—Voices from the Sensible Center—

Interpreting the Middle East for North Americans—
Interpreting North America for the Middle East

Current Affairs

2 PLO: Study in Frustration—However the current struggle for power within the PLO turns out, you can expect the organization to adopt a more militant line than it has for years. The way many PLO leaders see it, they tried moderation for nine years and it didn't work—so why not try something else?

3 Israel: The Arms Dealer—It used to be that bananas, oranges and other agricultural products were the mainstay of Israel's exports. But all that is changing, as Israel relies increasingly on its trade in guns and has already earned the distinction of being the seventh largest exporter of arms in the world. Some of these exports have proved embarrassing to the U.S., however.

4 Lobby Activities—Arab Americans nationwide have just finished marking the first anniversary of Israel's invasion of Lebanon by holding numerous demonstrations, vigils, dinners and other activities in memory of the death and devastation suffered there. Meanwhile, the New Jewish Agenda—which supports Israel but has a different vision than most other Jewish groups of how to obtain peace in the Mideast—was recently barred from joining an umbrella organization for over 250 Jewish groups in the Washington area.

Regular Features

2 Editorial—On both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute there are dreams that are not likely ever to become realities. But somehow only the Palestinians are expected to abandon not only the reality but the dream as well.

6 Facts For Your Files—A Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations

7 Book Review—It's always good to find a book that helps fill a void—as is clearly the case with John Devlin's short but well-written Syria: Modern State in an Ancient Land. Its concentration on the Assad period since 1970, about which little has been published. also makes it timely reading.

8 Personality—Of the 535 members of the House and Senate, only five—less than one percent of the total—are Arab Americans. One of them is Congressman Nick J. Rahall, II, who pulls no punches in telling anyone who will listen just what he thinks the U.S. ought to be doing in the Middle East.