Jordan's Queen Noor Joins Tributes to Middle East Peace Activist Sheinbaum

by Pat and Samir Twair

Stanley K. Sheinbaum, a friend of kings and presidents, is a former Los Angeles police commissioner, University of California regent and free-lance diplomat. Judging by the written tributes in the program for the Liberty Hill Foundation dinner honoring him April 2, however, he is, above all, a hero to an impressive list of impressive people. As he accepted the foundation's Upton Sinclair Award, Sheinbaum saluted all the activists in the room, stating he wished there was such a thing as "socialized activism" so they all could work full-time at their causes rather than being hampered by jobs to pay bills.

Since 1976, Liberty Hill Foundation has distributed nearly $5 million to more than 1,500 grassroots projects in Los Angeles. These include halting nuclear power plants in the region, launching rent control law, training laid-off workers, assisting the homeless and monitoring police abuse to name a few. Each year, the foundation honors individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to social justice by presenting them with an award in the name of Upton Sinclair, the legendary muckraking journalist and liberal activist. Sheinbaum's predecessors include Harry Belafonte, Edward Asner, Mike Farrell, Oliver Stone, John Singleton and Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson.

In his introduction, Robert Scheer recalled Sheinbaum's lifelong commitment to speak out against injustice whether it was being an effective objector to the U.S. war in Vietnam, rescuing his friend, former Greek Prime Ministrer Andreas Papandreou, when he was imprisoned by that country's military junta, or urging the University of California to disinvest its funds in South African bonds. But, Scheer commented, it has been Sheinbaum's Middle East peace efforts that have won him the greatest number of death threats and even a dead pig thrown onto his driveway by the Jewish Defense League.

Credit goes to Sheinbaum for organizing the team of American Jewish leaders who met in 1988 in Stockholm with Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat. So not only did he pave the road to the peace process, but he is the individual who delivered Arafat's message in May 1993 to President Clinton that he would accept a Gaza-Jericho-first agreement.

And so the Washington Report asked the bearded statesman without portfolio what he thinks of the shattering by Netanyahu's bulldozers and Hamas bombers of the peace process.

"I'm scared ----less," Sheinbaum replied, noting that he had just been on the phone with Arafat's second-in-command, Yasser Abd Rabbo. "The Palestinians have no hope, they are desperate."

Asked why he thought Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu broke ground for a Jewish settlement on the forested hill of Jabal Abu Ghneim in East Jerusalem, Sheinbaum said: "He did it to keep his Likud coalition intact; he must cater to the right-wing religious parties. He talks about a coalition government with Labor, but I doubt it."

As for the right-wing settlers in Hebron who have fired automatic weapons on Palestinians, "why aren't they called terrorists? It is unforgiveable. Why should they be relieved of culpability?"

Asked what he thinks may happen in the Middle East, Sheinbaum was not optimistic. "Something horrible, catastrophic could happen."

When we asked if he had tried to talk to President Bill Clinton, he replied it isn't all that easy to get through to him (we took that to mean getting on the same wavelength, not just the same phone line, because the Clintons have dined in the Bel Air home of Stanley and Betty Sheinbaum).

As the congratulations and tributes were read aloud to Sheinbaum at the award dinner, there was surprise and laughter as a huge stuffed frog was carried onstage and presented to the guest of honor. It was accompanied by a note in which Jordan's Queen Noor wrote that in appreciation of their friendship over the years, she was sending "a frog friend for the prince of Los Angeles."

NAAA Honors Rep. Sanchez

The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Arab Americans is reactivating, and its first project was a March 15 get-acquainted brunch with California Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. The freshman legislator, who defeated Republican Bob Dornan in last November's race for the 46th California congressional district, has become an overnight heroine to women, youth and minorities, so much so that she has received a dozen offers to speak at college and university commencement exercises throughout the U.S.

Carrying out the NAAA tradition, a typical Arabic mezza was prepared in the Santa Ana home of hostess Mary Hanna. NAAA members were amazed when Rep. Sanchez ooohed in delight and began identifying each dish by name: baba ganoush, hummos, ful. That's when the 25 NAAA members learned Rep. Sanchez studied Arabic at Chapman University in Orange and lived in Egypt during the 1979-80 academic year.

"I taught English at a Catholic school in Cairo and studied at the American University in Cairo," she explained. "My Egyptian friends were amazed that I ate every dish they fed me, but then when many of them visited me later in California and I took them to Mexican restaurants, they agreed there are strong similarities between both cuisines."

The daughter of immigrant parents, Rep. Sanchez is the second of seven children and grew up in the city of Anaheim. And, she says, it is a real thrill to be representing her own hometown in Congress. She sits on the Education and Workforce Committee and says she is anxious to preserve Head Start. In 1965 she was a Head Start child, and she firmly believes in the strengths of the national program.

Rep. Sanchez says she hopes to sit on the Commerce Committee because of her background in finance. She holds a master's degree in business administration from the American University in Washington, DC. She hopes by 2002 there will be a balanced budget.

L.A. Protest on Israeli Settlements

Times have changed. Nine years ago, even four years ago, when demonstrations protesting Israeli policies were staged at the Los Angeles Israeli Consulate on Wilshire Boulevard, the cat calls, curses and vulgar hand signs were insulting and frequently threatening. However, on March 29, when some 250 activists gathered at the infamous building to protest Israel's expropriation of Palestinian land at Jabal Abu Ghneim, drivers honked and shouted support. Insulting hand signals were replaced with thumbs up in approval of the signs and placards reading:

"Standing Up to Colonial Power Is Not an Act of Terrorism;"

"U.S. Taxes for Our Cities NOT for Israeli Occupation;" or "Bibi Netanyahu = More Middle East Wars & Israeli Racism."

Most marchers carried small American flags. One huge banner stood out above all others: "Palestinians for Peace."

The Rev. Darrell Meyers, a Presbyterian minister who has traveled to Palestine frequently over the past two decades, addressed the group. He recalled a visit he made in 1995 to Beit Sahour where he met with Jad Isaac, an agronomist and professor at Bethlehem University as well as a Palestinian peace negotiator. Rev. Meyers continued: "Jad told me then, 'if those bulldozers ever start at Jabal Abu Ghneim, I will be the first to put my body before those bulldozers.'"

"Why would he say or do this?" Rev. Meyers asked rhetorically.

"Why are Islamic countries, the entire international community as well as all Christians, except for the right-wing fundamentalists, against this? Because it precludes Oslo. This assault on Abu Ghneim renders null and void any final decision on Jerusalem. It will completely encircle Jerusalem with Jewish enclaves. Lastly, those bulldozers will decimate the remaining forestland in the areait presents an environmental challenge, a disaster. How can you negotiate between two sides that don't have equal power? All the Palestinians have is moral power. Clinton should remember that power built on military might only lasts for a while."

Broadcasting personality Casey Kasem told the assembled demonstrators: "I speak for those Jewish Americans, Arab Americans, Israelis and Palestinians who believe that peace with security and justice will prevail in the Middle East when its leaders realize it is wrong to break international laws, wrong to ignore United Nations resolutions and wrong to commit acts of terrorism no matter who does it."

Speaking out to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Kasem concluded: "Living by the Golden Rule is not a sacrifice; doing unto others as you would have done unto you is an investment in peace with real security."

New ADC President in L.A.

Fouad Barakat has been elected president of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Rejuvenation is the key word he has chosen for his presidency.

"I want the board members to communicate with the general members," Barakat told the Washington Report. "This communication has been lacking in the past years. Our board will be open, available and accessible to all the community."

A graduate of California State University at Los Angeles, Barakat also holds a master's degree in engineering from California State University, Long Beach. He served on the Los Angeles ADC board from 1991 to 1993 and on the Orange County ADC board from 1993 to 1994. He also was vice president of the American Druze Society from 1995 to 1996 and served as its secretary from 1993 to 1995.

NAAA Hosts Rep. James Rogan

Following up with another of its congressional brunches, the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of NAAA honored Republican freshman Congressman James E. Rogan on March 29 in the Glendale home of Dr. Nabil and Raghida Khoury. More than 20 community leaders were on hand to congratulate the new solon for his victory in the 27th Congressional District representing Burbank, Pasadena, Glendale, San Marino, Sunland, Tujunga, La Crescenta, La Ca–ada and Altadenahome to a high concentration of Arab Americans.

The assembled group was impressed by Rep. Rogan's credentials. At age 39, he already has been a deputy district attorney prosecuting in the special "Hardcore Gang Murder Unit"; served on the bench of the Glendale Municipal Court (thus becoming the youngest sitting judge in California); and served as a member of the California State Assembly from 1994 to 1996.

The busy congressman was too heavily scheduled to partake of the elaborate Arabic buffet the hostess had prepared, chiefly special dishes from her hometown of Nazareth, but he did discuss issues with his Arab-American constituents.

His experience as a judge may be the reason he was named "Number One in Integrity" in the California Assembly by the California Journal Magazine in its January 1996 issue. A willingness to hear both sides of any issue was reflected in his comment, "We come in with preconceived opinionsthe trick is to listen impartially."

Rep. Rogan is a member of the House Commerce Committee; the subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection; and the subcommittee on Energy and Power. He holds the leadership position of assistant majority whip.