Washington Report, February 21, 1983, Page 4

Lobby Activities

For Arabs:

After six months of effort, the "Save Lebanon" committee of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has succeeded in bringing 14 Lebanese and Palestinian children and young adults to the U.S. for medical treatment which ADC officials say is not available in Lebanon at the present time. All but one of them were injured during the 1982 war.

They arrived in New York in mid-February and were flown to the Mansour Medical Center in Pittsburgh, where they were examined and assigned to specialists. These first arrivals, who range in age from 3 to 24, are expected to stay in the U.S. from three to six months. Another group of 35 wounded is expected to arrive soon.

At the National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA), officials expressed disappointment over the findings of the commission which investigated Israeli involvement in the Beirut massacre. Spokesman Ronald Cathell said the judicial panel should have concluded that the government was "directly" not just "indirectly" responsible, and deplored the reshuffle that allowed Sharon to remain in the cabinet.

For Israel:

A broad range of American Jewish organizations proclaimed that the report issued by Israel's inquiry commission on the Beirut massacre and its acceptance by the Begin government were a testimony to the strength of democracy in Israel but have had little to say about the shuffle which left Sharon in the cabinet.

Julius Berman, Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, called the report "a striking example of Israel's democracy at work." Henry Siegman, Executive Director of the American Jewish Congress, described it as "an extraordinary manifestation of the vitality of Israel's democracy," while adding that its acceptance by the Begin government was "far more significant." The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has had no major statement to make on the matter.

Meanwhile, Mustafa Dudein, Chairman of the Federated Palestinian Leagues on the West Bank, and two other leaders of what previously were, called the "Village Leagues," met with various Congressmen during a recent visit to Washington sponsored by Congressman James Scheuer (D-N.Y.). The Israeli government provides members of the Leagues—who are widely regarded by other West Bank Palestinians as "quislings"—with political, financial and military assistance in an attempt to increase their numbers and legitimacy to the point where Israel can argue that League members should represent the Palestinians in any possible autonomy talks. At a press conference on Capitol Hill Congressman Scheuer said that Mr. Dudein had met privately with Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East and Clarence Long (D-Md.), Chairman of the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and that he had attended a small Congressional reception.