Focus on Arabs and Islam

By Catherine M. Willford

ADC Issues Invitation to Arafat

PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat was invited to address the Arab-American community at the annual convention of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in April. Arafat announced that he would accept the invitation only if he was invited to meet with US government officials while in Washington.

ADC Annual Convention

The ADC 1989 National Convention will be held April 13-16 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA. Confirmed speakers to date include Washington Post Jerusalem correspondent Glenn Frankel, PLO representative Ibrahim Souss, and Bir Zeit University's Hanan Mikhail-Ashrawi, now widely known in the US from her appearance on ABC's "Nighdine." It was announced last week in the Jerusalem Post that Faisal Husseini, recently freed after six months in administrative detention, hopes to accept ADC's invitation to speak at the conference. Scheduled panel topics include "Lebanon: At the Crossroads," "Voices of the Intifadah," "images of Arabs in American Popular Culture," and a panel of members from ADC's highly successful "Eyewitness Israel" programs. For information, write ADC at 4201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20008, or call (202) 244-2990.

Muslims Included In National Day of Prayers

For the first time a delegation of American Muslims attended the National Day of Prayers service on Jan. 22 in Washington's National Cathedral. The prayer service was the final official event of President George Bush's Inauguration. The Muslim delegation's participation was arranged by the National Council on Islamic Affairs. Delegation members included Council Secretary-General Dr. Mohammad T. Mehdi, Dr. Mahmoud Thamer, Dr. Yaseen Tomhe, Dr. Sahib Hashim, and Al-Hah Mumtaz Hussain. Noting that "Islam is the second-largest religion in America with 8 million American Muslims," Dr. Mehdi said he hopes that at the next inauguration there will be a Muslim imam joining with Jewish and Christian clergy in leading the prayers.

AAI Sets Agenda: Back to the Basics

At a recent press briefing Executive Director Jim Zogby cited the success of the Arab American Institute (AAI) in involving hundreds of Arab Americans in the political process at local, state, and national levels during the 1988 campaign. He stated that AAI will "develop, deepen, and institutionalize what we have begun" by focusing on grassroots citizen initiatives such as support mechanisms for campaigns, bipartisan electoral involvement, and voter registration.

AAI is planning to build "the most extensive list of registered voters on a precinct-by-precinct level that is humanly possible," Zogby said. "You do not win victories because your cause is just, but because you know how to use political power. The most effective way to lobby congressmen is to increase voter registration."

In February, AAI launched a National Arab American Leadership Council (NAALC) at its conference Back to Basic Politics: Arab Americans Winning in the '90s." The NAALC includes elected and other public officials, officers of Democratic and Republican clubs, and bipartisan caucuses and organization representatives from the Arab-American community. In 1989 the NAALC will be focusing on key mayoral races in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Dearborn, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and New York.

NAAA Runs National Ad

The National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA) published an advertisement comparing positions of the Israeli government, the PLO, and the US government on specific issues in 10 publications in late January, including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune. A spokesman said NAAA's Washington offices were swamped with phone calls and letters in support of the ad.

ADC Campaigns Against B'nai B'rlth Fund-Raising Letter

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has announced a national campaign protesting a "morally bankrupt" fund-raising letter recently circulated by B'nai B'rith International, the world's largest Jewish organization. The letter, which solicited funds for B'nai B'rith Hillel foundations, used statements such as "The Arab presence on the college campus is poisoning the minds of our young people," and "Arab money is pouring into college campuses all over the United States." The fundraising appeal pledged B'nai B'rith's devotion to combating "...the cults, the anti-Semitism, the Arab influence, and the dissolution of Jewish tradition and culture."

After ADC officials learned of the letter they attempted to contact the letter's signatory, Seymour Reich. Reich is president of B'nai B'rith International and, as the newly designated president of the Conference of Major Jewish Organizations, he holds perhaps the most prominent political position in the American-Jewish community. Neither Reich nor representatives of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith would meet with ADC.

In a Feb. 9 press release, however, B'nai B'rith stated that it had "publicly admitted that it was in error in using a phrase that may be considered offensive," and would "send out a letter of retraction and clarification to all those who received the first letter."

ADC President Abdeen Jabara said that an acceptable retraction letter, signed by Reich, would "state that the first letter did not reflect the sentiments of B'nai B'rith, that views critical of Israel cannot be equated with anti-Semitism, and declare that it is not B'nai B'rith's intention to cut off legitimate political debate on college campuses."

ADC has asked the Internal Revenue Service to initiate an immediate investigation into possible violations of IRS regulations by the B'nai B'rith Foundation. Abdeen Jabara stated, "Appeals to ethnic hatred are completely contrary to the letter and spirit of the laws pertaining to tax-exempt status." ADC accused B'nai B'rith International and Seymour Reich of resorting to "hate literature to secure their financial goals," and called for an investigation into the possible violation of federal postal laws, since the B'nai B'rith is accorded special non-profit postal rates.

ADC will not tolerate "any attempt to raise funds by pandering to and fanning the flames of anti-Arab racism in America," Jabara said. " Efforts to tar legitimate political views and criticisms of Israel with the brush of anti-semitism are simply reprehensible and we will fight them at every turn. "

In its Feb. 9 statement, B'nai B'rith International accused ADC of being apparently anxious to keep the matter alive and festering."

Catherine Willford, the circulation director for the Washington Report on East Affairs, is a free-lance journalist.