miriam Raliya’s four brothers, two nephews and grandson were killed when their strawberry fields were shelled. A few months later she lost another brother, her sister-in-law and five nephews in the same strawberry fields, which we visited twice. (Advertisement)

And of course, Hamdi Aman, my Hamdi. In the summer of 2006 he lost his mother, wife and son when a missile fired from a plane struck his car, which he had bought that morning. In Israel it was reported that the strike was a targeted assassination. Maria, his small daughter, was critically wounded in the attack and taken to Shifa Hospital’s emergency room. Hamdi, furious, refused to talk to us. Maria was transferred to the Shiba Medical Center in Israel and then to the Alyn rehabilitation center. They’ve been living in Israel ever since. Maria is paralyzed from the neck down. She’s a wonder who moves around in an electric wheelchair, which she activates with her mouth, and draws wonderful drawings, also with her mouth. A few weeks ago she had her 15th birthday. These are my last memories of Gaza. Go explain to an Israeli that this work has to be done; that I miss Gaza, despite its awful fate—the beaches, the landscapes; the wondrous spirit of the residents I knew until 10 years ago. ■

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Special Report

One People, One Voice. This is the Sound of All of Us

Hundreds gathered to sing along with a 300-person interfaith choir on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

AFTER AN ELECTION that deeply divided the nation, many Americans reading newspapers or watching network news found it hard to recognize their beloved country. If what they read in the papers is true, some voters don’t care about refugees or even their own poor, homeless and sick fellow citizens? Do Americans believe they can’t help solve conflicts in other countries, so why try? Just how will giving tax breaks and Cabinet positions to the rich make jobs magically appear? Is it a waste of money to provide healthcare, housing, and education to everyone? Do huge numbers of Americans actually care only about themselves, or is the media only giving us half the story? My own faith in the goodness of everyday Americans was restored in one day—Nov. 27. Several weeks earlier, a team of volunteers, including Diana Mae Richards, Alex McDonald, Victoria Sams and Drew Curtiss (my brother and co-owner of the space next to this magazine’s offices and bookstore) had filled a “pop-up” store with clothes, donated by Moon Wang of Georgetown Valet and others, furniture and household goods for refugees. We soon discovered that refugees settling in the DC metro area couldn’t get there or haul their new belongings back to the suburbs where they’ve been placed.

Delinda C. Hanley is news editor of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. 26

A thousand volunteers from the Fairfax (VA) Community Church—which has a membership of 3,000—came to the rescue. Lani Willbanks, pastor of Missional Groups, organized a pick up of all our donations and added them to a container full of goods the church had been gathering for its “One Day” event the weekend after Thanksgiving. Next, volunteers sorted through everything; they piled clothes on separate tables labeled in Arabic and English for babies, women, men and children. There was an entire room filled with shoes, another full of coats, and racks filled with pots, pans, dishes and other household goods. When I arrived, volunteers were just finishing up, and youngsters were setting up a kids’ room with tables for face- and rock- painting and games. Suddenly the word spread—the buses the church had chartered to pick up refugees from locations around Maryland and Virginia had arrived. Volunteers, young and old, lined the hallway smiling, clapping and saying, “Welcome!” to the refugees in English and Arabic. American children collected and entertained the little ones from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, while their mothers and grandmothers filled bags for their families. Some of the men gathered outside to smoke. Then came a wonderful feast—prepared by the Lebanese Taverna—and a time to relax and chat. The refugees I spoke with were so pleased by the hearty welcome

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PHOTO BY HENRY WINOKUR COURTESY TEMPLE RODEF SHALOM

Delinda C. Hanley

Sing for Hope: Uniting Our Country in Song

Because the elections, protests and hate crimes were causing despair, cantors from Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, VA decided to organize a 300-person interfaith concert and sing-along on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. As the sun began to set Nov. 27, more than 900 people, including tourists or visitors who happened to be on the National Mall on Thanksgiving Day weekend, gathered to “Sing for Hope: Uniting Our Country in Song.” Cantors Michael A. Shochet and Rachel Rhodes assembled choirs from temples, churches and mosques in Virginia, Maryland and DC. The concert featured choral selections of patriotic songs like “America the Beautiful.” Many of the songs calling for peace, love, hope and national unity were old folk songs dusted off from Vietnam War protest days that still apply today. The crowd took comfort as they belted out the Beatles’ song “All You Need is Love,” Bill Withers’ classic soul song, “Lean on Me,” Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train.” Robbie Schaefer of the band Eddie From JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

ABOVE: Volunteers helped refugees load their donated goods and transport the items to their apartments. BELOW: Fairfax Community Church members worked on various projects on “One Day,” including creating cards and care packages for U.S. soldiers. Ohio led the crowd in singing folk favorites like Pete Seeger’s “If I Had A Hammer” and “We Shall Overcome.” The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC performed “Make Them Hear You”—a stirring song from the musical “Ragtime” calling for justice for all. Rizwan Jaka, chairman of the All Dulles Access Muslim Society of Greater Washington (ADAMS), gave a powerful appeal for solidarity, unity and continued interfaith mobilizations like this. ADAMS’ children’s choir, the Beats, sang the “Salaam Peace Song,” to loud applause from the audience. “I looked at the choir and I was blown away at how good everyone felt at being together and using music as their voice to say we’re a part of this country,” Shochet said. “By coming together in song, we can heal some of our country’s wounds and move forward with a stronger sense of hope,” said Rhodes. There have been more than 15,000 views of the event streamed from the Washington Post’s Facebook page. This writer left heartened and convinced that our nation will continue to value its diversity and accept each other regardless of our country of origin, color, faith or sexual orientation. STAFF PHOTO D. HANLEY

and generosity of the Fairfax Community Church. They were happy to have found safety in America, but eager to obtain drivers’ licenses and jobs so they become independent again. “Spending the day at this church took me back to my childhood in Iowa and the kind of Americans I knew then: church-going, community-oriented, loving their neighbor,” Richards, an organizer from the refugee “pop-up” store, said. “The best part was seeing small children carrying toys—including a doll house! Many proudly showed their painted faces. It was a fun day.” As I left, I lingered to watch tables full of church volunteers creating lovely Christmas cards for American soldiers. They were writing friendly and encouraging notes to place in “Care Boxes” brimming with candy, nuts, cereal, playing cards and other supplies. These are the real everyday Americans we don’t see in the media, I thought as I drove back to DC to cover the next event.

PHOTO COURTESY VICTORIA SAMS

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Like Imam Jaka, I am convinced that if we reach out to others, just as this church and synagogue did, we shall overcome injustice at home and abroad. When I get dispirited or falter, I’ll crank up the music from the final song, as darkness fell on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, The Wailin’ Jennys’ “One Voice.” That song concludes that one person can try to do good, but joining with others will make sure that work gets done: This is the sound of all of us Singing with love and the will to trust... This is the sound of one voice One people, one voice A song for every one of us This is the sound of one voice This is the sound of one voice ■

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Special Report

Are the Israel Lobby’s Attacks on Keith Ellison Working?

By Dale Sprusansky

SAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN). AS SOON AS it became clear in the early hours of Nov. 9 that Donald Trump would indeed be the next president, Democrats began racing to find the leadership and ideas that would propel them back into power. In the midst of the post-election soulsearching, Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, who was an avid supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign, announced his candidacy for chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The media at first seemed receptive to the idea of Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, being selected to battle a Trump-led Republican Party infested with Islamophobia. Predictably, however, the discussion over Ellison’s candidacy quickly turned to his views on Israel. Pro-Israel groups fearful that an Ellison-led DNC could push the party away from Israel promptly launched a smear campaign. At the forefront of the attack is the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a pro-Israel outfit that masquerades as a civil rights organization. At its core the ADL is committed to advancing the notion that any criticism of the State of Israel is anti-Semitic. This is precisely the tactic they deployed to attack Ellison. In a Dec. 1 press release, the ADL raised concerns over comments Ellison made in 2010. Addressing a crowd of supporters, Ellison said, “The United States foreign policy in the Middle East is

Dale Sprusansky is assistant editor of the Washington Report on Middle east affairs. 28

governed by what is good or bad through a country of 7 million people [Israel]. A region of 350 million all turns on a country of 7 million. Does that make sense? Is that logic? Right? When the Americans who trace their roots back to those 350 million get involved, everything changes.” These words, the ADL claims, “raise the specter of age-old stereotypes about Jewish control of our government.” In reality, Ellison was making two simple and obvious points: Israel has a disproportionate say over U.S. foreign policy, and the ArabAmerican community in the U.S. has not done enough to counter the work of pro-Israel organizations. Of course, the ADL, being a pro-Israel organization itself, is not interested in intellectually debating the merits of Ellison’s case and instead is seeking to shut down this—and all— criticisms of Israel and its U.S. lobby as anti-Semitic. Adding fuel to the fire, on Dec. 2, long-time Hillary Clinton supporter and Democratic Party mega-donor Haim Saban, a fervent Zionist, described Ellison as “clearly an anti-Semite.” Crying anti-Semitism is an age-old tactic of the Israel Lobby, but it appears as though their efforts are not completely working in the case of Ellison. While the smear campaign has damaged him, Ellison remains in a good position to gain the chairmanship, and still has the support of soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (himself an avid supporter of Israel). Philip Weiss, editor of Mondoweiss, believes Ellison’s endurance is proof that the power of the Israel Lobby is waning. “I believe that Ellison will survive. And that the battle will solidify the place of Palestinian solidarity inside the Democratic Party,” he wrote. “The discourse is changing before our eyes: ideas that were third rail 10 years ago merely deliver a jolt now…That’s the great progress that Ellison’s survival will signal: The Israel Lobby is at last going to be debated openly in the American press.” It remains to be seen whether or not Ellison will actually survive this storm. In the meantime, let’s hope that one day American politicians will be able to express their legitimate opinions about Israel without being hounded with knee-jerk charges of anti-Semitism. If this day is to come, all Americans, as Ellison implored his audience in 2010, will need to do more to challenge the audacity of the Israel Lobby. ■

Washington RepoRt on Middle east affaiRs

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Special Report

The Senate Passes a Dumb and Dangerous Bill

By James J. Zogby

COURTESY TAREQ RADI

about Jews—or the power of Jews—as ON DEC. 1, without debate or an aca collective.” These and other examtual vote, the U.S. Senate stealthily ples cited in the guidance are objecpassed a disturbing and dangerous tively anti-Semitic and patently wrong. piece of legislation introduced by Sens. Where the DOS guidance goes “off Tim Scott (R-SC) and Bob Casey (Dthe rails” is when it tries to expand the PA). Called “The Anti-Semitism Awaredefinition to include “anti-Semitism relness Act of 2016” (AAA), the Scottative to Israel,” citing, as examples, Casey bill requires the Department of speech that demonizes or delegitEducation (DOE) to apply the State imizes Israel or that applies a double Department’s (DOS) definition of antistandard to Israel. The example given Semitism in evaluating complaints of for applying a “double standard for Isdiscrimination on U.S. campuses. rael” is “requiring…behavior [of Israel] The DOS definition of and guidelines not expected or demanded of any on anti-Semitism were designed to other democratic nation.” With this exhelp U.S. officials monitor anti-Semipansion of the definition of anti-Semitism abroad. They were not intended to tism, the guidance becomes both subbe applied to police speech on college jective and open to dangerous abuse campuses here in the U.S. by those who would use it to silence In developing its definition and guidcriticism of Israel. ance, the DOS adopted language used This language is so vague and open by the European Union Monitoring to interpretation that when the UniverCenter on Racism and Xenophobia sity of California Board of Regents was (EUMC). being pressed to apply the DOS guid“Anti-Semitism is a certain percepance to California campuses, the lead tion of Jews, which may be expressed author of the EUMC definition of antias hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and Semitism objected, pointing out the physical manifestations of anti-Semidangers this would present to free tism are directed toward Jewish or speech, saying that “enshrining such a non-Jewish individuals and/or their Would this banner by a George Mason University property, toward Jewish community in- student organization be considered anti-Semitic definition on a college campus is an illstitutions and religious institutions.” under “The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of advised idea that will make matters worse, and not only for Jewish stuThis description of anti-Semitism is 2016”? dents; it would also damage the uniboth correct and instructive, as are versity as a whole.” several examples of contemporary anti-Semitism mentioned in In short remarks introducing their bill, the two senators prethe DOS guidance, including: “accusing Jews, as a people, of sented it as an effort to protect Jewish students from the being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed scourge of anti-Semitic harassment. They told stories of proby a single Jewish person or group, the State of Israel, or Israel Jewish students living in fear on their campuses. Intereven for acts committed by non-Jews”; or “making mendaestingly, however, when the DOE’s civil rights unit investicious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations gated reports of widespread anti-Semitism creating a hostile environment on specific campuses, the DOE teams found the James J. Zogby is president of the Arab American Institute. The views charges largely baseless. and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the position of the Arab American Institute. Continued on p. 31 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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Congress Watch

Republicans Keep Both House and Senate, But With Smaller Majorities

By Shirl McArthur

AS A RESULT of the Nov. 8 elections, Republicans will now control the White House and both houses of Congress. The same party controlling both the executive and legislative branches of government often increases the chances for congressional mischief. However, Democrats picked up 2 seats in the Senate, making it 52 Republican and 48 Democratic, and 6 in the House, for a total of 241 Republican and 194 Democratic seats. So the Democrats in fact have a bit more leverage, especially in the Senate, where the filibuster rule requiring 60 votes to end debate means they should be able to stop at least the most extreme Republican measures. There were two major positive results in the Senate. Leading Israel-firster and long-time member of this magazine’s “Hall of Shame” Sen. Mark Kirk (RIL) was defeated by current Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Hall of Shame member Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) was defeated by current New Hampshire Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan. But, negatively, with the retirement of Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), who generally supported President Barack Obama’s policies in the Middle East, Hall of Shame member Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will be the new minority leader, and he will be more inclined to support pro-Israel measures. The number of Arab-American members of the House remains at six. Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) lost in his bid for a Senate seat, but a newly elected House Arab American will be Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-NV). Returning Arab-American House members will be Reps. Ralph Abraham (R-LA), Justin Amash (R-MI), Garret Graves (R-LA), Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Darin LaHood (RIL). And Arab-American Republican Chris Sununu won the governor’s race in New Hampshire. Jewish representation in the Senate dropped from 9 to 8 with the retirement of Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)—still an over-representation, at 8 percent, of less than 2 percent of the population—and increased in the House from 19 to 22, or just over 5 percent.

tended the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), and might also take up some other Middle East-related measures. Before leaving for its election break Congress passed a shortterm Continuing Resolution (CR) extending government spending through Dec. 9. After the election, and just in the nick of time, it passed another short-term CR, allowing the government to function until April 28, after President-elect Donald Trump has been sworn in. Another item that was dealt with was extension of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996. Throughout the fall there were several reports that House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) was working to develop a “clean” bipartisan bill that would renew ISA for 10 years. Royce finally introduced H.R. 6297 on Nov. 14, and the full House passed it, under “suspension of the rules,” on Nov. 15 by a rollcall vote of 419-1 (Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky). It simply extends ISA until Dec. 31, 2026. When passed it had 11 bipartisan co-sponsors, including Royce. On Dec. 1 the Senate passed the Royce bill by a vote of 99-0. Of three already-existing Senate bills, two previously reported were significantly different Democratic and Republican bills. The Republican bill, S. 3267, is a wide-ranging bill that, in addition to extending ISA, would also impose new sanctions on Iran. Introduced in July by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), it still has eight cosponsors, including Corker. The Democratic bill, S. 3281, introduced in July by Reid, which would extend ISA until Dec. 31, 2026, has 21 co-sponsors, including Reid. A truly outrageous bill is S. 3363, introduced Sept. 20 by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). It would give $1.5 BILLION in additional “emergency” aid to Israel and also extend ISA until 2031. It has seven Republican cosponsors, including Graham. No other Middle East-related measures have been mentioned as likely to be passed in the lame duck session. However, three previously described bills were reported out in the House. One of them, H.R. 5711, introduced in July by Reps. Bill Huizenga (RMI) and Brad Sherman (D-CA), aimed at stopping Boeing’s sale of commercial aircraft to Iran by prohibiting financial transactions in connection with the export or re-export of commercial aircraft to Iran, was passed by the full House on Nov. 17 by a vote of 243-174. Another reported bill aimed at stopping Boeing’s sale of

The Democrats in fact have a bit more leverage, especially in the Senate.

“LAME DUCK” CONGRESS PASSES IRAN SANCTIONS EXTENSION

The “Lame Duck” session of Congress, scheduled to end Dec. 16, passed a second short-term FY ’17 appropriations bill, ex-

Shirl McArthur is a retired foreign service officer. He lives in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. 30

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aircraft to Iran is H.R. 5715, introduced in July by Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) with 10 co-sponsors. It would prohibit ExIm Bank financing for the sale. The third bill reported out is H.R. 5877, introduced in July by Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) with two cosponsors. It would encourage U.S.-Israel cybersecurity cooperation. However, it is unlikely that the Senate will take up and pass any of these Housepassed bills. As the previous “Congress Watch” reported, after Congress voted to override Obama’s veto of S. 2040, ending the sovereign immunity of states from being sued for supporting terrorist attacks against the U.S., 28 senators—all of whom voted to override Obama’s veto—signed a Sept. 28 letter to the bill’s sponsors expressing their concerns about the “potential unintended consequences that may result from this legislation,” and saying they would like to work “to mitigate those unintended consequences” during the “lame duck” session. But so far, nothing to that effect has been seen or heard.

A FEW OTHER NEW MEASURES INTRODUCED

Two similar bills with identical titles, “Protecting Israel Against Economic Discrimination,” were hailed by their sponsors as guarding Israel against boycotts by European governmental organizations. However, their texts make it clear that they are not aimed at boycotts against Israel, but rather, in another attempt to legitimize Israeli colonies on the West Bank by equating them with Israel, are aimed at the “Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions” movement targeting Israeli products and companies from the occupied West Bank. S. 3465 was introduced by Sens. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Rob Portman (R-OH) on Sept. 29. The House bill, H.R. 6298, was introduced by Reps. Roskam and Juan Vargas (D-CA) on Nov. 14. Two identical measures were introduced Sept. 28, “Expressing the sense of Congress and reaffirming longstanding U.S. policy in support of a direct bilaterally negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and oppositions to U.N. SecuJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

rity Council resolutions imposing a solution to the conflict.” H.Con.Res. 165 was introduced by Royce, with six co-sponsors, and S.Con.Res. 54 was introduced by Sens. Kirk and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Continuing the whining about the Obama administration’s payment to Iran in January of $400 million of the $1.7 billion owed to Iran to resolve a 1979 arms deal signed before the fall of the Shah, Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), with no co-sponsors, on Sept. 28 introduced S. 3443 “to prohibit the U.S. government from making cash payments to state sponsors of terrorism.” And on Sept. 28 Graham, with nine cosponsors, introduced S. 3414 “to condition assistance to the West Bank and Gaza on steps by the Palestinian Authority to end violence and terrorism against Israeli citizens.” ■

Dangerous Bill Continued from page 29

If the bill is dangerous and even unnecessary, then why did Scott and Casey do it? And why did they rush to pass it without debate or discussion? Reading the “fact sheet” Scott and Casey attached to their legislation reveals the AAA’s sinister political intent—and that is, silencing campus student movements and activities that are critical of Israel, in particular the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS). Seen in this light, the AAA is but an extension of other legislative efforts in Congress and, at last count, 22 state legislatures to either ban or penalize individuals or entities that participate in any forms of BDS against the State of Israel. All of this is wrong on so many levels. It has the U.S. government unfairly influencing a necessary debate that is taking place on college campuses weighing in to support one side, while threatening the other side if they cross an undefined and arbitrary line. These efforts tell Palestinian and progressive Jewish students that their speech will be policed and that they may be subject to penalties. If students were to call Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin

Netanyahu “a monster” or accuse him and the Israeli military of “a barbaric assault on Gaza”—would they be accused of “demonizing”? Or what if students spoke about Israel’s 1948 “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians or focused their political work on criticizing Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands, but said nothing about (or maybe didn’t even care to know about) Turkey’s occupation in Cyprus, for example—could they be charged with delegitimizing Israel or applying a “double standard”? At the same time that these efforts will act to intimidate and silence pro-Palestinian activity on campuses, they will also serve to embolden pro-Israel student groups to file repeated complaints against BDS and pro-Palestinian organizations. What I find most ironic here is the degree to which this entire discussion has turned reality upside down. I understand awful and hurtful things have been said and that some pro-Israel students may feel “uncomfortable” in some instances, or that the BDS debate on their campuses may make them feel like they are in a “hostile” environment. But it is inexcusable to ignore the harassment and threats and defamation endured by any students who are advocating for Palestinian rights. Oftentimes, they are the ones operating in a hostile environment. They are the ones targeted by wellfunded campaigns and subjected to threats and harassment. And when Arab Americans write opinion pieces in school newspapers, the comments’ sections are filled with bigotry and hate. The bottom line is that there are times when the debate has become ugly and students on all sides have crossed the line. When this occurs, universities should be addressing the need for greater civility in our political discourse and helping to create an environment that encourages openness to debating controversial issues. That’s what we need. What we don’t need is a hamfisted effort by senators to silence debate which will only create more hostility and less civility. ■

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United Nations Report

Just Like the President-Elect, Trump Cabinet Appointments Send Mixed Messages

By Ian Williams

U.N. PHOTO/MANUEL ELIAS

the U.N. ambassador in their cabinet, while Republicans do not. But Donald Trump has promoted Haley to the cabinet. Was this because he was not aware of previous practice, or because he wanted a minority woman in his cabinet? Or was it a bribe to get her to give up her independent position in South Carolina? Previous U.N. ambassadors have always had to cope with the ghost of Andrew Young, the U.N. envoy fired for meeting informally with the Palestinian representative at the U.N., so even those who privately disagreed with the Lobby’s manipulation of U.S. Middle East policy have gone along with the flow and dutifully—and shamefully—leveled the veto on the mildest criticism of Israel. It would be difficult to piece together a Ambassador Peter Thomson of Fiji, president of the 71st session of the United Nations General coherent foreign policy from Trump’s erAssembly, addresses a special meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, held in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with ratic statements on the campaign trail and the Palestinian People, Nov. 29, 2016. afterward. From one point of view, his phone conversation with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen was a welcome sign of refusal to be bullied CRYSTAL BALLS DO NOT work well in the United Nations at by Beijing—but if it was not part of a considered policy, it was an the best of times. If you want a recipe for chaotic outcomes, then indication that we have a president-elect who could puckishly take 193 direct players, 5 of whom have an ace up their sleeve start World War III with an ill-considered gesture. And to add to in the form of a veto, dictating to an organization with dozens of the confusion, it is not clear against whom he would start it! relatively autonomous agencies whose heads often apportion So, on the one hand, he opined that the Israelis should pay for their allegiances to the nations who proposed them and those their U.S. weapons supplies—but on the other, he made the stanwho finance them. And into this, Donald Trump has thrown the dard pledge of moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. But had Tea Party-backed governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, born anyone explained the intricacies of international law to him? Or, Sikh, converted to Methodism, one of whose few foreign policy since almost every other candidate made the same pledge, did he, stands mandates state opposition to BDS efforts. too, have his fingers crossed behind his back when he said it? On the bright side, the new U.N. representative did have the Trump’s nominee as defense secretary, Gen. James “Mad courage to oppose Trump earlier, and to oppose deportation of Dog” Mattis, has wisely suggested that Israeli policies in the ocMuslims, and we can assume that her subcontinental origins will cupied territories are a clear and present danger to U.S. forces in to some extent inoculate her against xenophobia, and perhaps the region—but then wants to step up pressure on Iran, just as even American exceptionalism. However, quite how this works Netanyahu and the Lobby ordered. for future American foreign policy in general, let alone toward the We are not even sure what Trump’s views on the United Nations United Nations, is even more of a mystery than before. are. From some quarters, hostility to the organization is engendered The previous pattern was that Democratic presidents included by the member states’ insistence that Israel does not have an automatic pass for breaches of U.N. decisions. Certainly the DemocU.N. correspondent Ian Williams’ book UNtold: the Real Story of the United Nations will be published by Just World Books in Spring 2017. ratic Party has been torn for years between supporting the great cre32

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ation of Roosevelt and Truman and deploring its support for Palestinian rights. Since the Republican/Likud Axis has become so prominent, the GOP has merged its pro-Israel stance with its nativist dislike of foreigners—a blend manifest in Rudy Giuliani, the curmudgeonly ex-mayor of New York who in 1995 ordered PLO leader Yasser Arafat out of a U.N. anniversary banquet. To some extent Trump has prejudices rather than policies—but he is enough of a businessman to realize that it is often profitable to overlook reflexive aversions. Trump the realtor obviously appreciates the U.N.’s effect on property values in New York City, building one of his most outstandingly tasteless edifices just across the road from U.N. headquarters. Whatever prejudices he and his father had against African-American tenants is clearly not carried over to the many African and Arab diplomats who rent and buy his properties. So will the policy be neglect, or will he see what other administrations, not least Bill Clinton’s, have: that the U.N. saves a lot of effort compared with being the world’s self-appointed cop? It is really difficult to say, but then that is true of previous regimes. Clinton posed as a liberal internationalist and then issued his Policy Directive 25 that vetoed any expenditure on peacekeeping that did not directly serve self-defined U.S. interests. The victims of Rwanda and Srebrenica were not, we discovered, essential U.S. interests. In contrast, President Barack Obama amended that directive last year, in a reasoned assessment that asserted, “Multilateral peace operations, particularly United Nations (U.N.) peace operations, will, therefore, continue to be among the primary international tools that we use to address conflict-related crises.” The crucial question is whether a Trump administration will have anything like a coherent foreign policy—and to what extent it sees the United Nations as helping in fulfilling that. Using the old Confucian cliché of crisis as opportunity, new U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has a better chance of independence than most—even if the major powers will nominate most of his seJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

nior officials. As previously noted (see Nov./Dec. 2016 Washington Report, p. 30), elected unanimously as a former prime minister of an important, if small, power; as head of one of the U.N.’s most called-upon agencies; and even as former president of the Socialist International, he has far more experience and better international connections than Trump—or any of his cabinet members. Interestingly, Guterres had the support of China for his candidacy, and China has upped its dues payments, so that it is now the next biggest financier, after the U.S., for U.N. operations—and provides more peacekeepers than any other great power. The U.S. might still be the “indispensable power” Madeleine Albright claimed it to be, but it has never been more dispensable than now, as its primacy is increasingly challenged.

ANNEXING U.N. TERRITORY?

Meanwhile, back at the U.N., Israel’s Ambassador Danny Danon has shown his heritage in the settlement movement since he became chairman of the U.N. General Assembly’s Sixth Committee, which deals with legal affairs. He is clearly enjoying himself and has expanded the toehold to annex more and more organizational territory. His latest escapade was to convene a meeting of self-appointed legal experts that included Alan Dershowitz and Morton Klein of the Zionist Organization of America to consider legal action against advocates of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. It appears to be a tendentious extension of the claimed privileges of the chair, but has no legal effect. However, politically, it surely is time for the Palestinian Mission to convene a U.N. conference on how to give international legal effect to the decisions of the International Criminal Court on the applicability of the Geneva Conventions on Occupied Territories to the Israeli-occupied territories. On Nov. 29 the U.N. commemorated its Annual Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Ban Ki-moon has been an articulate defender of international legality, not to mention humanitarian solidarity, in the region, but his statements have rarely been reported, not even in indignation by pro-Israeli

press—almost as if they realized that condemning such a mild-mannered and manifestly principled person would only validate his statements. So it is only fitting that as he leaves office we reproduce his remarks: “Recent years have witnessed two unsuccessful attempts at negotiating a peaceful settlement, three armed conflicts, thousands of dead—the vast majority of them Palestinian civilians—rampant incitement, terror attacks, thousands of rockets and bombs fired at Israel from Gaza, and an expanding, illegal Israeli settlement enterprise that risks undermining Israel’s democratic values and the character of its society. This year, the number of demolitions of Palestinian houses and other structures by Israeli forces has doubled, compared to 2015. Gaza remains a humanitarian emergency, with two million Palestinians struggling with crumbling infrastructure and a paralyzed economy, and tens of thousands still displaced, awaiting reconstruction of homes destroyed by conflict.” While it contains the obligatory “balance” so often demanded by U.S. and Israeli representatives, the inescapable truth of who is most to blame emerges clearly from its enumeration of the details. In the General Assembly debate on the resolutions, U.S. representative Richard Erdman came out with the usual worries about “the disproportionate number of one-sided resolutions that had been designed to condemn Israel.” Interestingly, he added, “While the United States consistently opposed every effort to delegitimize Israel at the United Nations, his delegation would also continue to view Israeli settlement activity as illegitimate, corrosive and a threat to a two-state solution.” Erdman failed, however, to identify how much of Israel Palestine occupied and how many settlements it had built there. Nor did he identify what steps Washington had taken to persuade Israel to give up its corrosive ways, short of stuffing its arsenal with offensive weapons and its treasury with cash. In fact, he missed a golden opportunity to suggest ways to take the wind out of the sails of the international BDS movement. If the U.S. and U.N. took the action they had against South Africa, then consumers’ boycotting bath salts from the occupied Dead Sea would be totally unnecessary. ■

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Special Report

Hands Off the Iran Deal

By Eric S. Margolis

ATTA KENARE/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

An Israeli attack on Iran could quickly drag in the United States and become a major Mideast conflict. The Pentagon is not anxious to get involved in yet another war in the Muslim world. Interestingly, some Iranian hard-liners actually hope the U.S. will attack Iran: “America will break its teeth on Iran, and that will be the end of its Mideast empire,” as one overconfident Iranian told me. Adding to tensions, the Iranian nuclear deal has been under heavy attack in the U.S. That may sabotage the pact even without Donald Trump’s intervention. The U.S. Israel lobby has made sabotaging the deal with Tehran a priority. Equally important, Israel’s extraordinary influence over the U.S. Congress and media has been diAn Iranian man looks at a local Tehran newspaper displaying a picture of Donald Trump the rected at overturning or at least derailing the nuclear accord. day after he was elected president on Nov. 8, 2016. Iran is loudly accused of sponsoring “terrorism” for supporting the Palestinian cause and Lebanon’s PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD Trump vows to either tear up or resistance movement Hezbollah and Yemen’s shadowy Houthi rewrite the recent international nuclear deal with Iran, calling it tribal movement. This while the U.S. is arming, supplying and fi“disastrous,” and “the worst deal ever negotiated by Washington.” nancing ultra-violent anti-regime jihadists in Syria and waging Iran, which has closed important nuclear facilities, shut down war in East Africa. half its centrifuges, and neutralized its stores of nuclear materU.S. congressmen and senators hypocritically blasted the late ial under the international agreement, must be wondering if its Fidel Castro for being a dictator while hailing Egypt’s brutal dicnuclear deal was not really, really disastrous. tatorship of Field Marshall el-Sisi and, of course, China’s dictaIn his rush to condemn the Iran deal, Donald Trump seems to torship. At least Castro was esteemed, even loved, by most of be forgetting that the pact was co-signed by Britain, France, Rushis people. One seeks in vain any traces of affection for U.S.sia, China, Germany and the U.N. Backing out of the pact will be backed dictators like Sisi. no easy matter and sure to provoke a diplomatic storm. Meanwhile, Israel’s partisans have been waging what they call The outgoing CIA director, John Brennan, calls Trump’s plan “Lawfare” against the Iran deal by trying to obstruct it in many to junk the Iran deal “the height of folly.” Brennan warns that legal and bureaucratic ways, particularly by refusing to remove doing so would further destabilize the Mideast and embolden most of the U.S. trade and financial embargo on Tehran stipuhard-liners on all sides. He could have added that if Iran related in the agreement. Europe is also forced, unwillingly, to sumes nuclear enrichment, Israel’s far-right government will comply with many of the U.S. trade sanctions against Iran. likely go to war with Iran in order to preserve its Mideast nuclear One of the more egregious examples was recent efforts by Ismonopoly. rael’s supporters in Congress to thwart the sale of some 200 Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, internationally syndicated commercial U.S. and European jets to Iran. Over 30 years of columnist and the author of american Raj: liberation or dominaU.S. embargo have left Iran with a dilapidated and often perilous tion? Resolving the Conflict Between the West and the Muslim transport fleet that has killed large numbers of Iranians in World (available from AET’s Middle East Books and More). Copyright © 2016 Eric S. Margolis. crashes caused by mechanical failures. 34

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Special Report

A Turkish Freeze

By Jonathan Gorvett

ADEM ALTAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

around the country, delivering the best general election result in the party’s history in June 2015. For the first time, via a more inclusive political message, they had also managed to win a significant number of ethnic Turkish as well as ethnic Kurdish votes, in a country long divided along this troubled fault line. Now, though, such advances seem to belong to a different, scarcely remembered world. The largely ethnic Kurdish homelands of southeastern Turkey, which had been experiencing an unprecedented period of peace, lie under emergency rule. Large parts of cities and towns such as Diyarbakir and Cizre have been bulldozed and bomb-blasted, with explosions, shootings and disappearances once again all-too-common in the harsh, surrounding hills. Selahattin Demirtas, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), during a July 22, 2016 interview in Ankara. Along with the detention of the HDP co-chairs and MPs, a swathe of HDP municipal officials have also been rounded up, along with THESE ARE COLD and bitter days at the Edirne F-Type other public figures, intellectuals, activists and journalists. Prison, hunkered down in the wintery landscape 130 miles State prosecutors are widely calling for life sentences for northwest of Istanbul, close to the Turkish-Bulgarian border. many of those now being held, while the current debate in Built to house members of illegal armed political groups, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) over recriminal gangs and all those requiring high-security treatment, instituting the death penalty also sends a shiver through many the prison is now also home to a man who only a year and a of the families of those now behind bars. President Recep half ago was being lauded as the “Turkish Obama.” Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s increasingly unchallenged leader, Selahattin Demirtas, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish People’s supports just such a move. Democratic Party (HDP), has been incarcerated here since The issue of capital punishment highlights, however, the early November, when he was detained in an early hours poshear entanglement of political and military storms that are lice raid, along with 10 other elected HDP members of the currently circling around Turkey. Turkish parliament. His co-chair, Figen Yuksekdag, was also The death penalty was brought back on the agenda not by detained, similarly accused of links to the Kurdish Workers’ the Kurdish issue, but by the attempted coup d’état back in Party (PKK), the armed group described by Turkey, the U.S. July. Launched by a faction within the military, the coup led to and EU as a terrorist organization. the deaths of 294 people and sparked a massive nationwide A year and a half ago, though, such allegations—which for crackdown on the followers and alleged followers of the relimany years had been a catch-all for Turkish authorities wishgious leader Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Erdogan for this buning to silence Kurdish nationalists—seemed to have become a gled and fundamentally flawed putsch. thing of the past. Gulen is currently in self-imposed exile in the U.S., with a The two HDP leaders had been able to campaign openly succession of unsuccessful Turkish attempts to extradite him Jonathan Gorvett is a free-lance writer based in Istanbul. fraying still further already frayed Turkish-U.S. relations. 36

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These have deteriorated largely because of the ongoing imbroglio in Iraq and Syria, which in turn also involves the Kurdish issue. In Syria, Washington has effectively backed PKK ally the People’s Protection Units (YPG), while also supporting Masoud Barzani’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq and its peshmerga—vital forces in the struggle against ISIS, but also increasingly strident in their push for an independent Kurdish state. Such an entity is anathema to Ankara, which fears it would lead to its own southeast breaking off. At the same time, a return of the death penalty would likely end Turkey’s already dying bid to join the European Union (EU), which requires candidate countries to abolish capital punishment. The EU Parliament delivered yet another blow to this decades-long process in November, when it responded to the crackdown on alleged coup supporters— a crackdown that has led to tens of thousands of arrests, nationwide emergency rule and the virtual ending of press freedom—by calling for the suspension of accession talks. Erdogan responded by threatening to unleash on Europe the thousands of Syrian, Iraqi and other refugees currently on Turkish soil, raising the specter of a repeat of summer 2015, when waves of refugees headed north, sparking an anti-immigrant backlash in many European countries that has since threatened the EU project itself.

crackdowns on the Kurds are nothing new either, while coups have also been a constant feature of Turkish history. A failed one was always just as likely to be followed by a nationwide purge as were the successful ones, back in 1980, 1971 and 1960. Nonetheless, there is also a widespread feeling that there has been a fundamental change in Turkey and its region in recent times, with old parameters no longer applying. The election of Donald Trump has added to this perception, apparently heralding further U.S. disengagement— while also, surprisingly, greater warmth between the U.S. and Russia. The forthcoming Trump administration might also, it seems, be more sympathetic to requests for Gulen’s extradition. Meanwhile, the increasing fragmentation and xenophobia seen in Europe, symbolized by Brexit and the growth of the European far right, also further erodes the stabilizing influence the EU long had over Turkey’s domestic political agenda. Moves have thus accelerated to bring a major constitutional change forward, which would give Erdogan far wider executive powers and might see him remain president for another 12 years. South of the border, too, there is a feeling that the recent crackdown on the HDP, along with the Turkish army’s oc-

cupation of a buffer zone in northern Syria, may mean Ankara sees the end game there as approaching fast. Such moves may thus be aimed primarily at halting any future Kurdish push toward independence, while also staking out Turkey’s claim as a power that cannot be ignored in any regional re-alignments. Statements by Erdogan in recent times questioning the Treaty of Lausanne—the post-World War One regional settlement—and claiming that Mosul is part of Turkey’s local sphere of influence might be seen in this context. Such moves are extremely popular with many Turks, too. Support for Erdogan has blossomed since the coup—up to around 60 percent approval in the aftermath—although, in an atmosphere of emergency rule, such tests of public opinion might need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Nonetheless, the opinion of one Edirne café owner may be representative of many: “A strong ruler,” Ahmed Yaylali says. “That’s what everyone wants these days. You may not agree with everything they say or do, but at least a strong ruler can get things done—at least they can make something happen.” It is a sentiment heard in many places beyond this wintery city these days—although Edirne’s most famous current prisoner would almost certainly disagree. ■

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Changed World?

Such spats between Brussels and Ankara are nothing new, however. At the same time, the EU Parliament is a largely powerless institution, and European leaders with real authority have rapidly stepped forward to assure Turkey that they have no intention of walking out on the accession talks. The refugee issue is also much more complex, with a deal on this worked out by the EU and Turkey last year never actually implemented on the ground—yet despite this, the flow has reduced to a trickle. A cynic might also suggest that JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

A PProject roject of Middle East Children’s Children’s Alliance

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Special Report

Growing Numbers of Americans Want their President to Be Even-Handed

By Delinda C. Hanley

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CRITICAL ISSUES POLL

AS HE LEAVES office, President Barack Obama is said to be considering his legacy. Will he be the president who let a twostate solution die, or will he issue some Obama/Kerry parameters to try to propel the peace process forward? Will he support—or at least not veto—a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning illegal Israeli settlements? What do Americans want their president to do? Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland, publicly released his latest poll results, which answer that question and others, at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC on Dec. 2. He compared his new University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll, fielded after the election, to similar polls he’s taken in the past three years. Professor Telhami said he has discovered a “deep polarization” on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, “with Republicans increasingly wanting the United States to take Israel’s side and Democrats increasingly wanting the U.S. to lean toward neither side.” According to his poll results, a majority of Americans, 57 percent, want the future president to lean toward neither side in the conflict, but they are divided along party lines: 69 percent of Democrats compared to 42 percent of Republicans. The pollster also probed public opinion on arguments for and against President Obama seizing the opportunity to address the conflict during the current transition period. A plurality of Americans (46 percent) said they either strongly or somewhat support the Obama administration backing or sponsoring a U.N. resolution that outlines the parameters for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before Obama leaves office. A quarter of Americans neither oppose nor support this resolution, while only 27 percent either strongly or somewhat oppose it. Seventy percent of Democrats support a resolution, compared to 22 percent of Republicans and 37 percent of Independents.

Delinda C. Hanley is news editor of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. 38

As for a U.S. response to illegal Israeli settlements, Republicans continue to want to either do nothing or just limit the reaction to words. A plurality of Americans (40 percent) either strongly or somewhat strongly supports Obama sponsoring a U.N. resolution to end Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. Telhami’s poll also finds that a growing majority of Democrats, 60 percent, say they want to see sanctions or more serious actions taken in response to new settlements. The numbers are highest among the young, with 51 percent of Americans under 34 in support of sanctions against Israel for settlements. There was also a partisan divide on whether the U.S. should support a U.N. resolution on Palestinian statehood. “Americans supporting a U.S. veto of a U.N. resolution on Palestinian statehood remain a minority (31 percent). But the differences were striking: While 51 percent of Republicans wanted to see U.S. veto, only 16 percent of Democrats now supported such move,” Telhami reported. Democrats (55 percent) also say Israel has too much influence over U.S. policy, up from 49 percent a year ago. The overall number is 39 percent of Americans believing Israel has too much influence. Only 9 percent of Democrats say Israel has too little influence and 35 percent say it’s just right. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was the single most admired national or world leader among Republicans in the previous poll. In Telhami’s post-election poll, Republicans now said they most admired Ronald Reagan—but Netanyahu still rated second, ahead of Pope Francis! Obama would have broad popular support from his constituents if he sanctioned Israel for settlements, or allowed the U.N. to endorse the establishment of a Palestinian state. Obama actually has political “cover” to do this, Telhami said. Nearly twothirds of Americans would not oppose the creation of a Palestinian state by the United Nations. ■

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

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THE WORLD LOOKS AT THE MIDDLE EAST

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Islam and the Near East in the Far East

Indonesia: Attack a Governor to Attack the President?

By John Gee

WAWAN KURNIAWAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

clear majority of parliamentariA PROTEST BY 100,000 peoans. Though not performing as ple on the streets of Jakarta well as he’d hoped, the econended in violence on Nov. 4, omy has grown by over 5 perwith some participants setting cent in each of his first two fire to police cars near the presyears, despite unfavorable inidential palace. The disorder reternational conditions (includsulted in Indonesian President ing the slowdown in the ChiJoko Widodo postponing a nese economy), and his presistate visit to Australia. This was dency has seen massive inreportedly the largest demonvestment in infrastructure prostration in the Indonesian capijects, including around 8,000 tal since anti-Chinese riots in kms. of roads and highways, a the city in 1998. high-speed railway line beThe ostensible reason for the tween Jakarta and Bandung in demonstration was the claim Java, and the construction of that the governor of Jakarta 17 new airports. had insulted Islam—and that However, Basuki is an easier was no doubt what motivated target, as a Christian and being most of the crowd to turn up— of Chinese ancestry. When he but the ultimate target of the ortook office, Red-White coalition ganizers may well have been members swore to boycott him the president himself. and make it impossible for BaJokowi, as he is commonly suki (nicknamed Ahok) to govknown, won the presidency in a ern. Some opponents said that bitterly contested 2014 camno Christian should have authorpaign. He was previously govity over Muslims in a predomiernor of Jakarta, and when he nately Muslim country. Less gave up this role for the presiclearly stated was the objection dency, his deputy, Basuki TjaJakarta’s governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (holding microphone), haja Purnama, took his place. speaks to reporters at Jakarta police headquarters, where he under- to his Chinese ancestry, but this Both men faced vocal opposi- went intensive questioning for allegedly insulting Islam, Nov. 7, 2016. formed an ugly undercurrent to the campaign against him. tion from defeated presidental The original anti-Basuki campaign was a failure. He proved to candidate Prabowo Subianto’s Red-White coalition, as well as be an efficient and popular governor and, of three candidates in some Islamist groups. the forthcoming election for the governorship due to take place in The latter disliked Jokowi’s position as a leader of secular outFebruary 2017, he was the favorite. In October 2016, he critilook, but their inability to pinpoint anything the popular leader cized opponents who cited a verse from the Qur’an to say that had done against Islam made it difficult to mobilize opinion Muslims must not vote for him, and this was immediately seized against him. Moreover, Jokowi has consolidated his position upon by religious zealots, who accused him of blasphemy. since winning the presidency. Defections from the Red-White Some called for his arrest, and others for his execution, but the coalition, particularly the decision of one-time party of governpolice could find no basis for charges to be filed against him. The ment Golkar, to back Jokowi, have given him the support of a anti-Basuki mobilization being to the advantage of his two electoral rivals (Anies Baswedan, backed by Prabowo, and Agus John Gee is a free-lance journalist based in Singapore, and the author of Unequal Conflict: The Palestinians and Israel. Harimurti Yudhoyono, son of the former president), they quietly 40

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colluded in a campaign for which they had no ideological conviction. The mass turn-out for the Nov. 4 demonstration certainly looked impressive, but probably only one in five of the participants were from Jakarta and eligible to vote in the forthcoming election. If Basuki is defeated, his opponents may be expected to redirect their attacks against their primary enemy, Jokowi; if the capital’s electorate returns him, it will be a heavy blow to the forces of intolerance in Indonesia. They represent only a relatively small minority in Indonesia, but have made themselves visible through the terrorism of Jemaah Islamiah, the intimidating tactics of the Islamic Defenders Front, and a trickle of volunteers who have joined ISIS. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any country in the world. More than 87 percent of its 265 million people are Muslims, and 99 percent of those are Sunnis. Although there have been movements that have wanted Indonesia to as-

sert a stronger identity as a Muslim country, successive governments have maintained a constitutional commitment to religious freedom. It is a freedom that is only extended to six officially recognized religions—Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Adherents of other religions, or of none, inhabit a grey area, where they have no legal protection for the observance of their beliefs, but have generally been left undisturbed if they are not too open about it.

MALAYSIA’S GIVE-AWAY BUDGET HINTS AT 2017 ELECTION

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak stood up in parliament on Oct. 21, 2016 and presented what was widely seen as a pre-election budget, although he could govern until 2018 without calling an election. Budget give-aways targeted the ruling party’s Malay electoral base. There will be (Advertisement)

cash handouts to over half the country’s population, in the form of grants of up to a maximum of 1,200 ringgits (RM) per household for lower-income Malaysians. Special bonuses, loans to buy smartphones, and loans to help in the purchase of homes and motorcycles will be given to 1.6 million civil servants. Malays are disproportionally represented among the country’s poorer population and completely dominate the civil service. Nurul Izzah Anwar, vice president of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat, said, “This is an attempt to buy votes and the hearts of the people ahead of the elections.” Najib said that the expected growth of the Malaysian economy would allow his government to implement these measures while remaining within its fiscal deficit target, but many commentators are skeptical about this: it would call for oil prices to rise by around 50 percent and for global economic conditions to be stable or improve. ■

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Israel and Judaism

Is It Fair to Use the Term “Apartheid” to Characterize Israel’s Occupation?

By Allan C. Brownfeld

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cies of Israel’s current government.” In an essay titled “Israel and Apartheid,” in the book Apartheid in Palestine, edited by Prof. Ghada Ageel, Canadian attorney Edward C. Corrigan writes: “The Netanyahu government’s ‘Jewish nationstate’ bill is moving Israel even closer to being an apartheid state that discriminates on the basis of race and religion...Israel’s mistreatment and violations of Palestinians and Palestinian rights are best described in the words of Moshe Gorali, the legal analyst for Haaretz: ‘Chief Supreme Court Justice Aharon Barak used the phrase “long term occupation” to justify the Israeli government’s permanent, massive investments in the territories. To describe a situation where two populations, in this An elderly Palestinian man walks past a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews on a street in Jerusalem’s case one Jewish and the other Arab, Old City, Sept. 22, 2016. share the same territory but are governed MANY CRITICS of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and by two separate legal systems, the international community cusEast Jerusalem have used the term “apartheid” to characterize tomarily uses the term apartheid.’” this policy. In 2006, former President Jimmy Carter published a In the Sept. 2 issue of The Forward, columnist Jay Michaelson book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid (available from AET’s Midasks, “If Israel’s occupation is permanent, why isn’t it the same dle East Books and More), to help stimulate a debate on the as apartheid?” Citing a poll in August that showed that only 58 Palestinian issue. For this, he was bitterly attacked, even called percent of Jewish Israelis still support a two-state solution—and, “anti-Semitic” by some. Michaelson notes, “that’s counting those who support it in princiAccording to Alon Liel, a former Israeli ambassador to South ple but not in practice”—he declares, ”I’m not clear how a oneAfrica, and a former director general of the Israeli Foreign Minstate, Jewish-controlled solution isn’t apartheid...For two-state istry: “Many of us tend to believe that the conflict can be manZionists, the status quo in the West Bank is temporary, and thus aged forever and Israel no longer has a ‘Palestinian problem.’ cannot be truly analogized to apartheid, which was intended to However, this is pure deception. The continuing settlement exbe permanent. (Of course, the occupation has now lasted 49 pansion threatens to make a two-state solution to the conflict imyears, more than the 46 years of apartheid.) The occupation is possible. Israel is sliding into a situation where, short of unjust, but it is meant to end once both sides’ concerns about apartheid, or expulsion of the Palestinians, a one-state solution security, borders, autonomy, water, justice and so on are adwith equal rights for all would become the only possible way out dressed...But for the 43 percent of Israelis who no longer believe of the conflict. This is the South African model.” in two states, the status quo must be regarded as the permanent Another Israeli ambassador to South Africa, Ilan Baruch, restatus...Thus, we must ask anew what, if anything, differentiates signed in 2011 “because he had a hard time defending the polithe occupation from apartheid.” In Michaelson’s view, “Israel’s occupation, like South African Allan C. Brownfeld is a syndicated columnist and associate editor of apartheid, restricts movement, land ownership and other rights. the Lincoln Review, a journal published by the Lincoln Institute for RePalestinians in the West Bank cannot enter Israel freely, and can search and Education, and editor of Issues, the quarterly journal of the American Council for Judaism. travel through the West Bank itself only by negotiating a maze of 42

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checkpoints and inspections. Towns cannot expand, and indeed, land that had for decades been part of Palestinian Arab villages is regularly expropriated for Jewish settlement.” According to Michaelson, the most important difference between the occupation and apartheid is one which will soon be coming to an end: “From its inception, apartheid was minority rule. Whereas, by the time Israel acquired (or conquered) the West Bank in 1967, there were more Jews than Arabs between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, thanks to decades of immigration...Within a few decades, however, that will no longer be the case. Without a two-state solution, the Jewish state will, like the white South African state, be a system of minority rule—the very opposite of democracy. Without a two-state solution, only through the permanent disenfranchisement of 5 million people can the ‘Jewish state’ even exist. And that is where the final difference finally falls apart. Contrary to the left’s slogans, Israel isn’t an apartheid state today. But without a twostate solution, it will soon become one. As a temporary policy, the occupation is unjust. As a permanent one, it is apartheid.” In an interview in the May 5 In These Times, Israeli historian Ilan Pappé, who now teaches at the University of Exeter in England, was asked, “Can one be a liberal and

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a Zionist or is this a contradiction in terms?” “Of course, it is,” Pappé responded. “It’s like Jewish democracy. They’re oxymorons. Zionism is the last remaining active settler-colonialist movement or project. Settler colonialism is, in a nutshell, a project of replacement and displacement, settlement and expulsion. Since this is the project, that you take over someone’s homeland and you’re not satisfied until you feel you’ve taken enough of the land and you’ve gotten rid of the native people, as long as you feel that this is an incomplete project, you will continue the project.” Such a project, Pappé continues, “is based on dehumanization and elimination. It cannot be liberal. It cannot be anything universal because it is an ideology that wants to get rid of another group of people. In most of the universal values, we’re trying to offer guidance of how human beings should live together rather than instead of each other.” “Apartheid” is not simply a pejorative term of insult but has a specific legal meaning, as defined by the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1973 and ratified by most U.N. members—but not the U.S. and Israel. According to Article II, the term applies to “acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other racial group of persons and systematically oppressing them.” Saree Makdisi, professor of English at UCLA and author of Palestine Inside Out: An Everyday Occupation (also available from Middle East Books and More) points out that “Jewish residents of the occupied territories enjoy various rights and privileges denied to their Palestinian neighbors. While the former enjoy the protections of Israeli civil law, the latter are subject to the harsh provisions of military law. So, while their Jewish neighbors come and go freely, West Bank Palestinians are subject to arbitrary arrest and detention and to the denial of freedom of movement; they are frequently barred from access to educational

and healthcare facilities, Christian and Muslim sites for religious worship and so on...The question is not whether the term ‘apartheid’ applies here, but why it should cause such an outcry when it is used.” Henry Siegman, a former director of the American Jewish Congress, says that Israel’s settlements have created an “irreversible colonial project” and involves having Israel “cross the threshold from ‘the only democracy in the Middle East’ to the only apartheid regime in the Western world.” Denial of self-determination and Israeli citizenship to Palestinians amounts to “double disenfranchisement,” which, when based on ethnicity, amounts to racism, Siegman argues. Reserving democracy for privileged citizens and keeping others “behind checkpoints and barbed wire fences” is the opposite of democracy. To more and more observers, using the term “apartheid” to characterize Israel’s occupation seems to be an accurate appraisal of what is, in fact, taking place. ■ (Advertisement)

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WAGING PEACE The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) held its 18th annual conference Oct. 14 and 15 at the Georgetown Marriott in Washington, DC. The theme of this year’s meeting was “Forging a New Bond of Solidarity for Equality, Prosperity, and Peace.” The two-day event featured an awards dinner and “Tourism for Peace” symposium on Oct. 14, followed by a day of insightful panel discussions.

Messages of Hope and Despair From Palestine

The Oct. 15 session began with a conversation concerning “Palestinian Christians in the Face of Uncertainty.” While noting the many challenges facing Palestinians, panelists also sought to offer some reasons for hope. Fr. Michael McDonagh of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem stressed the importance of grounding any discussion about Palestine and Israel in reality. The fact is that Israel’s current government “has absolutely no intention of solving the problem,” he said. “In fact, it has quite categorically stated that this government will never resolve anything with Palestinians.” Given this reality, it is easy for Palestinians to become disillusioned and resort to violence or fall into despair, he acknowledged. Meanwhile, he added, many Israelis are living in an illusion and have been brainwashed into seeing Palestinians as enemies. This dichotomy makes solving the conflict extremely difficult, the cleric lamented. Christian Zionists are only inflaming the violence and injustice in the Holy Land, McDonagh continued. Their extremely flawed theology—shared by Israel’s religious right—which teaches that God willed the creation of the modern state of Israel is sowing chaos, he said. “Where do evangelicals get this understanding that God led his people back?” he asked. “There was no Moses in this leading. No prophets saying thus saith the Lord.” The reality, he pointed out, is that Israel was founded by atheists, 44

Father Robert Waller (l) and Reverend Dr. Carl Hofmann share messages of hope from Palestine. and the idea of God being a real estate agent ended when Jesus came on behalf of all humanity. McDonagh said the injection of religious rhetoric into the conflict only makes the situation more intractable. “I find talking with the secular mind in Israel much easier to handle than the religious minds,” he said. “When religion goes wrong it goes awfully wrong. It’s worse than any other ideology, because God is brought into it.” Rev. Dr. Carl Hofmann, pastor for congregational care at the First Presbyterian Church in Boulder, CO, said his fellow evangelicals need to do a better job of teaching American Christians the correct way to interpret the Bible when it comes to Israel. Given the openness of many evangelicals to scripture-based arguments, he believes there is reason for hope. “If we look at what Jesus has said and what the apostles have taught,” he said, “it dismantles this whole system of dispensationalist thinking.” Fr. Robert Waller, a priest with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, said he is impressed by the hope, steadfastness and “resilient resignation” many Palestinian Christians possess. He recalled speaking to one Palestinian who told him, “As our happiness is stolen from us, we must steal it back.” Waller described that remark as “joyful, peaceful resistance to having someone else control your life.” Hofmann said he also sees hope in the many organizations, such as HCEF, working hard to improve the lives of the people of Palestine. Americans who have traveled to Palestine and taken up advocacy upon their return by organizing events, writing let-

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

ters to the editor and contacting their elected officials are an additional morsel of hope, he added. McDonagh concluded the panel by stressing that ordinary Americans must do everything in their power to enact change in the Holy Land. “There has to be much more vibrant advocacy here in the United States,” he said, “people who are bold to go to the political leaders.” —Dale Sprusansky

The U.S. and Middle Eastern Christians

The day’s second panel, “Christians Under Pressure: The Weight of the Current Conditions in the Middle East,” focused heavily on how Christian Americans and the U.S. government have interacted with, and shaped, the lives of Christians in the Middle East. Ambassador David Mack, a scholar at the Middle East Institute, provided an overview of the early interactions between American Protestant missionaries and the region’s Christians in the 19th century. American missionaries did many admirable things, he noted, such as establish prestigious universities and excellent medical facilities across the region. These efforts, coupled with the United States not having a colonial legacy in the region, gave the U.S. a generally good reputation there. Ironically, Mack noted, the region’s indigenous Christian community was not particularly welcoming of their American counterparts. The Protestant missionaries treated the local Christians in a contemptuous manner, Mack explained, viewing them as being in need of reformation. Chaldean and Syriac JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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HCEF Conference Examines Future Of Palestinian Christians

He lamented that groups like ISIS are committing atrocities in the name of Islam, and reaffirmed that Christians must have a future in the region. Muslims and Christians have been neighbors throughout the region for many decades, he pointed out, and an attack on one group is an attack on all people of goodwill, regardless of their religion. —Dale Sprusansky

(L-r) Ambassador David Mack, Archbishop Robert J. Carlson and Imam Yahya Hendi discuss the implications of U.S. policy on Middle Eastern Christians. Christians, possessing rich, centuries-old traditions, dismissed the idea that they needed to be instructed in the faith, and saw the missionaries as attempting to steal members of their flock. Given the current state of the region, Mack encouraged Christians to steer clear of politics. Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the ongoing Syrian civil war, he noted, Christians in those two countries were relatively integrated into society and played a key role in the educational, commercial and medical fields. By not injecting themselves into politics, they were able to stay in the good graces of the regime and ensure their survival, he said. Mack expressed particular concern about the Coptic Christians of Egypt, who have aligned themselves closely with the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Following the 2013 coup that ousted elected President Mohamed Morsi, affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, dozens of churches throughout the country were targeted by supporters of the deposed president, who saw Christians as complicit in the coup. This sentiment remains among some in the country, and Mack believes Christians should thus be cautious as to how they approach politics. “I fear they could become a scapegoat at some point in the future,” he warned. Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, encouraged Americans to rethink the region’s refugee crisis. “Don’t assume that all Christians want to come to the United States,” he said, noting that most want to remain in their country, or at least in neighboring countries. While Americans should be welcoming of refugees who do want to come to the U.S., Carlson said, the bulk of JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

their focus should be on assisting the nations and organizations that are going broke helping refugees on the ground in Syria, Iraq and in neighboring countries. Imam Yahya Hendi, the Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, noted the devastating toll the Iraq war took on the country’s Christians. Prior to the war, an estimated 1.5 million Christians lived in Iraq. Today, it is believed that less than 300,000 remain. Hendi recalled meeting with President George W. Bush prior to the invasion and warning him that “the number one victims of the war in Iraq will be the Christians of Iraq.” His prediction came true, as an estimated 850,000 fled Iraq after the Christian community fell victim to the civil war the U.S. invasion unleashed. The emergence of ISIS, which is now terrorizing Christians as well as many other groups, can also be directly traced to the chaos the U.S. created, Hendi pointed out. The imam also expressed great personal sorrow for the Christians of the Middle East.

Archbishop Joseph’s Keynote Speech

H.E. Metropolitan Joseph Al-Zehlaoui, Archbishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, introduced himself by saying,“I am Syrian by birth, Lebanese by education, American by citizenship, and Palestinian in devotion.” The first Antiochian Orthodox parish church in North America was built in 1895, Archbishop Joseph said. Now there are 300—and all continue to support their brethren facing crises in the Holy Land. Christians are leaving because of economic conditions, the archbishop lamented. They are losing their lands, which, he said, are confiscated, sold or leased against their wishes. The Jerusalem Baptist Church and others have been vandalized. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is off-limits behind a network of walls and checkpoints. “We live in a land experienced in resurrection,” he noted, “so we always have hope of a different type of resurrection to come.” One way Christian leaders can help their brethren in Palestine, Archbishop Joseph said, is to promote religious tourism and to put people in contact with Palestinian people. This was a perfect segue into the next panel. —Delinda C. Hanley

Tourism for Peace: Support for the Holy Land through Pilgrimages

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Archbishop Joseph Al-Zehlaoui.

Sami B. Khoury, president of the Holy Land Incoming Tour Operators Association (HLITOA), moderated a discussion on the challenges and unique opportunities of religious tourism to the Holy Land. He noted that faith-based tourism can empower a local community. Rula Ma’ayah, Palestine’s minister of tourism and antiquities, said tourism is one

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of her country’s main economic sectors, with a great potential for growth. When she graduated from high school in the early ’90s, Ma’ayah believed that peace was right around the corner and that she soon would be able to move from place to place without getting shot. Instead, she said, “The situation is getting worse,” as more settlers move to the West Bank and Bethlehem and other cities are surrounded by Israel’s separation wall. “Tourism brings peace, as it builds bridges between nations,” she stated. “Our only problem is the occupation,” she continued, adding that despite the challenges the tourism sector is improving. In 2000 there were fewer than 2,000 rooms, she said, and now there are 10,000, which encourages more overnight stays. Because Israel wants the economic benefits from tourists staying in Israel, their tour guides tell people it’s not safe to shop or stay in Palestinian territories. Israeli guides tell the Israeli story. “Palestinian tour guides would tell the truth, our own political and religious stories,” the minister said. “We don’t have an airport. We don’t control our borders. Israel lets American and European tourists in, but for Muslim tourists from around world it’s difficult to enter. If the occupation ends tens of millions of tourists will come to Palestine,” 46

Ma’ayah concluded. “Staying in a Palestinian hotel near sacred places will help you spiritually, just as it will help Palestinians economically.” Jin-Yung Woo, adviser on tourism and culture to the U.N.’s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), agreed that Palestine is a key destination. “We need to continue encouraging more international tourists to visit,” he said.

person’s value in society. Finlayson’s BYU students helped research and build panels at the Bethlehem Museum. They’ve created a database for people in the diaspora to use to research their identity. The first 10 years of a museum are the hardest, Finlayson observed, and asked wealthy donors and collectors to donate to the museum. —Delinda C. Hanley

Bethlehem Museum Preserves Heritage, Identity, and Culture

Presidential Election Results: Implications for U.S. Mideast Policy

A special presentation on the Bethlehem Museum focused on the critical role the museum plays in strengthening Palestinian identity, heritage, and culture in a modern context. Abigail Galván, HCEF executive assistant to the president and CEO and special programs coordinator, described the museum as “one of the graces that gives us hope for a brighter future.” Dr. Cynthia Finlayson, associate professor of anthropology/archeology and museum studies at Brigham Young University, gave an inspiring talk about how a museum can save cultural heritage. Dr. Finlayson, who has served as a consultant on the Bethlehem Museum project, explained: “Identity is memory. Memory is identity. Without a shared identity, culture disappears. A museum enhances, stores, validates, preserves and saves identity.” She emphasized the various ways a museum can move beyond being a repository of historical identity. It can save poetry, language, costumes. It can become a communal memory device. A museum can become a positive resistance. It can help people counter their daily stress and feed the soul as well as the body. It can validate a

Only weeks before the Nov. 8 election, the final panel of the day discussed the presidential election’s implications for the Middle East. Ambassador Maen Areikat, chief representative of the Palestinian Liberation Organization to the U.S., acknowledged that Palestinians pay a great deal of attention to American elections. There are always high expectations that a new administration will re-evaluate the situation. Those hopes, however, are always dashed. The Palestinian issue was not on the agenda, Ambassador Areikat lamented, noting that both candidates competed for the Israeli vote. (Trump began by saying he’d be neutral, but soon changed his tune.) “Unless there is a grassroots effort, a bottom-up movement, neither Democrats nor Republicans will hold Israel accountable to international law,” Areikat stated. Khalil Jahshan, executive director of the Arab Center Washington, DC, joked that we are in the tunnel at the end of the light. “We’ll continue to go through the darkness for awhile,” he predicted. Jahshan agreed with Areikat that most of the campaign rhetoric was focused beyond the Arab-Israeli issue. Global terror, ISIS, Iran and the

(L-r) Dr. James Zogby, Ambassador Maen Areikat and Khalil Jahshan discuss the next administration and whether Israel will ever be accountable to international law.

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After Sami B. Khoury (l) and Rula Ma’ayah discuss Palestinian tourism, they pose by a framed poster on sale at Middle East Books and More.

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Bethlehem’s high unemployment rate, Israel’s apartheid wall, expanding illegal Israeli settlements and checkpoints. In addition, “over 60 percent of the West Bank is under a restricted planning process which is discriminating and not in conformity with international humanitarian and human rights laws,” she explained. Lina Attar, co-founder and CEO of Karam Foundation, a non-profit organization seeking to build a better future for Syria through educational programs, smart aid distribution and sustainable development projects, presented the MEI Visionary Award to the White Helmets, also known as the Syria Civil Defense, who rescue individuals injured or trapped by bombings (see Nov./Dec. 2016 Washington Report, p. 56). “Every day they prove to the world the power of a single act of courage in a crisis that surpasses in scale all crises since World War II,” Attar told the audience. “The world MEI Honors White should not view the White Helmets, Bethlehem Helmets only as heroes, but Mayor as true visionaries who imagine a Syria with clear skies The Middle East Institute free of warplanes, bustling (MEI) held its 70th annual streets where children can awards banquet on Nov. 15 at play without fear and where the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC, hosted by TOP: Dr. Bassem Youssef. ABOVE: Vera Baboun (l), mayor of Bethlehem, millions of refugees can return home.” Egyptian satirist Dr. Bassem with Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin, president of MEI. Speaking through a transYoussef. Drawing tumultuous laughter and applause from the crowd of mination in the face of extraordinary obsta- lator, Raed al-Saleh, elected leader of the more than 700, the internationally ac- cles and challenges.” Mayor Baboun, the White Helmets, described the work of this claimed award-winning comedian tossed first woman to hold that position, is a courageous group of 3,000 civilian volunout jokes ridiculing the recent American “sleeves-rolled-up public servant who teers from a wide range of backgrounds. “Some people think of us as heroes,” alpresidential election. “The American dream works at the grassroots level of Palestinian has turned into a horrible TV show,” he society,” Salem said. Her many accom- Saleh stated, “but all we see is tragedy. quipped. “After your election, it might be plishments over the past four years include Every day we deal with torn limbs of easier for Americans to understand the expansion of the Bethlehem municipality, human beings, people trapped under rubMiddle East. You have Islamophobia, creation of a new industrial zone, and in- ble with their hands or legs amputated.” creased progress in government account- While he is proud of the 73,000 lives the racism—welcome to my world!” Turning to the serious portion of the ability and gender equality. The majority of group has saved, he lamented the loss of evening, George Salem, co-founder and students at Bethlehem University are now 147 of their volunteers, and the many chairman of the Arab American Institute, women and there are an equal number of homes, schools and hospitals destroyed. The group has had serious internal dispresented the Issam M. Fares Award for men and women employed by the Bethlecussions about accepting awards, he added, Excellence to Bethlehem Mayor Vera hem municipality. Accepting the award, Mayor Baboun “but our volunteers working underground— Baboun “for her tireless service to the people of Bethlehem in pursuit of good gover- discussed her hopes for her native city under constant bombing—insisted that we nance, economic progress and self-deter- and the difficulties she faces, including should remain balanced in our approach and STAFF PHOTOS PHIL PASQUINI

special relationship with Israel were discussed. Bilateral relations with the Gulf and Palestine were way down the list, with Iraq, Libya and Yemen only slightly higher. Dr. James Zogby, co-founder and president of the Arab American Institute, said that he feels like a fixture at the HCEF conference and, he regretted to say, his optimism declines with each passing year. Nonetheless, Zogby urged his audience on, saying: “The only way the light exists at the end of the tunnel is if you help light it!” Noting that the Palestine issue dominated discussions with candidate Bernie Sanders and the Democratic platform debate, he said, “It’s an issue when you make it an issue. Mobilize and make political leadership deal with it. I’m not optimistic,” Zogby reiterated, “but I’m not pessimistic either. Keep the pressure on and continue the fight in January.” —Delinda C. Hanley

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the sacrifices that we make, and continue to stand in front of the whole world to talk to them about the daily tragedies that the Syrian people have to go through.” Presently, about 250,000 civilians in the besieged city of Aleppo are facing starvation, al-Saleh said. Noting that the last remaining rations had been given out, he expected his group would be announcing the death of the first victim from starvation in Aleppo before the end of 2016. “Despite all the pressure on us, we will not give up, we will not quit,” he averred. “Our belief is that to save one life is to save all of humanity.” —Elaine Pasquini

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Aydan Karamanoglu, first counselor for the Turkish Embassy.

the Ottoman Empire,” he told his audience. “In my experience, few high school students have even heard of the Ottoman Empire, much less its role in World War I, other than that it was on the losing side.” Gunn reviewed the timeline of events in the region from the Young Turk revolution of 1908 through the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Esin Çaglayan Güner discussed Turkey’s educational system. Improving educational opportunities for all Turks was a passion for Turkey’s first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatü rk, who in 1925 stated: “Teachers are the one and only people who save nations.” Lastly, Rachel Reilly shared her experience of winning the grand raffle prize in 2015: “A trip of a lifetime to Turkey to attend a teachers’ workshop!”

moon.” Indeed, today Turks consume more tea than coffee. “It’s become an integral part of our social lives,” Pelin Aylangan told guests attending the ATADC teachers’ workshop at the Turkish Embassy on Nov. 5. Sipping traditional Turkish black tea, guests listened to Aylangan’s comprehensive presentation on the country’s tea culture in the early days of the Turkish Republic. After several failed attempts, she said, in 1938 tea cultivation in Rize, located in the eastern Black Sea region, became successful. Since at that time men in the area had relocated to larger towns to find work, the job of growing tea fell to the local women. “The interesting thing about the tea industry in Turkey was that its success depended on Turkish women,” she said. In the 19th century, Tatars from Crimea introduced samovars to Turkey’s Black Sea region. Traditionally used to boil water, these heated metal containers quickly gained popularity in tea preparation. “In Amasya—one of two towns claiming to be the capital of Turkish samovar culture—we love tea from a samovar so much we carry one in the trunk of our car,” Aylangan noted. “It’s tailgating Turkish-style.” The popular tulip-shaped tea glasses are uniquely Turkish, and Istanbul boasts a successful glass-blowing industry, she explained. Besides enjoying tea in the comfort of their homes, tea houses and gardens are popular venues for tea drinking, comradery and conversation. Today, Turkey is the world’s fifth largest tea producer. Although it exports tea to 24 countries, 99 percent of domestically produced tea is consumed in Turkey. —Elaine Pasquini

The 1918 Ottoman Campaign in Palestine

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On Nov. 10, the 78th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal A t a t ü r k , founder of the Turkish Republic, Dr. Edward Erickson, author and

PA

According to a popular Turkish folk saying, “Conversation without tea is like a night sky without the

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Tea in Turkey

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A large group of teachers of elementary, middle and high school social studies and history attended the American Turkish Association of Washington, DC’s 35th Annual Teachers’ Workshop at the Turkish Embassy on Nov. 5. This year’s theme was “Turkey: The Center of World History” and, in addition to several speakers, the daylong event included delicious Turkish food, music, folk dances, and raffle prizes, including a roundtrip flight to Istanbul. Aydan Karamanoglu, first counselor for the Turkish Embassy, spoke on foreign policy and Turkish-American relations. Despite some perceptions to the contrary, the Turkish spokesperson assured the guests that: “Although we have some differences, we have a strong partnership with the United States. And while we might not see eye to eye on every situation, we are not drifting apart.” Karamanoglu blamed the July 2016 unsuccessful coup attempt on Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, currently living in self-imposed exile in the U.S. and the subject of a formal Turkish extradition request. Dr. Christopher Gunn, assistant professor at Coastal Carolina University’s Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts, addressed the implications of World War I in the Balkans, Caucasus, and Anatolia through a political perspective. “To understand Turkey and the Middle East requires understanding World War I and

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Pursuit of Heritage: Tracing Elements of Islamic Architecture

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Dr. Rana Al Kadi, an Islamic architectural historian and conservationist, gave a talk on architectural conservation and preservation at the Woman's Democratic Club in Washington, DC on Nov. 17. Dr. Al Kadi, a trailblazer born in Al Dr. Edward Erickson speaks on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s birthday. Madinah, Saudi Arabia, professor of military history at Marine Corps also spoke at the University of Maryland, University, delivered the American Friends the Library of Congress and the District Arof Turkey’s annual Atatürk lecture on the chitecture Center during her visit. She topic, “Palestine 1918—The Impact of earned a doctorate in Conservation and Restoration of Architectural Heritage from Mustafa Kemal.” “If you write about World War I in the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid in Spain. Middle East, Atatürk is woven through the Photos from her research of Islamic domes narrative,” Erickson told some 60 guests and crossed arches in the Maghreb region gathered at the Turkish Embassy in Wash- and Islamic vaults in Spain illustrated her fascinating lecture. ington, DC. Dr. Al Kadi explained preservation interErickson described Atatürk as a complex man fluent in several languages who ventions currently used to protect and rein his spare time translated German field store European sites as well as ongoing manuals into Ottoman Turkish. “This was conservation and restoration projects for a guy who was tough, intellectual and a Islamic heritage sites in Al Madinah and Jeddah’s historic districts. born soldier,” he said. There is some debate about whether to The professor discussed the fighting by the Ottomans against the British in the restore heritage sites using the same maPalestine theater, which also included terials they were built with or whether Syria, southern Turkey and parts of the steel, glass and concrete will better protect Arabian Peninsula—an important chapter the buildings. Visitors to these sites can of history often overlooked in accounts of the war, the professor lamented. He described the differences between fighting in the Western Front and the desert. “The Ottomans had a paupers’ army,” he explained. “Radios and telegraphs were in short supply.” According to Erickson, the Arab soldiers, along with minorities—including Armenians and Jews—for the most part stayed loyal to the Ottoman Empire in the fight against the British. “It’s an untold story,” he concluded. Readers interested in this subject will enjoy Erickson’s book, Palestine: The Ottoman Campaigns of 1914-1918. —Elaine Pasquini Saudi architectural historian Dr. Rana Al Kadi. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

easily see which part is original and which is new construction. On one site, the 13th century Nazari tower in Huercal-Overa, Spain, conservationists have added an elevator, as well as pathways, ramps and benches to provide easy access for tourists. That opens up a debate, Dr. Al Kadi said: Does such construction spoil or improve an historical site? She told an amusing story about the 2010 restoration project of the Lion’s Fountain, a complex water clock built in 1362 for the Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain. Before the restoration, one of 12 lion statues dropped water each hour. Upon completion of a meticulous cleaning and repair project, however, the clock stopped working, and today it’s just a fountain. Dr. Al Kadi drew parallels between the destruction of monuments and buildings during World War II and the devastation of historical sites in the ongoing wars in the Middle East. One solution Dr. Al Kadi suggested for reviving the ancient city of Palmyra, especially the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel, demolished during the Syrian civil war is using modern technology, including photos and 3D lights to recreate the ancient sites. To prevent senseless destruction during future conflicts, Dr. Al Kadi urged more Arab students to learn about their heritage. In Spain, she said, teachers take their students to visit and photograph historic sites, and starting in kindergarten, children color using historic calligraphy patterns. In Jeddah, she lamented, many young people want to be Westernized like Michael Jackson or Madonna. Dr. Al Kadi said she hopes they become more engaged with their own history and learn to value their heritage. Today young Saudis are getting involved with their history through university projects—she can tell they’re connecting with their heritage, she explained, because they’re posting pictures when of these sites on Instagram! —Delinda C. Hanley

NCUSAR Conference Assesses Challenges, Opportunities Facing Arab World

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (NCUSAR) held its 25th annual poli-

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(L-r) Patrick Mancino, Dr. John Duke Anthony and William Bodie listen as Saudi’s Ambassador Abdullah Al-Saud (at podium) gives a keynote address.

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He said the PLO appreciates the growing number of countries that have stated their recognition of Palestine, and saluted France's recent efforts to organize a peace conference aimed toward resolving the conflict. Faqih concluded with a message of urgency. The status quo is unsustainable, he emphasized, and if the political approach toward achieving a two-state solution definitively collapses, the result would be an armed conflict that benefits neither side. —Dale Sprusansky and Faty-Sharon Sylla

NCUSAR founder Dr. John Duke Anthony (l) and Dr. Khalaf Al-Habtoor. cymakers conference Oct. 26 and 27 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. The event featured keynote addresses by many Arab diplomats, as well as discussions about pressing issues facing the region. The conference included several discussions about JASTA (the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act), which was passed by Congress in September and allows the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia. Saudi Vision 2030, a plan recently launched by Riyadh to diversify the country’s economy, was also discussed in depth.

PLO Official Urges Need for Two-State Solution

Omar Faqih, counselor and deputy chief of mission at the General Delegation of the PLO to the U.S., used his Oct. 26 remarks to highlight the many obstacles to a lasting accord between Israel and Palestine. He began by noting the many harmful 50

and illegal actions taken by the Israeli government: the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, the growth of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Israel's exploitation of Palestine's natural resources and its demolition of Palestinian homes, among other human rights violations. These actions show that Israel has no interest in a real peace process, Faqih said. This lack of goodwill only inflames the conflict and furthers the division between the two sides, he added. Given the region’s many problems, Faqih noted, little attention has been paid to the Israel-Palestine conflict as of late. Continued inattention will only lead to a greater deterioration of the situation, he warned, and further diminishes the likelihood of a two-state solution. In the absence of an active peace process, Faqih said, the State of Palestine is focusing on international law, nonviolent resistance and diplomatic partnerships to advance the Palestinian cause.

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Conversation with Dr. Khalaf AlHabtoor

Emirati businessman, writer and philanthropist Dr. Khalaf Al-Habtoor harshly criticized U.S. foreign policy in his Oct. 26 remarks. He accused Washington of abandoning its Arab allies by agreeing to a nuclear deal with Tehran. “Iran is the largest sponsor of terrorism, a fact that the U.S. wants to forget for its own purposes,” AlHabtoor said. “The U.S. has been blinded by the dollar sign.” “What I can’t understand is why the U.S. cannot see Iran for what it is,” he added, stating, “We need to determine which side America is on, going forward.” Al-Habtoor noted that the next president will impact “everyone in the entire world,” particularly on issues such as climate change, the global refugee crisis, and what he termed “the fear of the other.” Asserting that the world cannot afford another mistake like the invasion of Iraq, Al-Habtoor condemned the U.S. for “claiming to be the defender of human rights but doing nothing about Syria.” He also highlighted the media’s at times blurry distinction between Islam and ISIS. “These terrorists are not Muslim,” he declared. “I urge everyone to stop using this term [Islamic State]. The damage has already been done and cannot be solved quickly.” Al-Habtoor stressed the importance of international cooperation to defeat terrorism, as well as an increase in programs to address poverty and other societal issues that make people susceptible to terrorist recruitment. —Emily Neil JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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Saudi Arabia’s former ambassador to the U.S., Prince Turki Al Faisal, delivered the luncheon keynote address on Oct. 26. Al Faisal urged the incoming American administration to provide greater regional leadership and decried Congress’ decision to enact the JASTA legislation by overriding President Obama’s veto. Al Faisal noted that JASTA amends the concept of “sovereign immunity,” which protects foreign countries from prosecution in U.S. courts. Upending this standard “will bring significant harm to the international system,” he stated, and could come back to hurt the U.S., as numerous countries have indicated they will consider reciprocal measures. Given the far-reaching global footprint of the U.S., such reciprocal measures could hinder Washington’s ability to carry out its desired policies, and place American military and diplomatic personnel in precarious legal positions abroad. Realizing this, some members of Congress are now calling on their colleagues to amend JASTA. The JASTA legislation, which was passed with Saudi Arabia in mind, is symptomatic of a growing anti-Saudi climate in the U.S., Al Faisal said. The Kingdom, he argued, is increasingly being hit with “accusations that are far from the truth.” Al Faisal expressed particular frustration with the notion that Saudi Arabia is disproportionality culpable for the emergence of terrorist groups such as ISIS. Riyadh has been a responsible global actor, he maintained, and has devoted large sums of money and resources toward tackling the issue of extremism. “Terrorism is a global phenomenon, its fight is a global fight, and therefore the blame for failure in containing this threat should be directed at all involved in such a fight,” Al Faisal said. “Scapegoating this failure is not the solution.” Turning to the Syrian civil war, Al Faisal lamented the international community’s lack of a cohesive strategy. Major powers such as the U.S. and Russia intervening on behalf of opposing sides has allowed JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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Prince Turki Al Faisal Decries JASTA, Calls for Greater U.S. Leadership

Prince Turki Al Faisal urges the next administration to be bolder in its efforts to resolve the IsraelPalestine issue.

the war to persist, extremist groups like ISIS to grow, and the devastation to mount, he said. Riyadh is fervently anti-Assad, and it is thus unsurprising that Al Faisal was particularly critical of Russia’s role in Syria. Russia intervened in Syria under the pretext of counterterrorism, he said, “but we find it carpet-bombing innocent civilians.” Moscow’s intervention, he added, “was to support a terrorist [Assad] regime.” The issue of terrorism will not go away as long as Assad is in power, Al Faisal insisted. Calling for a “new international strategy that deals with the causes and not the symptoms of terrorism,” he said Assad’s brutality is the biggest recruiter for ISIS in Syria. In Iraq, he slammed sectarian militias supported by Iran as the greatest drivers for support of ISIS in the country. According to Al Faisal, Iran has become more aggressive in its regional activities since it signed the nuclear deal with the P5+1. The deal has “increased the Iranian appetite for more bullying in the region,” he charged. Despite his concerns about Tehran’s behavior, Al Faisal, speaking at the Arab Gulf States Institute following the Nov. 8 elections, encouraged Presidentelect Donald Trump not to scrap the agreement with Iran. Instead, he said, the next administration should focus on building the trust of the GCC nations and work to curb Iran’s nefarious activity in the region.

The next administration should also be more honest and “bolder” in its efforts to resolve the Israel-Palestine issue, Al Faisal told the NCUSAR audience. “Continued failure in addressing the issue of the Arab-Israeli conflict has been and will continue to be the bone of contention between the Arab world and all American administrations,” he stated. “If the experience of the past and present American administrations in attempting to find a just solution to this protracted conflict has revealed anything, it is that the IsraeliPalestinian conflict will remain intractable if U.S. policy is unduly beholden to Israel’s positions. The game of Israeli favoritism has not proven wise for the U.S.” Al Faisal concluded by warning that “the whole world, not only the Middle East, will slide toward more tensions and confrontations” if the next administration does not display sound leadership. He also urged the president-elect to visit the Middle East before taking office. This would allow the next president to get a firsthand feel for the region and its people, he said, before receiving “the advice of socalled [American] experts who traditionally have promoted agendas that have not served the cause of peace.” —Dale Sprusansky

Chuck Hagel Urges Fresh Thinking About the Middle East

Addressing the NCUSAR conference on Oct. 26, former Secretary of Defense

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Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.

Libya and elsewhere have shown that the U.S. must not act in the region without first carefully considering its limitations and the potential consequences of its actions. “We learned you cannot shock and awe countries into new and legitimate governments,” he said. In Hagel’s opinion, the new president has no clear path to follow in the region, “as all roads seem to have led to the current crises.” The good news, he said, is that the incoming administration has the opportunity to initiate a fresh new approach to the region. The next president must not rely on the military alone to address the region’s chal-

lieves has been lacking in recent history. “It seems to me that for many years, U.S. policies, interventions and actions in the region have been reactions to crises,” he said, “and that a broader longer-term vision for the region has been lacking or rarely considered or even questioned.” Hagel concluded by reiterating that the region must not be dismissed as a hopeless cause. “The Middle East is not lost,” he said. “It has a hopeful future. That future must begin with the present.” —Dale Sprusansky

Yemen’s Ambassador Accuses Houthis of Perpetuating Conflict

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Dr. Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, Yemen’s ambassador to the U.S., used his brief reChuck Hagel urged both the U.S. and the marks on Oct. 27 to lambast the Houthis countries of the Middle East to courafor what he called their destructive role in geously forge a new path for the region. the country’s ongoing civil conflict. Yemen The notion that the Middle East is conhas serious problems, “all of which demned to a future of war and vio[have] been caused by the irresponlence should not be accepted, sible actions of Houthi rebels allied Hagel stressed. The nations of the with the forces of former President region must realize the status quo is [Ali Abdullah] Saleh,” he charged. unsustainable, he said, and come In March 2015, Houthi rebels distogether to negotiate a shared vigruntled with the country’s failed nasion for the future. Outside powers tional dialogue process forced Pressuch as the U.S. can assist in the ident Abd Raboo Mansour Al Hadi to formation of such an agreement, flee to Saudi Arabia. Riyadh rebut no accord will prevail in the long sponded by organizing a military oprun unless ultimate accountability eration against the insurgency. More for its success rests with the leadthan 10,000 Yemenis have died in ers and people of the region, he fighting since then, according to the emphasized. U.N., while countless others have Iran must be included in any disbeen injured and/or displaced. More cussion about a new regional conDr. Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, Yemen’s ambassador to the than half of the country’s 26 million sensus, Hagel argued. “Iran is part U.S., lambasts the Houthis. people are in need of food aid. of the region, it is part of the geogThough the Houthis still control the capraphy, it will need to be included in any lenges, Hagel emphasized. “Over the last few years I’ve seen how our military was ital of Sana’a, President Hadi has returned long-term agreement,” he said. Hagel said long-term stability in the re- too often called upon to accomplish diplo- to Yemen and is currently operating out of gion also requires de-escalation between matic, development and governance ob- the coastal city of Aden. According to Amthe U.S. and Russia, who find themselves jectives that militaries cannot accomplish,” bassador Mubarak, Hadi’s government is steadily regaining territory and working to on opposing sides of the Syrian conflict. the former defense secretary said. “Military power cannot take the place of boost the country’s economy and ability to The two countries “need a reset that’s real,” he said. “It is too dangerous to allow diplomacy or policy,” Hagel stated. “There’s provide basic services to its citizens. Mubarak said the Yemeni government this relationship to continue to drift toward a military component to our policies in the Middle East, but it must be shaped and di- is committed to ending the conflict with the open confrontation.” Houthis, and insisted that U.N. Security Hagel urged the incoming administration rected by a political vision and strategy.” Above all, Hagel said, the next adminis- Council Resolution 2216—which calls on to learn from Washington’s “costly experience” in the Middle East over the past 15 tration must have a clear plan for ap- the Houthis to disarm and withdraw from years. Interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, proaching the region, something he be- the territory they control—be the basis of 52

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any peace agreement. The Houthis, of course, view this resolution as being completely onesided, making it unlikely they will acquiesce to the resolution’s demands anytime soon. The ambassador concluded by expressing his hope that Washington will play an important role in helping Yemen with its postconflict needs and reaffirmed the Hadi government’s commitment to cooperating with the U.S. on counter-terrorism. —Dale Sprusansky

A Look at Saudi Arabia Vision 2030

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An Oct. 27 panel discussed perhaps the most important regional economic diversification plan: Saudi Vision 2030. James Smith, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said that the plan represents an investment in the future of a country where 60 percent of the popuShireen Said, commercial attaché at the Embassy of the Sul- lation is 30 years old or younger. tanate of Oman, discusses trade. Fittingly, the architect of the plan is Deputy Crown Prince Moexports, as well as strengthening invest- hammed bin Salman, 31. Assessing the GCC’s Economic and ments abroad. Smith pointed out that the plan builds on Business Climate “Qataris have always seen their pros- the Kingdom’s highly successful 10-year Leaders of U.S.-GCC business councils took perity tied up in the regional stability,” he investment in education. The country now part in an Oct. 27 panel discussion to assess added, pointing to the fact that Qatar em- has four times more universities and sends braced the Iran nuclear deal with an ea- around 200,000 students abroad to study the future of the Arab Gulf economies. Danny Sebright, president of the U.S.- gerness to engage with the vast market every year. “If the Saudis can capitalize on UAE Business Council, said that the June and opportunities that lie just across the that investment in education,” Smith said, “it’s entirely possible that their economy will 2014 decline in oil prices was a notable eco- Gulf. Shireen Said, commercial attaché at be an engine for the region in the future.” nomic development for the region. “This deThe former diplomat also noted that the cline in oil prices spurred the GCC to make the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in economic reforms,” he explained, adding, Washington, emphasized her country’s 2030 plan has the enthusiastic backing of “this is one of the most important develop- “remarkable political stability” and the King Salman. The plan, he said, shows ments going on in the region today….All of “path of quiet diplomacy” it has often taken that the king is committed to holding the the countries in the region have some kind to resolve regional and even international royal family and government ministers acconflicts. countable for the success of the country. of diversification plan underway.” The country is in the midst of “creating Expressing some concerns about the proAccording to Edward Burton, president and CEO of the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Busi- employment opportunities in sectors criti- gram, Smith noted that the same people ness Council, despite alarmist narratives cal to our growth,” Said explained, by im- who ran the Kingdom’s state-run economy that have circulated since the decline in oil proving infrastructure in the form of new are now involved in the growth of the private prices, “the economy and fiscal matters of roads, airports and railroad system, and sector economy. “The operative word in a positioning Muscat as a global shipping state-run economy is control,” he explained. Saudi Arabia are in good shape.” “The future for Saudi is bright,” Burton magnet—all as part of its Vision 2020 Those overseeing Vision 2030 need to loosen some control and focus on the “emadded, emphasizing that it is “critical that plan. Despite the fact that there is currently no powerment” of entrepreneurs, he said. the private sector be brought in—in a U.S.–Oman Business Council, Said noted Smith also emphasized that the Middle meaningful way for Vision 2030.” Former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar and that the U.S. and Oman have historically East needs a regional organization decurrent president of the U.S.-Qatar Business enjoyed a strong relationship, and an even voted to making that part of the world Council Patrick Theros said that Qatar is ex- stronger trade relationship since the 2009 more competitive in the global economy. periencing “a pause to reorganize” and an U.S.–Oman Free Trade Agreement was Vision 2030 will be limited in its potential if opportunity to reform policies, given the re- implemented. Said advertised the oppor- such an organization is not created, he cent slowdown from the kind of “topsy-turvy tunities for U.S. companies in leading sec- warned. This regional organization, he tors in Oman, including the demand for added, must go beyond the Arab world growth” it has experienced since 1995. Theros posed the central question Qatar machinery and the renewable energy sec- and include Turkey, Iran and Israel. Julie Monaco of Citibank said that the faces now: “How do you diversify without tor, which the Sultanate has been develsimply duplicating what is in your neigh- oping through a venture to extract oil from plan “is not simply aspirational,” but is rather entirely possible thanks to an abunborhood?” Part of that, he said, is a move the ground using solar power. —Emily Neil dance of political will for its implementato develop its liquefied natural gas (LNG) WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

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wanted to tell their story to us. tion. From Citi’s perspective, in“Today they don’t feel that ternational investors’ belief in they need us,” Ignatius continthe credit story of Saudi Arabia, ued. “They feel that they can as well as the increased role of communicate directly through private sector development, ministries, through Twitter acare key to the success of the counts, through controlled plan, she said. “From our media channels.” standpoint, from a financial If coverage of the region is standpoint, it’s on track,” David Ignatius of The Washington Post (l) and Yara Bayoumy with going to improve, Ignatius beMonaco added, highlighting the Reuters say media coverage of the Middle East must be fixed. lieves journalists need to move fact that plans that were laid and national security editor at Reuters, beyond embedded journalism. “I feel we out in June are already in motion. However, Monaco warned that “there’s lamented the fact that the media have live in an embedded world, where you’re a…certain amount of risk” involved with been unable to move the debates sur- supposed to embed with an army, or a pothe plan. “Everyone has been sold the rounding the region forward. Many articles litical party or a government and tell the story,” she said. “How that [story] performs have a narrow focus, she said, and fail to story from their side, or you won’t get access,” he said. “I hate living in this embedwill affect future [foreign] investments” in include nuance or perspective. Bayoumy also said the declining bud- ded world. I think that being unembedded, Saudi Arabia. —Emily Neil and Dale Sprusansky gets of major newspapers has forced them moving back and forth between the green to largely devote resources to urgent zone, metaphorically, moving among all Media Perspectives on the Arabnews, which is often about conflicts. This, the different sides...that’s the way that this U.S Relationship she said, results in the American public works, we’ve gotten very far from it.” —Ramzi Gharbi and Dale Sprusansky A group of journalists and media officials viewing the Middle East through the lens partook in an Oct. 27 discussion on how the of conflict, as a region “rooted in threats Gen. David Petraeus on the U.S. U.S.-Arab relationship is portrayed by the rather than opportunities.” Bayoumy expressed additional concern Role in the Middle East media. Raghida Dergham, senior diplomatic about the ability of people to customize Gen. (Ret.) David Petraeus, former head of correspondent for Al Hayat, described the their own media in the digital age. People the CIA and former commander of the U.S. media’s portrayal of the Middle East are inclined to follow likeminded individu- multinational forces in Iraq, concluded the as deeply disconnected from reality. As a als on social media and only read news conference by offering an assessment of result, she said, the American public has sources that reaffirm their worldview. This, recent U.S. military and diplomatic initialittle understanding of how the region func- she cautioned, can result in people being tives in the Middle East. tions and what Arabs are thinking. Ameri- disconnected from the realities of the The general began by outlining five cans believe that “the raging wars in the world. lessons he believes the U.S. ought to have David Ignatius, foreign affairs columnist learned over the past 15 years of military Arab region are solely the making of the Arabs and Muslims, so the attitude is ‘let for The Washington Post, said, “I do think engagement in the Middle East: them kill each other,’” she said. The Arab there is something broken in the way in 1) Ungoverned spaces will be exploited public, on the other hand, typically sees which the media seeks to cover the Arab by Islamic extremists. Once a country disU.S. foreign policy as responsible for the world, and I think it needs to be fixed.” integrates into chaos, he said, it’s a matter According to Ignatius, a major factor im- of when, not if, this happens. conflicts in the Middle East, she noted. Adel Al Toraifi, Saudi Arabia’s minister peding the work of journalists in the region 2) Instability in one country tends to of culture and information, said the King- is access. “I think the core of the problem spread to neighboring countries, and dom plans to make several changes that is that there isn’t enough openness,” he sometimes beyond the region. The recent will make it easier for reporters to work in said, noting that reporters face many ob- case of Syria exemplifies this point, he his country. In particular, he highlighted stacles, such as being denied access to a said, as the country’s civil war has had a that Saudi Arabia intends to construct a country, or being attacked for their work. tremendous impact on neighboring Jordan The veteran journalist reflected on how and Lebanon, and created a refugee crisis “media city” where press outlets will be able to base reporters, rather than flying the profession has changed since he began that has shaken Europe. them in on short stints to write a story. at The Wall Street Journal in 1980. Back 3) The U.S. must be a leader in the reThis, he believes, will allow journalists to then, it was possible to travel everywhere in gion, but never act unilaterally. “Our leaddevelop a more nuanced and complete the region and talk to people involved on all ership is indispensable, it is irreplaceable,” sides of the issues. “In those days people he said. As an example, Petraeus pointed understanding of the Kingdom. Yara Bayoumy, deputy foreign affairs wanted coverage,” he recalled. “They to the ongoing battle to recapture the Iraqi 54

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Col. Lawrence Wilkerson in Des Moines

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lution to the Syrian conflict. Syrian President Bashar alAssad and Putin haven’t received this memo, he said, and remain intent on achieving a military victory. Long-term, Petraeus believes the world must acknowledge that Syria may not be able to be put back together, as it’s extremely difficult to imagine groups such as the Kurds agreeing to an Assad-led government. Turning to Iraq, Petraeus said the operation to recapture Gen. David Petraeus outlines lessons we have learned. Mosul is “moving along well” and is a “textbook example of city of Mosul from ISIS. U.S. strategic and how you encircle a large city.” The battle intelligence assistance to the Iraqi army will be hard and deadly, he acknowledged, has been indispensable to the operation, but said there is no doubt ISIS will eventuhe said, adding that no other nation is ca- ally be driven out of the city. The real chalpable of offering the Iraqi army the same lenge, he explained, will be trying to establish a representative and sustainable level of resources. 4) Military force alone is not enough to government at both the local and national win a campaign. The U.S. can’t drone levels. Regarding the ongoing deadly war in strike its way to victory, Petraeus said, stressing the importance of comprehen- Yemen, Petraeus was unsympathetic tosive civil-military campaigns. Restoration ward the insurgent Houthi rebels. They of basic services, rule of law, and espe- must realize, he said, that violence will not cially reconciliation are all essential com- get them what they were unable to achieve ponents of ensuring that any military vic- at the political table during the failed national dialogue process. Despite the deadly tory is sustainable, he said. 5) The ongoing conflicts are part of a toll of the Saudi-led military campaign in generational struggle that will not end Yemen and calls by many for the U.S. to soon. All nations involved in the military ef- rescind tactical assistance and weapon forts must thus minimize the expenditure sales to the Kingdom, Petraeus said of lives and treasure in order to make sure Washington should stand by the Saudis they have sustainable strategies that en- and help them carry out a more precise able them to fight for the long haul, he campaign, in the hope that the Saudi-led campaign will force the Houthis to more said. Asked his views on Syria, Petraeus said earnestly come to the negotiating table. Petraeus signaled support for the nuhe supports a no-fly zone and a humanitarian safe zone. These measures, he ar- clear deal with Iran, saying that it at the gued, would slow the flow of refugees flee- very least hampers Iran’s nuclear capabiling Syria and prevent Russian warplanes ities for the next decade. He expressed and the Syrian army from bombing civilian concern, however, with Iran’s regional areas with impunity. The general did ac- role, and believes that Tehran has not imknowledge that Russia’s entry into the war proved its behavior since it signed the nucomplicates a no-fly zone, but he argued clear deal. Going forward, Petraeus bethat Russian President Vladimir Putin must lieves that President-elect Donald Trump be dealt with firmly, though not provoked. needs to partner with the GCC to counter Petraeus also disputed the widely re- Iranian activity in the region. —Dale Sprusansky peated notion that there is no military so-

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson.

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff for Secretary of State Colin Powell and now a professor of government and public policy at the College of William and Mary, discussed national security issues and climate change before an audience of about 100 in the Fellowship Hall of First Christian Church in Des Moines, Iowa on Oct. 14. “We spend more on national security than all the rest of the world combined,” Wilkerson declared. “Not the next 14 nations or the next 10—all the world combined, and by a large margin. You have to know where the budget is. It is not $600 billion for the Defense Department. It’s $1.2 trillion for Homeland Security, the Defense Department, Veterans Affairs—the nuclear weapons are in the Department of Energy, not the Department of Defense— and the intelligence budget, which is now well over $100 billion a year. “What can you think of that you could have spent some of that money on that would have been a whole lot better than what it was spent on, and probably would only have raised your risk, in terms of national security, a minuscule amount, if at all?” Wilkerson asked. The chance of being killed by a terrorist attack is about the same as that of being struck by lightning, he noted. “And yet we’ve spent $2 trillion on the so-called global war on terror. Tell me that’s smart,” said Wilkerson.

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SJP Holds 6th Annual Conference

National Students for Justice in Palestine held its 6th annual conference Nov. 46, hosted on campus by George Mason University Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) in Fairfax, VA. The theme, “Critical Mass: With Our Roots in Resistance, Forging a Just Future,” encompassed workshops on a number of issues, including the campus mobilization around the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Joseph LMS Green presents his devastating poem “Hands.” (BDS) movement. There were trainings of and by students on coali- or protest, or even when they express suption building, responsible media and press port for Palestinian human rights on camengagement, fund-raising, combatting nor- pus. The Washington Report’s Middle East malization and defending the legal rights of student activists. The workshops—which Books and More joined other educational were off-the-record to reporters—helped booths at the Saturday dinner and cultural students return to their respective cam- night in the off-campus Green Acres Cenpuses with the tools, connections and moti- ter. A large, enthusiastic audience listened vation to build new campaigns and to moving poetry readings by Meriem Abou Ghazaleh and Joseph Green. Youth strengthen work already under way. One workshop focused on “Clipping Ca- program coordinator for a poetry and sonary Mission Wings.” The Canary Mission cial justice organization, Split This Rock, is a shadowy website, linked to and en- Green shared his poem “Hands.” After the dorsed by neocons David Horowitz and deadly shooting of Trayvon Martin and Daniel Pipes, that posts dossiers on pro- other violence against young black boys, Palestinian student activists, professors Green’s poem expresses his fear as a faand organizations. The Canary Mission ther, that his hands cannot protect his son tries to sabotage current and future ca- if he finds himself in a bad situation or if a reers and thereby intimidate activists. [It’s policeman confronts him. So at bedtime not working!] Speakers at the workshop they have a routine that fathers of white described the use of blacklists and other boys wouldn’t think of reenacting: “At night, when I take off my 3- year-old forms of intimidation used for decades to smear, target and persecute activists, es- son’s clothes, I say ‘hands up henry.’ He thinks we are playing a game. pecially those who advocate for PalestinI pray that when the time come ian rights. Students shared ways they are he will know what to do with his hands. joining with ally organizations to achieve —Delinda C. Hanley academic freedom and freedom of speech, and to successfully stand up to Syrian Americans Meet in the Canary Mission. Palestine Legal and the Center for Con- Anaheim stitutional Rights held a workshop to help “The health, education and humanitarian guide students through situations they situations in Aleppo are very bad today. may encounter when organizing an event The battle for Aleppo and breaking the

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“We made a lot of people very rich, and we’re still making them rich,” he stated. “That doesn’t help much, because that is an incredible maldistribution, that government subsidy of the wealthy, if you will.” Wilkerson noted that a recent Gallup poll indicates Americans hold the U.S. military in higher esteem, by a factor of seven, than their elected representatives in Washington—a development he described as “extremely dangerous” and “a direct threat to the civil-military relationship that has kept this republic safe for longer than most in history. “We have used the military instrument 5.6 times more frequently since the end of the Cold War than we did during the Cold War. We are using the military to fix everything, instead of diplomacy, instead of economic and financial power, instead of cultural power, instead of information and intelligence and so forth. So, why shouldn’t the military flow into this gap that is totally a vacuum in terms of civil leadership?” he asked. With regard to climate change, Wilkerson noted that its connection to national security “is so serious that the lead agency is the Defense Department.” All the climate change models guarantee us with something like 75 to 80 percent certainty that the U.S. military is going to be responding to catastrophic tsunamis, storms, and floods not every 100 years as in the past, Wilkerson said, but every 10 years. “Do the numbers there: If you were spending $10 billion on disaster relief and assistance, you’re now going to be spending $100 billion, if not more, and you’re going to be very occupied with this mission,” he declared. Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie spoke prior to Wilkerson’s presentation, which was sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power and Light (IIPL). Rev. Susan Hendershot Guy, executive director of IIPL, introduced the speakers. American Friends Service Committee, Citizens Climate Lobby-Des Moines, Methodist Federation for Social Action-Iowa, Catholic Peace Ministry, and Interfaith Green Coalition also sponsored Wilkerson’s visit to Iowa. —Michael Gillespie

died of heart complications on Sept. 12. Journalist Robert Scheer, editor in chief of Truthdig.com, performed emcee duties at the memorial service, which became a special celebration of Sheinbaum’s life. Vietnam War critic Daniel Ellsberg, the Khaled Salame addresses SAC-LA members via Skype from Aleppo former U.S. military as moderator Ziad Jalanbo looks on. analyst who released lengthy siege imposed by the Assad regime the top-secret Pentagon Papers, spoke. and its Russian and Iranian allies will take Charged with espionage, he faced a posweeks,” said journalist-activist Khaled sible 115-year prison sentence. Sheinbaum headed the 1970s campaign to Salame via Skype from Aleppo Oct. 30. Addressing Syrian American Council- raise funds for Ellsberg’s legal defense, Los Angeles (SAC-LA) members meeting and Ellsberg credited him with making him in Anaheim, Salame said only 30 percent a free man today. If Stanley were here now that the elecof announced humanitarian aid had been tion is over, Ellsberg told the group, he received. According to a representative from would have urged activists to “organize, SAC’s Washington, DC office, that office organize, organize.” Other speakers included actor Mike Farhas met with more than 300 members of Congress this year in an effort to help pass rell, TV producer Norman Lear, their the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of daughter Karen Sperling, Rep. Barbara 2016, which was subsequently passed as Lee (D-CA), former Los Angeles Times H.R. 5732, to halt the wholesale slaughter Vice President Narda Zacchino Scheer, of the Syrian people, encourage a negoti- Prof. Richard Parker of Harvard University ated political settlement, and hold Syrian and Marti Maniates, who was Sheinhuman rights abusers accountable for their baum’s assistant. crimes. Also, SAC will sponsor a 15-state tour of the documentary “Little Gandhi,” about famed Syrian peace activist Ghiyath Matar. Director Sam Kadi, a Syria native and U.S. citizen, used Skype to conduct the interviews and direct the entire shoot inside Syria. The powerful film has already been screened for government officials from Doha to DC. —Samir Twair

Memorial for Stanley Sheinbaum

For more than 40 years Stanley and Betty Sheinbaum held vibrant salons in their artfilled home in Brentwood, CA, where tycoons, presidents, celebrities and activists discussed the issues of the day. On Nov. 12, their friends gathered once again at the Sheinbaums’ gracious home for a memorial service for Stanley Sheinbaum, 96, who JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

PHOTO COURTESY SHEINBAUM FAMILY

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A former professor of economics at Michigan State University, Sheinbaum exchanged wedding vows with Betty Warner on May 19, 1964. They are the parents of Karen Sperling, Cass Warner and Matthew Sperling and have 8 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Sheinbaum retired from his teaching post at MSU to try to bring about Middle East peace, and was credited with helping lay the groundwork for the American Jewish peace movement. He risked his life in the 1960s by spiriting away to Canada his old friend, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou of Greece, after he was imprisoned by the Greek military following a coup. Sheinbaum incurred the wrath of the American Jewish community in 1988, when he escorted Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat to the U.N., where Arafat gave a speech renouncing terrorism. When Sheinbaum was photographed shaking hands with Arafat, fellow Jews called him a traitor and a dead pig was thrown on his driveway. In 1991, during the Rodney King case, he was appointed Los Angeles Police Department commissioner. Sheinbaum also served on the University of California Board of Regents. His memoir, Stanley K. Sheinbaum: A 20th Century Knight's Quest for Peace, Civil Liberties and Economic Justice, was

A family photo of Betty and Stanley Sheinbaum.

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HUMAN RIGHTS Stand Up, Speak Out! Youth Rally

(Back row, r-l): Basim Elkarra, Kenneth Lee, chief executive officer of OCA National, and Bobbie Singh-Allen with students outside the California State Capitol. duced the speakers. Sen. Richard Pan, still a practicing pediatrician, related his childhood experiences of “being the new kid on the block” and dealing with the issue of bullying. “This can affect your self-esteem and how others think about you,” he said. “We need you to be the leaders of today and speak out and support those who feel alone and helpless.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Sacramento Valley chapter’s executive director Basim Elkarra, a newly elected member of the Twin Rivers School

The American Community School (ACS) at Beirut, Lebanon has been providing a distinctly American-style education to students since 1905. The school stays connected with alumni by holding reunions in major cities around the world. Ramzi Farah (class of 2005) organized a reunion on Nov. 17 at the Bonfire Restaurant in Washington, DC. Alumni of all ages got an update and a standing invitation to visit from the current head of school, Greg MacGilpin, Jr. (tallest man near the center of the back row). ACS continues to do what Americans do best— educate—and now serves a multicultural international student body of 1,080 students. 58

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PHOTO COURTESY ACS

Two weeks after California Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly bill 2845, which provides school employees with the resources and training necessary to assist students subjected to school bullying and discrimination—including students harassed on the basis of actual or perceived religious affiliation—the Organization of Chinese Americans Sacramento Regional Coalition for Tolerance hosted the 4th annual Stand Up, Speak Out! youth rally. AB2845 is the first and only bill directly addressing the issue of Islamophobia in California. Some 200 school children attended the Oct. 19 event on the steps of the California State Capitol. As master of ceremonies, Bobbie SinghAllen of the Elk Grove, CA Unified School District, kicked off the program and intro-

Board, related the story of 11-year-old Natomas student Yasmine Nayabkhil, recipient of CAIR’s Courage and Inspiration Award. “We won’t forget Yasmine, who was bullied because she wears a headscarf,” Elkarra said. “But instead of being afraid, she stood up and she came here to the Capitol and testified in hearings.” In talking about her ordeal, the brave sixthgrade student moved elected officials to tears and helped pass AB 2845, Elkarra told the crowd. “We have thousands of refugees from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, South America and Mexico,” Elkarra pointed out. “We have students who don’t speak English, but we’re a community that doesn’t bully; we welcome them with open hearts. As elected officials, we also have to set an example to all of you that we’re not bullies and that we treat others with respect.” Reminding the students to stand up and speak out, he told them: “You’re the ones who are going to make a difference, and we’re here to support all of you.” Other speakers included Jessie Ryan with Sacramento City Unified School District, Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, Sacramento Deputy Police Chief Brian Louie, and Undersheriff Erik Maness. —Elaine Pasquini

Drake University Hosts Pinwheels For Peace

The Middle East Peace and Prosperity Alliance (MEPPA), a Drake University student group, displayed Pinwheels for Peace at JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI

written when he was already in his 90s, with a co-author William A. Meis, Jr. Its book jacket featured testimonials from President Bill Clinton, Barbra Streisand, Jane Fonda and Norman Lear. —Samir and Pat Twair

gets me. You look at them and you see children as young as one or two. It’s really hard, emotionally difficult, to see, but it’s important to understand. We are supporting the system that is doing this. The U.S. is one of the largest donors to Israel. We support almost all of their policies. We fail to act on international law that has said Israel’s actions are illegal. We haven’t done anything about it, so we are complicit in the killing of these children, which is hard to deal with,” said Clark. MEPPA members were available to talk about the issues and distribute flyers from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days the pinwheels were on display. —Michael Gillespie

Drake MEPPA members install Pinwheels for Peace. Helmick Commons on Oct. 19 and 20 in Des Moines, Iowa. “We are putting up black pinwheels, each tagged with the name of a Gazan killed during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge in July and August 2014. We’re primarily focused on the impact on children,” said MEPPA organizer Mollie Clark. “The pinwheels are symbolic of the 521 lives lost. They help people visualize the scope of the violence there. Our hope is that by increasing awareness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict we can increase the discourse,” explained Clark. Clark, an international relations major with a concentration in Middle East Studies, said that especially here in the United States, the media narrative is so often skewed by the Israel lobby that most Americans don’t receive accurate news or information about the conflict. Clark said attending the National Students for Justice in Palestine Conference last year in San Diego, CA was a great experience that encouraged her activism. “I met so many people who have been personally impacted by the conflict. One of my friends, while we were at the conference, had a cousin who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. That really brought it home,” said Clark. “You hear on the news a lot about the bombings in Aleppo, Syria, but you don’t hear much about the bombs that are JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

DIPLOMATIC DOINGS

dropped on Gaza even though they’re killing children, even though they’re killing Qatar’s Ambassador Reflects on families. Gaza is the largest open-air His Washington Tour prison in the world, with very little access to clean water, very little access to re- Washington, DC said goodbye to Ambassources. These are huge humanitarian is- sador of the State of Qatar Mohammed sues that we’re just not talking about Jaham Al Kuwari at a Nov. 16 reception here,” declared Clark. held at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle SteakClark said MEPPA members are en- house. The restaurant is located in City couraged by the reception of their work on Center DC, a modern complex built on the campus. “Last year we organized an site of the District’s old convention center Apartheid Week to draw the parallels be- which now includes residential units, oftween Apartheid South Africa and Israel- fices, high-end stores and a public plaza. Palestine. We put up a wall right here and The $1 billion construction project was had students come and sign it to show stalled during the U.S. economic downturn their will for peace and change. That was until Qatar, with the help of its then-Ambaswell received. We had support from the sador Mohamed Bin Abdulla Al-Rumaihi, administration and from many professors,” invested $650 million in 2010. It wasn’t the recalled Clark. first time Qatar has come to the rescue. In “Drake MEPPA is partners with the 2006, after Hurricane Katrina, Qatar doAmerican Friends Service Committee (AFSC) here in Des Moines and we work with them. AFSC had the pinwheels up last summer [see October 2015 Washington Report, p. 56], and they agreed to let us bring the event to campus as well,” she said. “When the pinwheels move in the wind, it’s beautiful but it’s also really haunting. Each one is tagged with a name and age. That’s the thing that really Ambassador of the State of Qatar Mohammed Al Kuwari. STAFF PHOTO D. HANLEY

STAFF PHOTO M. GILLESPIE

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nated $100 million to help victims of the disaster. The upscale new neighborhood was a fitting spot to celebrate the contributions of Al Kuwari, who became Qatar’s ambassador to Washington in March 2014 and will now return to Madrid, where he earned his master’s degree, as ambassador to Spain. Ambassador Al Kuwari, who graduated with a degree in political science from the University of Portland in 1980, said he’d miss his evening walks across the Potomac River and the “paradox of seasons” in this nation’s capital, where cherry blossoms bloom amid the snow and urban landscapes. He said he’ll even miss the daily dramas of international politics. Finally he praised the hopefulness of the city, and the fun of building friendships here. Al Kuwari took the opportunity to launch his book, Shared Goals Shared Future, a reflection on Qatar’s vision of the future and its values in an increasingly connected world. “The U.S.-Qatar bilateral partnership has never been stronger,” he concluded, saying he was “proud to play a part of it...In a turbulent world, politics change but friendships last forever.” Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Ambassador Patrick Theros, president of the U.S.-Qatar Business Council, Dr. John Duke Anthony, president of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, and students who had scholarships from the Qatar Foundation to study Arabic thanked Al Kuwari for all his work building bridges from Qatar to the United States. —Delinda C. Hanley

ARAB AMERICAN ACTIVISM René Moawad Foundation Honors Lebanese-American Cancer Fighters

The René Moawad Foundation (RMF) held its 23rd annual Washington, DC Benefit Gala on Oct. 22 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. More than 375 Lebanese Americans, diplomats and representatives from the U.S. State Department and NGOs working in the region attended the gala, which featured a glamorous fashion show by Lebanese designer Rani Zakhem and performances by 60

(L-r) Tom Abraham of Abraham Group LLC, Sara Ganim, Rick Shadyac, Jr. and Tom Shadyac. Lebanese vocalists Cynthya Karam and Bruno Tabbal, as well as 18-year-old rising star Marianne Khattar. Mistress of ceremonies CNN correspondent Sara Ganim said she is a proud thirdgeneration Lebanese American whose father’s family is from Zahlé . (She pointed to her father’s table and joked, “If you ask him what village he comes from, he’ll answer, ‘Cleveland!’”) Just back from Lebanon, Ganim described visiting an educational center near Tripoli which serves 200,000 children, run by the René Moawad Foundation. Those kids are going to school, singing and playing soccer, Ganim said, and resisting the pressure to quit school and become child workers. The RMF organization promotes sustainable social, economic and rural development in Lebanon, while upholding democratic values, peace and social justice. The Rene Moawad Foundation, established to honor her late husband’s memory, has no religious or political angle, Nayla Moawad told the audience. Its goal is to eradicate poverty—the basis for all terrorism—and to provide the Lebanese a life of hope and dignity. As always, the gala showcased the brilliance, creativity, compassion and contributions of America’s Lebanese community. Dr. Andre Choulika, chairman, CEO and founder of Cellectis, a biopharmaceutical company, received the RMF Distin-

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guished Lifetime Achievement Award. “It’s so cool to be Lebanese,” Dr. Choulika said, “except when it comes to traveling with a Lebanese passport” (more on that below). He is developing a new generation of cancer therapies based on engineered T cells. Dr. Choulika gave a unique, down-toearth description of this new approach to cancer treatment. Chemotherapy is like carpet bombing, he explained: It kills all dividing cells and makes people lose their hair and nails—and sometimes it doesn’t manage to kill the cancer. T cells usually “act like immigration police,” he joked. “When they detect a Lebanese passport they kick it out”—but, seriously, when T cells detect something that’s shouldn’t be in the body, they attack. We train those cells to see cancer cells as the enemy, he said, and they kill the cancer cells, melting the cancer tumor, in two weeks. Choulika’s patients now have a 94 percent chance for a 5-year remission. He concluded by saying, “Cancer treatment may become chronic therapy in the future.” The Outstanding Community Service Award was presented to second-generation American Lebanese Rick Shadyac, Jr. He is president and chief executive officer of ALSAC, the fund-raising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which focuses on saving the lives of children with cancer and other JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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ist exceptionalism to the normal life-threatening diseases. rules of criminal law and proceHis brother, Hollywood direcdure.” Under the heading of tor Tom Shadyac, whose block“fighting terrorism,” he exbuster movies include “Ace Venplained, the government has tura: Pet Detective,” “The Nutty won some very significant victoProfessor,” “Liar Liar,” “Patch ries using tactics and practices Adams” and “Bruce Almighty,” that relax the normal protections gave a loving introduction to St. a criminal defendant is entitled Jude’s, and his brother, who to in a prosecution. In Said’s now leads it. opinion, both Guantanamo miliTom Shadyac told the auditary tribunals and prosecutions ence a lot about Rick and who he in federal government court is when the camera isn’t rolling, have eroded constitutional proincluding the moving way he tections for people charged with treats the valet who takes his car keys. In his prayer before dinner, Prof. Wadie Said discusses the erosion of constitutional protections terrorism. The government is heavily inRick includes the name of every when it comes to defendants accused of terrorism. vested in countering violent exchild struggling at St. Jude’s. “He Said gave credit to his father for his own tremism, he noted, and to show the threat has cold potatoes but a warm heart,” Tom decision to become a public defender, say- is out there the FBI uses informants to go joked. It is amazing that a generation of hard- ing, “I really absorbed the idea that one to mosques, find a susceptible Muslim, working traveling Lebanese grocers as- shouldn’t cease in trying to help those who concoct a plot and provide the targeted similated in America and banded together are truly marginalized and ostracized.” Only Muslim with the means to carry it out. Acto raise $1 billion to launch St. Jude in days after his father’s death, he agreed to cording to one journalist, the FBI has emMemphis, TN, Rick Shadyac, Jr. said. help defend University of Florida computer ployed about 15,000 informants in the “They wanted to thank the U.S. for giving science professor Sami Al-Arian in one of post-Sept. 11th era. Said also described the prosecution of them the opportunity to earn a living in this the largest “terrorism” prosecutions in country. St. Jude’s treated 8,000 kids this American history—which, after 11 years, the directors of what was once the largest year and the parents of those kids never resulted in a dismissal of charges. (See Muslim charity in the U.S., the Holy Land got a bill...St. Jude’s is the greatest gift “Special Topics” section of the Washington Organization for Relief and Development, from the Lebanese community to the Report’s website, <www.wrmea.org>, for based in a Dallas suburb. The government couldn’t prove that donations made to the past articles about the Al-Arian trial.) U.S.A.,” he concluded. Said said his experience defending Al- Holy Land Foundation provided material —Delinda C. Hanley Arian and others charged with material support to a banned terrorist organization Edward Said Memorial Lecture support for groups designated by the State (Hamas). It did find the charity guilty of enFeatures Son, Wadie Said Department as terrorists “exposed me to hancing Hamas’s legitimacy. At the trial, the government used an IsThe Jerusalem Fund in Washington, DC the government’s criminal prosecution holds an annual event in honor of Dr. Ed- regime of individuals they believe were ter- raeli security officer who testified anonymously as an expert witness, and claimed ward Said, the illustrious Palestinian public rorists.” When Americans see what he called that the zakat committees were linked to intellectual who died in 2003, the Fund’s executive director, Zeina Azzam, said in her scare quotes around “Islam” or “terrorism” Hamas. If a person’s identity is not known, Oct. 7 introduction of this year’s speaker— it builds fear, Said observed. Islamophobia Said pointed out, no one can challenge his his son. Prof. Wadie Said teaches criminal discourages critical thinking and allows the expertise or enquire into the “expert’s” law, criminal procedure, and human rights state more freedom to take away our own background. In addition, an anonymous law at the University of South Carolina liberties under the rubric of “fighting terror- status sends a message to the jury that says “These defendants are so dangerSchool of Law. His talk on “The Terrorism ism.” After leaving the federal public de- ous. They can’t know who this guy is, beLabel: an Examination of American Criminal Prosecutions” focused on the ways in fender’s office, Said began to study terror- cause their agents will threaten them.” Despite a Supreme Court case precewhich terrorism is produced and dealt with ism prosecutions, which culminated in his in the American legal system. Before be- book, Crimes of Terror: the Legal and Po- dent that dealt with the issue of anonycoming a professor, Said represented ter- litical Implications of Federal Terrorism mous witnesses, the Dallas trial accepted rorist suspects as an assistant federal pub- Prosecutions. The goal of his book, Said the “expert” testimony, and the 5th Circuit said, is to document what he calls “terror- Court of Appeals also brushed over the lic defender in Tampa, Florida. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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MUSLIM AMERICAN ACTIVISM Islamic Relief, Third Pillar Provide 1,000 Thanksgiving Turkeys

American Third Pillar Charities and Islamic Relief U.S.A. teamed up for the fifth consecutive year to make sure low-income DC residents had a turkey with all the trimmings for Thanksgiving dinner. Before the event, IRUSA social media fans joined the <#tofeed> challenge to raise awareness of hunger in the United States. For every time the hashtag was shared, IRUSA donated one turkey. Muslim volunteers packed up and distributed 1,000 turkeys, stuffing, rice, gravy mix, corn and green beans in bags on Nov. 22. More than half of the bags of Thanksgiving goodies were distributed at an event conducted with Council Member Yvette Alexander at the Deanwood Recreational Center in Ward 7. Many of the other Thanksgiving bags were distributed through police departments to vulnerable and food-insecure residents, especially senior citizens and residents of low-income housing. Others were given to families of needy children connected to the YMCA and Masjid Muhammad. —Delinda C. Hanley

CAIR-LA Banquet Speakers Advance Justice, Challenge Hate

“Advancing Justice, Challenging Hate,” was the theme of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA)’s 20th anniversary gala, featuring notable figures who have been dedicated to challenging injustice and protecting freedom for all communities. Keynote speaker Imam Omar Suleiman of Dallas, TX, founder of the East Jefferson Interfaith Clergy Association, addressed more than 2,000 Muslim Americans on Nov. 19 at the Anaheim Hilton Hotel. 62

DC residents collect Thanksgiving dinner bags at the Deanwood Recreation Center. Imam Suleiman spoke about the newly sour, executive director of the Arab Amerelected president as well as the men he ican Association of New York. CAIR-LA presented a posthumous has already appointed to work with him at the White House. “They speak in the voice “Champions of Justice” award to the legof power because that is the way they endary Muhammad Ali through his eldest were brought up,” Imam Suleiman said, daughter Maryum "May May" Ali, a but they have forgotten there is a power spokesperson for Team Parkinson and the much bigger than they are—and that is Parkinson’s Unity Walk. CAIR-LA executive director Hussam AyGod. He also declared that establishing a strong sense of justice not only is the duty loush began his address by vowing, “We of each Muslim, but it also makes Muslims are not going anywhere, we will stay here.” more resilient as a community—and more He went on to emphasize the role CAIR able to defend the rights of other margin- has in protecting every Muslim in this country, and guarding his or her freedom alized communities. “When the incoming administration tries and dignity. “We need to organize, mobito go after our leaders and organizations, I lize and stand together against hatred and will stand and say, ‘you are not going any- racism unleashed lately in our country,” he where before you go through me,'” said Suleiman. He quoted the American boxing legend Muhammad Ali when he said “I’m Muslim, I’m America.” Another notable speaker was U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), who has consistently supported legislative efforts aimed at preserving civil rights and promoting tolerance. Roula Allouch, chairperson of CAIR’s national board, highlighted some of CAIR’s key accomplishments at the national level and congratulated the LA office for its 20 years of service. Master of Imam Omar Suleiman urged Muslims to defend the right of ceremonies was Linda Sar- all marginalized communities.

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issue. Said urged citizens to think about the tactics the government is using to fight terrorism and to add that issue to the ongoing national discussions of mass incarceration and police violence. —Delinda C. Hanley

PHOTO COURTESY FAREEHA AMIR, ISLAMIC RELIEF USA

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emphasized. The fund-raising banquet was the most successful in CAIR-LA's history, raising $794,000. Comedian Jeremy McLellan ended the night on a light note with his witty performance exploring hot-button topics such as politics, race, religion, gender, tolerance and diversity in the U.S. —Samir Twair

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MUSIC & ARTS The Art of the Qur’an

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Other items include an elaborate 16th century chest with a dome-shaped cover decorated with stylized motifs in refined marquetry and ivory panels. An inscribed prayer confirms the box was used to store or transport Qur’ans. Visitors will see some of the finest existing examples of Qur’ans from diverse historical eras and cultures, including works from the permanent collection of the Freer and Sackler galleries. Informational panels throughout the exhibition explain the history of the Qur’an and its evolution from an oral tradition into a written text, resulting in the development of Arabic calligraphy. —Elaine Pasquini

Last Roadblock for Documentary “1948, Creation and Catastrophe”

A new feature-length documentary, “1948, Creation and Catastrophe,” reveals riveting personal recollections from both Palestini-

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More than 60 resplendent Qur’ans, celebrated for their elegant calligraphy and magnificent illustration, are on display at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery through Feb. 20, 2017. Organized by the Sackler and the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art in collaboration with the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Istanbul, the richly illuminated Qur’anic manuscripts, as well as album pages in a variety of scripts, range in date from the 8th to the 17th century and are in an array of styles, formats and sizes. Overseen by curators Massumeh Farhad and Simon Rettig, these holy books represent the most treasured Islamic art form from the Umayyad and Abbasid Arab caliphates, Iran and Afghanistan during the Seljuk period, the Mongol Il-Khanid dynasty, Mamluk Egypt, and the Safavid Persian and Ottoman empires. This first major exhibit on the Qur’an in the United States includes treasures endowed by the Ottomans to religious institutions since at least the 1500s. Many of those from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts have never been shown outside of Turkey. Among the showpieces are three Qur’an folios on gold parchment, probably once part of a 30-volume set from either 10th century Iraq, the Near East or North Africa. Also on display are pages from one of the largest and most impressive Qur’ans ever produced in the Islamic world. These folios are believed to be among the few remaining examples of the enormous manuscript that was displayed in Tamur’s mosque in Samarqand, the first Timurid capital.

Three Qur’an folios. Sura 84:3-6, 84:25 and 85:1-3. Iraq, Near East or North Africa, Abbasid period. 10th century. ink, color and gold on parchment. Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. ans and Israelis about the most pivotal year in the world’s most controversial conflict. It tells the story of the establishment of the Israeli state and dispels a powerful myth about that fateful year: the claim that over half of the Arab population of Palestine willingly chose to flee their homes. This documentary may be the last chance to hear moving first-hand accounts of what actually took place. At a Nov. 5 meeting in the Arab Community Center in Anaheim, filmmakers Andy Trimlett and Prof. Ahlam Muhtaseb, who teaches at California State University, San Bernardino, said they have poured thousands of hours into this project. They have interviewed dozens of Palestinians and Israelis who remember 1948 firsthand, as well as such leading historians as Charles Smith, Ilan Pappé, Rashid Khalidi, Benny Morris, Sharif Kanaaneh, Avi Shlaim and Nur Masalha.

Film director and co-producer Andy Trimlett (l) and co-producer Prof. Ahlam Muhtaseb. WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

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Professor Muhtaseb said they have unearthed and translated expulsion orders from Israeli military archives, gathered never-before-seen images from archives around the globe, and captured heartbreaking personal accounts of events in Haifa, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Ramle, Lydda, Acre and villages throughout Palestine, including Deir Yassin. The 86-minute documentary is due for release in mid-to-late 2017. The interviews, research and editing are complete “after eight years of traveling the world.” But there is one roadblock left: “We can’t release it until we pay companies like Getty Images, Associated Press and British Pathe licensing fees for the rights to use their archival images and film,” Trimlett explained. “All it will take to get ‘1948’ out into the world is $35,000.” Anyone can make a tax-deductible contribution by using the link <1948movie. com/support> and donating through the film’s fiscal sponsor, Alternate Focus, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The filmmakers are currently in the process of submitting the documentary to film festivals. Next they will work to make it available to watch on television, online, and at schools. —Samir and Pat Twair

New Children’s Books Delight Young Readers in Palestine

Striving to enrich the lives of children in Palestine through reading, writing and storytelling, the Palestine Writing Workshop (PWW), with the support of the Sacramento Bethlehem Sister City group (SBSC), the Boulder Nablus Sister City Project, Bethlehem Association and the Middle East Children's Alliance, has created six delightful new books in Arabic for children ages 4 to 10. “We have been working since 2009 to promote reading across Palestine using creative writing and storytelling,” PWW director Maya Abu Alhayyat told the Washington Report. “We felt the need due to a shortage of children’s stories in Palestinian neighborhoods.” Written and illustrated by Palestinians, the books are: The Gipsy Fairy by Mays Dagher, illustrated by Doha Al-Khateeb; The Blue Pool of Questions and Falfol by 64

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Arabic children’s books by the Palestine Writing Workshop. Maya Abu Alhayyat, illustrated by Hassan Manasrah and Anastasia Qarawani respectively; Unimportant Tips for the Young Reader by Anas Abu Rahmeh, illustrated by Lubna Taha; Princess Buhruj Palace by Ahlam Bsharat, illustrated by Rema Alkosa; and Bolqosh, written and illustrated by Yara Bamieh. Competing with 151 books from the Arab world, the PWW and its supporters are thrilled that Bolqosh and The Blue Pool of Questions have been nominated for the Etisalat award for Arabic children’s literature in the best illustration category, and Bolqosh in the best production category. The Tamer Institute published the books, which have been distributed to Palestinian libraries and public centers in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Hebron, Ramallah and Nablus. For some, these books may be a child’s first experience of reading for pleasure. Working with the Ramallah-based PWW, SBSC created the Children’s Reading Space (CRS) project in 2012. “Our first project was just getting more books into the hands of children in school libraries,” Patricia Daugherty of SBSC told the Washington Report at an Oct. 18 SBSC meeting. “The second was supporting emerging Palestinian writers and illustrators and inspiring storytelling, which has long been a part of Palestinian culture.” SBSC president Pauline Gilmour described the enthusiastic support her junior

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

high school students gave the Children’s Reading Space. “The students supported the project because they knew the value of free reading in libraries,” she explained, “so through fund-raisers they eagerly supported this project for Palestinian children.” The CRS also offers storytelling and puppet shows in the Bethlehem area to emerging readers and their parents. The goal of these programs is to encourage children’s imaginations and self-expression. For several months, five of the books have been on display in Sacramento’s Arcade Library. Presently, the books are on display in Sacramento’s Arden-Demick Library. —Elaine Pasquini

Marwan Makhoul and Oumeima El Khalil Perform at Georgetown

The Georgetown Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, the General Delegation of the PLO to the United States, and the Ramallah Club of Washington, DC sponsored a joint performance by world-renowned Lebanese singer-songwriter Oumeima El Khalil and the masterful Palestinian poet Marwan Makhoul. This duo performed at Georgetown University's Gaston Hall on Oct. 30, 2016. Deya’ Leonard Dresner, founder and CEO of the Leonard Educational Organization (LEO), which manages U.S. scholarships for Palestinian youths, introduced the speakers and performers. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Oumeima El Khalil (l) and Palestinian poet Marwan Makhoul. PLO Ambassador Maen Rashid Areikat presented an award to the Aburish brothers—Khalil, Hilmi, Salah and Samih—who immigrated from Palestine in the early ’60s and launched what became the largest limousine service in the District. The brothers contribute to the diaspora Palestinian community as well as youth clubs and scholarships for kids in Palestine. Next came posthumous community recognition of Khalil Karjawally (see Aug./Sept. 2016 Washington Report, p. 80), who touched the lives of many by funding scholarships and helping those in need. That award was presented to his widow, Dr. Najat Arafat Khelil, chairperson of the National Arab American Women’s Association. —Delinda C. Hanley

alumni, who filled every room. Haydar’s daughter, Shahina Osseiran, and Dima visited the Washington Report to provide more information on the famous poet. Haydar was born in the Beka’a Valley in 1905, when the Ottomans were occupying what is now Lebanon and Syria, and died in Baalbek in 2006. In his political views and writings he did not assert his sectarian identity, but sought to rise above such divisive issues, believing in Lebanese nationalism, according to his biographer Prof. John Munro. A former professor of English

Jawdat R. Haydar: The Voice From Baalbek

The Worldwide Alumni Association of American University of Beirut (WAAAUB)’s Greater Washington, DC chapter joined up with the International College Alumnis’ Washington, DC chapter for a cultural event commemorating Lebanese poet Jawdat R. Haydar. With the help of the Lebanese Embassy, his granddaughter Dima Osseiran screened a documentary and exhibit entitled “Reflections on Jawdat Haydar’s Poetry Within and Beyond Borders” at her Potomac, MD home on Oct. 16. Carla Jazzar, Lebanon’s chargé d’affaires, welcomed the JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

literature at AUB, Munro’s recently published Jawdat R. Haydar: The Voice From Baalbek is available from Middle East Books and More. Munro writes, “Though strongly patriotic, he followed no political leader and was never an active member of any political party. If pressed, he might admit to being a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, because he was a man of peace.” A unique, a universal man, Haydar believed in the oneness of mankind, and advocated for peace through constructive dialogue. He started college at AUB but transferred to North Texas State University, graduating in 1927. His first published poem, written in his student days, was printed in a newspaper then known as the Dallas News. After graduation, Haydar became the principal of a school in Aley, Lebanon, and later in Nablus, in the West Bank. He spent 25 years working for the Iraq Petroleum Co. as a recruitment executive. After he retired in 1960, Haydar worked in the plastics industry and then went into farming. He also unsuccessfully ran as a candidate for the Lebanese parliament. At the age of 101 Haydar published a collection of his poetry, 101 Selected Poems, also available from Middle East Books and More. Haydar’s poems focus on injustice, war, peace, life, death and man’s interaction with the natural world. He urges mankind to stop polluting nature and destroying the world with wars. Haydar’s plea to Arab politicians and leaders during Lebanon’s civil war could apply to present-day America. Haydar reminds them that the real fear resides not in the “other,” but rather in the division of the nation against itself. —Delinda C. Hanley

“Unheard Voices” Exhibit Captures Refugees’ Suffering

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Jawdat Haydar’s daughter Shahina Osseiran stands near his books in her daughter Dima’s home.

One of the most popular exhibits at the newly open Armenian Arts gallery in Glendale, CA was “Unheard Voices” by Zepure Jerahian. The Armenian-Syrian-American artist was born and grew up in Aleppo, Syria, and moved to the U.S. in 1988.

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dances. Cellphones floated JOIN OUR ACTION upward from every aisle, ALERT E-MAIL LIST as nearly everyone tried to capture and record the Are you missing these exciting beloved music and dances. events? Visit our magazine’s home Palestinian-American page <www.wrmea.org> to join our voters and their friends dis“action alert” e-mail list. Make sure covered that El-Funoun you include (or update) which activwas the perfect antidote for ities you are particularly interested Washington’s post-election in hearing about. You’ll be asked if depression! If young Palesyou live in the DC metro area (DC, tinians can dance through a VA, MD), New York, California, relentless occupation with Michigan, Florida, London or Canada. You can also indicate if you shining eyes, wide smiles want all action alerts, or if you are a and boundless energy, the student or member of the media. By Zepure Jerahian stands beside her painting of Omran Daqneesh. Palestinian diaspora and updating your e-mail information their friends in the United you can help us send more targeted The subjects of Jerahian’s paintings are States can power through another presinews about upcoming events. —Delinda C. Hanley the world’s refugee women and children. dential transition. The exhibit includes 17 paintings, of which 70 percent deal with Syrian refugees. The other subjects are from Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Honduras, Cambodia, Rwanda, Vietnam, World War II Poland and World War I Armenia. All the paintings are acrylic on canvas, in different sizes. Each tells a story of a refugee woman or a child. One painting, “The Symbol of Aleppo’s Suffering,” portrays Omran Daqneesh, who was pulled out of the rubble of a collapsed building on Aug. 17, 2016, following an airstrike. The small boy is coated in gray dust and encrusted blood—his little feet barely extending beyond the ambulance seat. He stares, bewildered, shocked and, above all, weary, as if channeling the mood of Syria. For more information or to visit the El-Funoun Palestinian dancers show DC how to power through politics. exhibit, call (818) 244-2468. —Samir Twair The El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe performed in New Jersey, Chicago and San Francisco in November. From the moment the dancers first stepped onto the Lincoln Theatre stage in Washington, DC on Nov. 13 they electrified the audience with their contagious joy, amazing moves and energy. The audience clapped along, and sometimes had difficulty staying in their seats as the young men and women performed Palestinian contemporary and folklore 66

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

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El-Funoun Tour Brings Hope to DC

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New Year’s Eve celebration. We are thrilled that our exhibiting artists will re-

I proposed the concept of an Arab American festival to the City of Alexandria Office of the Arts in May 2016. The actual organizing took about two months with a dedicated all-volunteer committee. For everyone involved, it was a labor of love. On Dec. 3, about 1,000 people attended the event, including Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States. An arts commissioner who attended commented that you felt “you were being immersed completely into Arab culture.” My intention was to showcase the rich diversity of Arab cultures through music, poetry, art, cuisine and special children’s activities, and to demonstrate that Arab culture is part of American culture and that Arab Americans are integral to our communities and nation. Visitors got a chance to explore the Middle East by browsing through a colorful bazaar full of information from embassies and non-profit organizations, and purchase books, olive oil, embroidery, ceramics and other crafts. They watched artist Lukman Ahmad paint and play the tanbur, and Joe Ayoub and Dr. Abbas Mousavi demonstrate calligraphy. They sampled food from Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan while they listened to poets and musicians. Children—and others—enjoyed crafting Arabesque designs, listening to storytimes, getting their face painted as well as their hands with traditional henna designs. Another visitor grasped the goal of outreach and education when he said, “I think programs like this bring people together and foster greater understanding and, I hope, tolerance and acceptance. I especially valued this Celebration of Culture at this troubling time in our country.” The accompanying American Arabesque Art Exhibition remains on view at the Durant Arts Center in Alexandria through Jan. 10. It is a stunning display of color, mediums and expression by a diverse group of Arab Americans and the artists of the Bright Stars of Bethlehem. Ten thousand people will view the art exhibition as part of First Night Alexandria’s JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

PHOTOS COURTESY AMR FOTOS

American Arabesque: A Celebration of Culture

ceive such well-deserved visibility. —Rosemarie M. Esber

(l-r) Media publicist Najwa Saad, artist lukman Ahmad and organizer rosemarie M. esber.

Dr. Abbas Mousavi demonstrates calligraphy.

left: Art exhibit curator Amr Mounib (l) shows Saudi Ambassador Abdullah Al-Saud around; right: getting ready for the art exhibition. WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

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cally promised not to do on the campaign trail, his administration should pursue a policy of military restraint that focuses on core security interests. According to a recent analysis by experts at the Cato Institute, doing so could save $1 trillion in Pentagon outlays over the next decade, a figure that would take considerable pressure off the deficit while freeing up funds to pay for other urgent national needs. William D. Hartung, New York, NY The writer is director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy.

PRIORITIZE INFRASTRUCTURE OVER MILITARY SPENDING

TRUMP’S BLOATED PENTAGON BUDGET PROPOSAL

To The Washington Post, Nov. 24, 2016 The Nov. 23 news article “Republicans unclear on how to pay for Trump’s agenda” rightly pointed out the contradiction between President-elect Donald Trump’s budget-busting tax and spending plans and the reluctance of many fiscal conservatives to raise questions about them. In addition to trillions of dollars in tax cuts and a $1 trillion infrastructure program, Mr. Trump has proposed a massive military spending binge while the Pentagon’s budget is already at historically high levels—higher than during the peak year of the Reagan administration’s buildup in the 1980s, after adjusting for inflation. Mr. Trump’s Pentagon spending proposals would add scores of combat ships and tens of thousands of troops, even as it doubles down on the Pentagon’s ill-advised plan to spend up to $1 trillion on a new generation of nuclear-armed missiles, bombers and submarines over the next three decades. Rather than cutting Medicare and Social Security, which Mr. Trump unequivo68

To The Frederick News-Post, Nov. 27, 2016 Trump has repeatedly said that the Iraq war should have never happened, that the global war on terror has cost us “$6 trillion,” that it has been counter-productive. Neophyte that he is, Trump has articulated the simple fact that regime change in Syria would only strengthen ISIS. It also would cause a confrontation with Russia. I greatly appreciate that Trump demonstrates some reluctance to instigate such a confrontation. The problem is that Republicans identify themselves as macho tough (literally no matter what). From The Washington Post: “Perhaps the most influential Republican on national security matters, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), weighed in on Trump’s efforts to work with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying any efforts to ‘reset’ relations with Russia are unacceptable …” McCain is rabid. He’s also influential. Trump was the peace candidate compared to Clinton. But in keeping with Republican dogma, Trump’s “being great again” contemplates building up what is by any account an unimaginably bloated military. Bloated means huge excess that has been degrading effectiveness for a long time, and this regards effectiveness in fighting what Trump understands to be counter-productive (self-defeating) wars. So to all you fiscal-minded Republicans who have just gained the White House, why not support financing Trump’s jobproducing (long overdue) rebuilding of our infrastructure by reining in the doom-defying military for a desperately necessary change? Barry Kissin, Frederick, MD

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

HOW A SYRIAN REFUGEE CHANGED ONE FAMILY’S LIFE

To The Oregonian, Dec. 2, 2016 The American people have nothing to fear from Syrian refugees. On the contrary, they can enrich our families and our communities. I should know—my family in Oregon has “adopted” five wonderful Syrians. Three years ago, a 32-year-old math teacher and his extended family fled Syria. They traveled to Turkey, Germany, Denmark—any place where they could find to make a life. They had been living in Aleppo and its outskirts. Let’s call the math teacher from Aleppo “Ali.” Ali arrived in Turkey, where he began the long process of applying to resettle in the United States as a refugee. There were many interviews, medical checks and background checks with United Nations offices and the U.S. government before Ali got the green light. I heard about Ali from my father, who was working for the U.S. government in Turkey, and I volunteered to be his sponsor. I was 25, a graduate student and small business owner in Eugene. Before he arrived, Ali and I had only Skyped briefly. We navigated his new reality together, signing him up for food stamps and getting him a Social Security number and state identification card. Ali spoke very little English then, so we communicated with help from a translator app. It wasn’t easy—some of the translations were hysterical. We toured Oregon together and my extended family welcomed Ali warmly. He became “Cousin Ali” when he attended our annual family reunion, and we passed him the microphone to give us his first “family update.” Ali was terrified but won everyone over with his heartfelt thanks and warm smile. All the while, Ali’s real family was far away and scared about the future. Those in Turkey also applied for refugee status in the U.S., hoping to land in this strange place called Oregon that they were hearing about. They waited each day for any news that their applications were moving. Ali and I began to give talks to various civic groups around town. We told them his story, informed them of the plight of Syrian refugees, and thanked Eugene for its generosity. A few months after he arrived, someone in the community offered him a full-time job using his math skills. He accepted enthusiastically, happy to be productive again. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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Ali, my family and I welcomed Ali’s brother, who we’ll call “Amer,” and his wife and two little boys to a new life in Oregon two months ago. Community members gather regularly for dinner and tea with Ali’s growing Oregon family. They share recipes —Ali’s family are good cooks!—worries, and stories from their diverse pasts. This Halloween, Amer’s two little boys went trick-or-treating for the first time, dressed as Spiderman and Batman. Despite the sadness of a refugee’s story, Eugene is better off today with Ali and his family. If Ali had never fled Aleppo, never persevered through the long vetting process in Turkey—if he had lost hope after losing everything, my family would not have its Cousin Ali. Mr. President-Elect, we should not fear Ali, Amer and the others who must flee Syria to survive. Please, for Ali’s family and our own, keep the doors to America open. Peter Ward, Eugene, OR

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF GREATER U.S. ACTION IN SYRIA

To The Washington Post, Oct. 25, 2016 John Allen and Charles R. Lister outlined a series of steps the United States could take to stop the Assad regime’s war crimes and bring Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to the negotiating table. Most of the options they recommend have been considered in Washington policy circles for years: more advanced weapons to vetted opposition units, targeted strikes against Syrian military facilities and stronger sanctions on the regime’s external partners. Curiously, Mr. Allen and Mr. Lister left out any risks that would be associated with this strategy. They seem to play down the possibility of Moscow escalating the war in response to U.S. military strikes on its Syrian client. While they mentioned possible commingling between Russian and Syrian forces, they ignore the likelihood that Russia would retaliate if some of its personnel were killed in the course of U.S. airstrikes. Mr. Allen and Mr. Lister also did not make a convincing enough case that sending more powerful weapons to moderate opposition forces would improve the situation, particularly when extremists on the ground seem to outnumber moderates. Can the United States be confident that these weapons won’t simply be taken by extremist factions on the battlefield? Their argument should be considered as worthwhile suggestions to right a horrible JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

conflict. But we shouldn’t be blind to the costs either. Daniel R. DePetris, New York, NY The writer is a fellow at Defense Priorities.

A MESSAGE OF LOVE FROM PALESTINE

To the Coloradoan, Nov. 7, 2016 Daoud Nassar’s family has been working their hilltop land for 100 years—fruit trees, vegetables, a vineyard and olive trees. His grandfather officially registered their 100-acre farm during the 19181948 British Mandate, and the family continues to hold registration documents, which the Israeli courts have acknowledged as authentic. Nevertheless, Daoud’s neighbors— represented by a local council of Israeli settlements—have been trying to take his land for many years. They’ve blocked the main road to the farm and shot holes in his water tanks. Fifteen years ago, the council attempted to build a road through his property. Early on the morning of May 19, 2014, in spite of the Israeli court’s instruction not to demolish his orchard, Israeli troops used bulldozers to destroy 1,500 fruit trees. I had just returned from visiting Israel/Palestine to better educate myself on the issues, and had planted trees on the farm. Despite these extremely challenging circumstances, Nassar and his family continue to live and work out of the conviction, “We refuse to be enemies. We refuse to hate.” Nassar says, “We follow Jesus’ way. To overcome evil with good. Fear with love. Darkness with light.” The family has turned their farm into a peace and education center named Tent of Nations (<www.tentofnations.org>). Visitors from all over the world, including some of his settlement neighbors, join together to plant and harvest trees, teach at the Women’s Education Center, lead activities in Youth Summer Camps, and share the goal of pursuing a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians through nonviolent activities. In this contentious political year, Nassar, a Palestinian Christian, offers a message of love, resilience and nonviolence for all of us. Donna Greene, Fort Collins, CO

On Nov. 4 I returned from a cultural tour of Iran organized by Cross-Cultural Journeys and the Shift Network. We spent two weeks learning about the ancient, modern and recent history of the country, its cultural treasures, and its most splendid treasure—the people who live there! Over and over again we encountered Iranians touring the same heritage sites we were visiting, who frequently asked, “Where are you from?” When we answered America or U.S.A., the most common response was, “We are happy to see you. You are welcome here.” Sometimes we were asked to join in family photo shoots, apparently so they could prove to their friends that they encountered real Americans, ordinary Americans who appreciated their country, history and people. Given our government’s history of meddling in Iranian affairs, we felt gratitude that they didn’t blame us as individuals for what our government has done. Given the pre- and post-election rhetoric in the U.S. about Iran, it is really important to know that Iranian citizens want peace. We learned so much about Iranian values. They value their country’s present stability. Most Iranians practice the Shi’i version of Islam, a non-extremist form, and they value tolerance for people of various religions, including Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians. They value their families. They lost so many precious lives to a cruel dictator—the last shah—and to the eightyear war that began in 1980 when Saddam Hussain’s Iraq began dropping bombs on Iran. They do not want to go to war with anyone. Ruth Hoppe, Sonoma, CA ■

REFLECTIONS ON A RECENT TRIP TO IRAN

To The Sonoma Index-Tribune, Nov. 23, 2016

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B •O •O •K •S

Reviewed by Nathaniel Bailey

Syrian Dust: Reporting From The Heart of the War

By Francesca Borri, Seven Stories Press, 2016, paperback, 224 pp. List: $16.95; MEB: $14.

Most of what we know about the war in Syria comes from sources vastly removed from the realities on the ground. Widereaching analyses and news reports are capable of providing us with the general trends of the war such as who the big stakeholders are, when decisive battles are fought, and when violations of human rights occur (although not always correctly attributed). While necessary, these assessments are often large and complicated, leaving one at a loss as to what is happening on the ground, and what it feels like to the real people trying to keep themselves and their families alive every day while often narrowly escaping bombings, missile strikes and sniper fire. As the war has ground on, many news organizations, diplomats and aid groups that were present in Aleppo at one point

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are mostly gone now, leaving those seeking an accurate portrayal of the daily reality of war with few sources of information. Francesca Borri, a seasoned Italian free-lance war correspondent, has been on the front lines of the fight for Aleppo since the summer of 2012. As the war raged on and the death toll grew, most foreigners have left for the comfort and safety of neighboring countries or re-

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turned to their homes, relying on piecedtogether sources to write articles from afar—or even giving up on covering Syria altogether, viewing it as a lost cause no one cares about. Few journalists stayed to continue reporting from inside Syria. Borri was one of them. In Syrian Dust: Reporting from the Heart of the War, Borri pulls together stories from her time living in Syria, highlighting the facts and details of life and battles with vivid and brutal poetry and witness. Borri is capable of pulling even the most seasoned reader of current events in Syria into deep reflection of life and death, while at the same time exposing the global scope of the war and the immense cynicism that has only grown over the years of fighting. Borri succeeds in conveying the small details of life: specific smells, colors, sounds and feelings—senses one tends not to think of at first when witnessing violence, but essential in creating the human account of war that the author presents. Beyond painting vibrant images, Borri shines light on the grim world of freelance media correspondents. She exposes the deception, friendships, multifaceted personalities and other intricasies that have begun to take over the profession, with reporters focusing on their own best interests, sometimes with tactics as ruthless as the battles they are scrabbling to cover. As the war in Syria approaches its sixth year, it is difficult to continue to watch and read about the violence and overwhelming human suffering. In Syrian Dust, Borri injects a poetic breath of life and hope into this dark landscape, letting us know that when one looks deeply, there are still pieces of life to hold onto, and stories that are worth remembering. ■

Nathaniel Bailey is director of Middle East Books and More.

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• EAST • BOOKS • AND • MORE MIDDLE Literature Films Pottery Solidarity Items More *

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WINTER 2017 The Other Air Force by Matt Sienkiewicz, Rutgers University Press, 2016, paperback, 224 pp. List: $27.95; MEB: $22. Over the past decades, Washington has poured millions of dollars into efforts to win the hearts and minds of populations in the Middle East and generate pro-American sentiments. Sienkiewicz gives readers a unique look into television and radio production in Afghanistan and Palestine, including the behind-the-scenes impact of U.S. funding and its political and creative agendas.

Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World by Shelina Janmohamed, I.B.Tauris, 2016, paperback, 256 pp. List: $25; MEB: $20. New generations of young Muslims are embracing an identity mixing both faith and modernity. Janmohamed investigates these growing trends, seeking to understand the mindsets and cultural phenomena driving this critical change, and what it will look like in the future.

War Is a Lie by David Swanson, Just World Books, 2016, paperback, 336 pp. List: $19.95; MEB: $16. Drawing on historical evidence from past wars, War Is a Lie is a thorough refutation of every major argument to justify war. Written in the style of a handbook, it can be used to reflect on history, or as a tool to debunk myths and lies about conflict before and as it happens.

The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey by Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, Just World Books, 2016, hardcover, 352 pp. List: $29.99; MEB: $24. This award-winning cookbook shares with readers the distinct and widely unknown cuisine of Gaza. Interspersed with vivid photos, the recipes in this book have been embraced by such notable cooks and authors as Anthony Bourdain, Claudia Roden and Yotam Ottolenghi.

United States of Jihad: Investigating America’s Homegrown Terrorists by Peter Bergen, Crown Publishing Group, 2016, hardcover, 400 pp. List: $28; MEB: $24. Over the past 15 years, domestic terrorism has been at the forefront of the public consciousness, sparking an increase in policy and rhetoric trying to curtail its spread. Bergen’s book traces different cases of domestic terrorism, studying motives, reactions, and how efforts to track these cases are warping our social and political fabric.

The Death of the Nation and the Future of the Arab Revolution by Vijay Prashad, University of California Press, 2016, paperback, 248 pp. List: $22.95; MEB: $18. Presenting cases from across the Arab world, Prashad offers unique insights into the region’s revolutions. Looking at them from a bird’s-eye view, trends and differences become apparent, giving readers a distinctive look into what is at stake both in the region and in global politics.

Salafi-Jihadism: The History of an Idea by Shiraz Maher, Oxford University Press, 2016, hardcover, 256 pp. List: $29.95; MEB: $26. Contrary to the widespread public imagination regarding global jihadism, few understand what this ideology entails, meaning the need for a nuanced study and explanation has never been greater. Charting historical origins to modern interpretations, Maher provides insights into the ideas that are shaping one of the most significant socioreligious movements of the modern era.

The Time-Travels of the Man Who Sold Pickles and Sweets: A Novel by Khairy Shalaby, American University in Cairo Press, 2016, paperback, 320 pp. List: $17.95; MEB $15. Bouncing through Egypt’s rich and varied past, Shalaby’s novel embraces the intricacies of life in the Middle East. Adventure, danger and mystery are always right around the corner in this witty tale.

The Gülen Movement in Turkey: The Politics of Islam and Modernity by Caroline Tee, I.B. Tauris, 2016, hardcover, 272 pp. List: $29.50; MEB: $25. Tee’s book is a rich and highly readable ethnographical study of the social impacts of Turkey’s Gülen movement. Tracing trends over the past 40 years, it is a timely and scholarly account of the possible trajectory of Turkey as it wrestles with modernity.

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AET’s 2016 Choir of Angels

Following are individuals, organizations, companies and foundations whose help between Jan. 1, 2016 and Nov. 23, 2016 is making possible activities of the tax-exempt AET Library Endowment (federal ID #52-1460362) and the American Educational Trust, publisher of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Some Angels helped us co-sponsor the conference “Israel’s Influence: Good or Bad for America?” or the upcoming “The Israel Lobby.” We are deeply honored by their confidence and profoundly grateful for their generosity.

HUMMERS ($100 or more)

Anonymous, Dearborn Heights, MI Anonymous, Largo, FL Annonymous, Oyster Bay, NY Anonymous, San Diego, CA Anonymous, Somerset, NJ Jeff Abood, Silver Lake, OH Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, Atlanta, GA Shukri Abu-Baker, Beaumont, TX Rizek & Alice Abusharr, Claremont, CA Michael & Jane Adas, Highland Park, NJ Diane Adkin, Camas, WA Frank Afranji, Tigard, OR Dr. M.Y. Ahmed, Waterville, OH Emeel & Elizabeth Ajluni, Farmington Hills, MI Dr. & Mrs. Salah Al-Askari, Leonia, NJ Andrew Allen, Tiburon, CA Amin Almuti, Orinda, CA Arthur Alter, Goleta, CA Hamid & Kim Alwan, Milwaukee, WI Hanaa Al-Wardi, Alhambra, CA Nabil & Judy Amarah, Danbury, CT Edwin Amidon, Charlotte, VT Dr. Ali Antar, Bristol, CT Anace Aossey, Cedar Rapids, IA Robert Ashmore, Mequon, WI Mr. & Mrs. Sultan Aslam, Plainsboro, NJ Zaira Baker, Garland, TX Sami Baraka, Wyandotte, MI Robert E. Barber, Parrish, FL Omar & Carolyn Barrani, Salt Lake City, UT Allen & Jerrie Bartlett, Philadelphia, PA Peter Beck, Accokeek, MD Mohammed & Wendy Bendebba, Baltimore, MD Syed & Rubia Bokhari, Bourbonnais, IL Dr. Andrew Borland, Seattle, WA Kathy Brandt, Laurel, MD Edward Briody, Jackson Heights, NY Lynn & Aletha Carlton, Norwalk, CT Jean K. Cassill, Bellingham, WA William Cavness, Falls Church, VA Ouahib Chalbi, Coon Rapids, MN Patricia Christensen, Poulsbo, WA 72

Joyce Chumbley, Orlando, FL Robert & Joyce Covey, La Cañada, CA Mrs. Walter Cox, Monroe, GA A.L. Cummings, Owings Mills, MD M.O. Dagstani, Redington Beach, FL Khalid Darwish, San Jose, CA Ray Doherty, Houston, TX John L. Doyle, Boston, MA David Dunning, Lake Oswego, OR Bernie Eisenberg, Los Angeles, CA Larry Ekin, Rockville, MD Kassem Elkhalil, Arlington, TX Mansour El-Kikhia, San Antonio, TX Dr. Mohamed Elsamahi, Marion, IL Hassan Eltaher, Ottawa, Canada Albert E. Fairchild, Bethesda, MD Family Practice & Surgery LLC, Eatonton, GA Yusif Farsakh, Arlington, VA Steven Feldman, Winston-Salem, NC Franciscan Monastery of The Holy Land, Washington, DC Joseph & Angela Gauci, Whittier, CA Michael Gillespie, Maxwell, IA Nabil Haddad, North Wales, PA Halal Transactions, Omaha, NE Delinda C. Hanley, Kensington, MD*,*** Susan Haragely, Livonia, MI Walid Harb, Dearborn Heights, MI Robert & Helen Harold, West Salem, WI Brice Harris, Pasadena, CA Angelica Harter, N. Branford, CT Steven Harvey, Manchester, NH Sameer Hassan, Quaker Hill, CT Mr. & Mrs. John Hendrickson, Albuquerque, NM George High, Woodbridge, VA Jonathan Hill, Northfield, MN Dr. & Mrs. Sam Holland, North Eastham, MA Emmett Holman, Fairfax, VA Horace Hone, West Palm Beach, FL Dr. Marwan Hujeij, Cincinnati, OH William C. Hunt, Somerset, WI Zafer & Juhayna Husseini, Dallas, TX Ejaz Hyder, Somerset, NJ George Jabbour, Sterling Hts., MI

WAShINGToN REpoRT oN MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

Rafeeq Jaber, Palos Hills, IL Bilquis Jaweed, West Chester, OH Anthony Jones, Jasper, Canada Mohamad Kamal, North York, Canada Ghazala Kazi, Columbia, MD Charles Kennedy, Newbury, NH Akbar Khan, Princeton, NJ M. Jamil Khan, Bloomfield Hills, MI M. Yousuf Khan, Scottsdale, AZ Fouad Khatib, San Jose, CA Dr. Mohayya Khilfeh, Chicago, IL Eugene Khorey, West Mifflin, PA Tony & Anne Khoury, Sedona, AZ Paul N. Kirk, Baton Rouge, LA Mr. & Mrs. Khalil Kishawi, Chicago, IL Loretta Krause, Little Egg Harbor Twp., NJ Ronald Kunde, Skokie, IL Matt Labadie, Portland, OR Sandra La Framboise, Oakland, CA Dennis Lamb, Fairfax, VA Darryl Landis, Winston-Salem, NC John Lankenau, Tivoli, NY William Lawand, Mount Royal, Canada Fran Lilleness, Seattle, WA Marilyn Sutton Loos, Haverford, PA J. Robert Lunney, Bronxville, NY Anthony Mabarak, Grosse Pointe Park, MI Allen J. MacDonald, Washington, DC Donald MacLay, Springfield, PA Ramy & Cynthia Mahmoud, Skillman, NJ Gabriel Makhlouf, Richmond, VA Dr. Asad Malik, Bloomfield Hills, MI Tahera Mamdani, Fridley, MN Ted Marczak, Toms River, NJ Joseph A. Mark, Carmel, CA Amal Marks, Altadena, CA Rachelle Marshall, Mill Valley, CA Carol Mazzia, Santa Rosa, CA Susan Kay Metcalfe, Beaverton, OR Shirl McArthur, Reston, VA William McAuley, Chicago, IL Gwendolyn McEwen, Bellingham, WA Gerald & Judith Merrill, Oakland, CA Robert Michael, Sun Lakes, AZ Tom Mickelson, Neshkoro, WI Lynn Miller, Amherst, MA Yehia Mishriki, Emmaus, PA

JANuARy/FEBRuARy 2017

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John & Ruth Monson, La Crosse, WI Maury Keith Moore, Seattle, WA Mr. & Mrs. Jan Moreb, Gainesville, FL Joseph Najemy, Worcester, MA Sara Najjar-Wilson, Reston, VA Steve L. Naman, Atlanta, GA Jacob Nammar, San Antonio, TX Doris Norrito, Largo, FL Kamal Obeid, Fremont, CA Nancy Orr, Portland, OR Dr. Bashar Pharoan, Timonium, MD Bill & Kay Plitt, Arlington, VA Jim Plourd, Monterey, CA Philip Portlock, Washington, DC Barry Preisler, Albany, CA Cheryl Quigley, Toms River, NJ Bassam Rammaha, Corona, CA Marjorie Ransom, Washington, DC**** Oostur Raza, Gilroy, CA Edward Reilly, Rocky Point, NY Paul Richards, Salem, OR Neil Richardson, Randolph, VT Rose Foundations/Makdisi-Wheeler

Fund, Berkeley, CA Ambassador Chris Ross, Washington, DC Brynhild Rowberg, Northfield, MN Edward & Alice Saad, Cheshire, CT Bryan Saario, Edmonds, WA Mohammed Sabbagh, Grand Blanc, MI Denis Sabourin, Ste-Adele, Canada Antone L. Sacker, Houston, TX Dr. Ahmed M. Sakkal, Charleston, WV Betty Sams, Washington, DC Babak Sani, Berkeley, CA Lisa Schiltz, Barbar, Bahrain Henry Schubert, Damascus, OR Tariq Shah, Mississauga, Canada Rifqa Shahin, Apple Valley, CA Richard Shaker, Annapolis, MD Thomas Shaker, Poughkeepsie, NY Aziz Shalaby, Vancouver, WA Lewis Shapiro, White Plains, NY Kathy Sheridan, Mill Valley, CA Zac Sidawi, Costa Mesa, CA Teofilo Siman, Miami, FL Donald & Gretel Smith, Garrett, IN

David J. Snider, Bolton, MA Yasser Soliman, Hamilton Township, NJ Eileen Sopanen, Abiquiu, NM William R. Stanley, Lexington, SC Peter & Joyce Starks, Greensboro, NC Abdalla Suleiman, Denver, CO Mushtaq Syed, Santa Clara, CA Doris Taweel, Laurel, MD Anver Tayob, Saint Louis, MO Charles Thomas, La Conner, WA Robert Thomas, Fredericksburg, VA Michael Tomlin, New York, NY Charles & Letitia Ufford, Hanover, NH Unitarian Universalists for Justice, Cambridge, MA Voices for Justice in Palestine, Walnut Creek, CA Tom Veblen, Washington, DC V.R. Vitolins, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI Robin & Nancy Wainwright, Severna Park, MD Sally Wallace, Waverly, VA Hermann Weinlick, Minneapolis, MN

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Thomas C. Welch, Cambridge, MA Jeannie K. Williams, Minneapolis, MN Thomas Wunderlich, Cambridge, MA Darrell & Sue Yeaney, Scotts Valley, CA Raymond Younes, Oxnard, CA Dr. & Mrs. Fathi S. Yousef, Irvine, CA Bernice Youtz, Tacoma, WA John Zacharia, Vienna, VA Mohammed Ziaullah, Montclair, CA Elia K. Zughaib, Alexandria, VA

ACCOMPANISTS ($250 or more)

Aglaia & Mumtaz Ahmed, Buda, TX Robert Akras, North Bay Village, FL Hani & Raja Ali, Athens, Greece Mohamed Alwan, Chestnut Ridge, NY Louise Anderson, Oakland, CA Dr. & Mrs. Roger Bagshaw, Big Sur, CA Elizabeth Barlow, Augusta, MI Joe Chamy, Colleyville, TX Duncan Clark, Rockville, MD Joseph Daruty, Newport Beach, CA Gregory De Sylva, Rhinebeck, NY Mustafa Elayan, Decatur, AL Catherine Fararjeh, Santa Clara, CA Majed Faruki, Albuquerque, NM Dr. Jamil Fayez, Oakton, VA Elisabeth Fitzhugh, Mitchellville, MD Eugene Fitzpatrick, Wheat Ridge, CO William Fuller, Valdosta, GA Ray Gordon, Bel Air, MD Alice H. Hall, Duxbury, MA Dixiane Hallaj, Purcellville, VA Erin K. Hankir, Nepean, Canada Masood Hassan, Calabasas, CA Zaghloul Kadah, Seattle, WA Ms. Nazik Kazimi, Newton, MA Kendall Landis, Wallingford, PA Barbara LeClerq, Overland Park, KS Nidal Mahayni, Richmond, VA Ms. Jean Mayer, Bethesda, MD Tom & Tess McAndrew, Oro Valley, AZ Dr. Charles W. McCutchen, Bethesda, MD Stanley McGinley, The Woodlands, TX Charles Murphy, Upper Falls, MD William & Nancy Nadeau, San Diego, CA Amb. Edward & Ann Peck, Chevy Chase, MD Sam Rahman, Lincoln, CA Sean P. Roach, Washington, DC Noel Sanborn & Virginia Lee, Palo Alto, CA Irmgard Scherer, Fairfax, VA Dr. Abid Shah, Sarasota, FL 74

John Stanford, Santa Fe, NM Mae Stephen, Palo Alto, CA Michel & Cathy Sultan, Eau Claire, WI Eddy Tamura, Moraga, CA Unitarian Universalists For Justice, Cambridge, MA John & Dariel Van Wagoner, McLane, VA James Wall, Elmhurst, IL Mahmoud Zawawi, Amman, Jordan

TENORS & CONTRALTOS ($500 or more)

Anace Aossey, Cedar Rapids, IA Lois Aroian, East Jordan, MI Dr. & Mrs. Issa J. Boullata, Montreal, Canada Mr. & Mrs. John Crawford, Boulder, CO Lois Critchfield, Williamsburg, VA Krista and Andrew Curtiss, Herndon, VA**, *** Richard Curtiss, Boynton Beach, FL Edouard C. Emmet, Paris, France Dr. Jamil Fayez, Oakton, VA Claire Bradley Feder, Atherton, CA Ronald & Mary Forthofer, Longmont, CO Joseph & Angela Gauci, Whittier, CA Wasif Hafeez, W. Bloomfield, MI George Hanna, Santa Ana, CA Sam Holland, North Eastham, MA Brigitte Jaensch, Carmichael, CA Fahd Jajeh, Lake Forest, IL Gloria Keller, Santa Rosa, CA Tony Litwinko, Los Angeles, CA Bill & Jean Mansour, Corvallis, OR Georgianna McGuire, Silver Spring, MD Henry Norr, Berkeley, CA Henry Schubert, Damascus, OR Mr. & Mrs. Yasir Shallal, McLean, VA Yusef & Jennifer Sifri, Wilmington, NC Dr. William Strange, Bandera, TX Texas Cardiac Center, Lubbock, TX Lorie & Wilbur Wood, Vancouver, WA

BARITONES & MEZZO SOPRANOS ($1,000 or more)

Anonymous, Washington, DC Zainab Abbas, London, UK Paula Allen, Naples, FL Michael Ameri, Calabasas, CA A.J. & M.T. Amirana, Las Vegas, NV Asha A. Anand, Bethesda, MD Graf Herman Bender, North Palm Beach, FL Majid Batterjee, Vienna, VA

WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS

Karen Ray Bossmeyer, Louisville, KY Harvie Branscomb, Basalt, CO G. Edward, Jr. & Ruth Brooking, Wilmington, DE Carole Brown, Stamford, CT Rev. Ronald Chochol, St. Louis, MO Tom D'Albani & Dr. Jane Killgore, Bemidji, MN Linda Emmet, Paris, France Dr. & Mrs. Clyde Farris West Linn, OR** Malcolm Fleming, Bloomington, IN Ronald & Mary Forthofer, Longmont, CO Evan & Leman Fotos, Istanbul, Turkey Dr. & Mrs. Hassan Fouda, Berkeley, CA John Gareeb, Atlanta, GA Hind Hamdan, Hagerstown, MD R. Jacob Hikmat, Columbia, MD Salman & Kate Hilmy, Silver Spring, MD Judith Howard, Norwood, MA Mary Ann Hrankowski, Rochester, NY† Muhammad Khan & Fatimunnisa Begum, Jersey City, NJ Damaris Koehler, Mannheim, Germany Dr. and Mrs. George Longstreth, San Diego, CA Jack Love, San Diego, CA John Mahoney, AMEU, New York, NY Mary Norton, Austin, TX Audrey Olson, Saint Paul, MN Mary H. Regier, El Cerrito, CA M.F. Shoukfeh, Lubbock, TX Dr. Imad Tabry, Fort Lauderdale, FL Donn Trautman, Evanston, IL Moon Wang, Georgetown Valet, Washington, DC Dr. Robert Younes, Potomac, MD

CHOIRMASTERS ($5,000 or more)

Patricia Ann Abraham, Charleston, SC Forrest Cioppa, Moraga, CA† Henry Clifford, Essex, CT Donna B. Curtiss, Kensington, MD*, ** Estate of Rafeek Farah, Trenton, MI John & Henrietta Goelet, New York, NY Andrew I. Killgore, Washington, DC Vincent & Louise Larsen, Louvin Foundation, Billings, MT William Lightfoot, Vienna, VA Ahmad Salhut, Englewood Cliffs, NJ *In Memory of Ambassador Clovis Maksoud **In Memory of Richard H. Curtiss ***In Memory of Joe Lill ****In Memory of David Ransom †In Memory of the USS Liberty

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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7KH ÀUVW \HDUV RI OLIH VKDSH D FKLOG·V IXWXUH Last year, ANERA donors renovated 26 preschools and trained 121 teachers in Palestine.

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American Educational Trust Washington Report on Middle East Affairs P.O. Box 53062 Washington, DC 20009

January/February 2017 Vol. XXXVI, No. 1

Syrian residents of the newly retaken eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo walk past a makeshift barricade in the Bab al-Hadid district as they return home under the supervision of Syrian pro-government forces, Dec. 8, 2016. GEORGE OURFALIAN/AFP/Getty Images

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