July 1989, Page 20

Letters to (and from) the Editors

AIPAC Booklet Is Cited!

Dear Editors:

On the same day I read a letter from Jim Ennes, Jr., in the May issue of the Washington Report describing the AIPAC booklet Myths and Facts, I was listening to a discussion and call-in program on C-Span (May 1, 1989). Sure enough, when a caller was very critical of Israel, Ms. Ann Lewis, spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee, used the exact same pro-Israel arguments from the AIPAC booklet as described by Mr. Ennes.

By the way, that caller deserved a lot of credit. I have heard him call in before on C-Span when Brian Lamb is host. On an earlier program, shortly after the Pan Am disaster, many callers were so critical of Israel's role in many American disasters that one of the reporters, Juan Williams of the Washington Post, called it Israel bashing.

Robert Dolan, Pensacola, FL

Israeli Spying on US Government

Dear Editors:

Being aware for a long time about loss of US secrets to Israel that have gotten into the news and particularly the J. Pollard spy episode, I believe that these are only the tip of the iceberg.

What alarmed me most was George Carver's (retired assistant director of the CIA) comment on TV that information travels from the United States to Israel at the speed of light. As an example he said he was reviewing a rough draft of a top secret report, and the Israeli embassy was already calling him to have changes made in the report.

With this information in mind at the San Antonio World Affairs Council meeting in which Admiral Stansfield Rimer (retired CIA director) was the speaker, I had the opportunity to ask him about the Israel fifth column problem. I reminded him of Mr. Carver's TV statement and William Safire's article in Sept. 1987 saying that over 587 pounds of weapons-grade uranium disappeared in 1968 from the Apollo, PA, plant. This occurred after the two Israeli Mossad handlers of J. Pollard visited the plant. Of course it was never recovered, and it seems no one was concerned.

I stated further that Washington was upset about the Libyan chemical plant supposedly built with German support.

With the above information presented, I asked Admiral Rimer how many parts in Israel's atomic bombs, atomic bomb plant and their gas weapons plant will have "Made in USA!' on them—which is against the U.S. laws. Adm. Turner answered "we cannot do anything about those people."

At an earlier World Affairs Council meeting, I had the opportunity to ask Admiral Bobby Inman (retired CIA assistant director) about the same question and his answer was similar to that of Admiral Turner.

Here we have three CIA directors saying the US cannot stop Israelis from stealing US secrets. So it is not surprising that the Pollard defense was that "everyone does it," and therefore surely he did not expect to go to jail.

Herbert R. Greider, Blanco, TX

Don't Just Focus on Israeli-Palestinian Problem

Dear Editors:

I'd appreciate receiving a sample copy of the Translations from the Hebrew Press by Dr. Israel Shahak for reviewing.

I continue to enjoy reading your magazine. The last issue had some articles on Iran which I appreciated. I realize your emphasis is on the Israel/PL.O problem. However, I hope you will continue articles on other aspects of the Middle East so that we readers can become more rounded in our knowledge of the entire area.

I'd also like to see a regular section that would give biographical info about a key Middle Eastern official or a key government official with regard to the Middle East in one of the non-Middle East countries.

Lyle Maynard, Lewiston, ID

Dear Mr. Maynard:

First, thanks for your constructive ideas. We'll do the best with the limited space at our disposal to follow up on all of them.

Where's Your Coverage on Unitarians?

Dear Editors:

I am a Unitarian and during the whole time I have subscribed you have never mentioned "Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East"—Why? Are you in touch with Rev. David Von Strien?

T.B. Caldwell, Mount Pleasant, TX

Dear Mr. Caldwell:

Thanks for the excellent letter from your congressman, Jim Chapman, which we have published in Other People's Mail. By the time you read this, Donna Bourne of our volunteer staff (whose husband is a Unitarian) will have contacted you for the address of Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East.

The Long-Term Results from a Gift Subscription

Dear Editors:

Here's an article from the Boston Globe which may interest you if you're still running such in the Washington Report. A couple of years ago, I sent you one by this same David Nyhan and ordered the magazine to be sent to him. You ran that column.

Nyhan then got himself into the Dukakis campaign. The Boston Globe desperately wanted him to win—it would open the White House to them as the Kennedy years did.

Well, I guess Nyhan has recovered enough to look at other news Thank God!

Since I have been subscribing to the Washington Report, I have entered at least 25 subscriptions in dribs and drabs for journalists, libraries, clergy and professors. I have done this with limited funds, so important did I find your wonderful magazine. I wanted to do my bit to educate others.

Anne Thomas, Brookline, MA

Dear Ms. Thomas:

One of our editors followed David Nyhan (via telephone) as a guest on the Peter Mead radio talk show on May 25. Nyhan's Middle East opinions were forthright and clearly stated, just like his article, which you and others sent us and which is reprinted in this issue's "Other Voices" section. He mentioned to the interviewer that he had never visited the Middle East personally. So take a bow for your donated subscription to him. That's one candle you lit that burns very brightly. Thanks for all 25 of them.

We used to say that with 10,000 people like you this country, could be put back on an evenhanded course. Now, with the moderation being displayed by Palestinians and their Saudi, Egyptian and other mentors, we think 1,000 Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Unitarian Americans working just as you are can do the trick—and all Arabs, Israelis and Americans will benefit.

Challenging B'nai B'rith Through the Courts

Dear Editors:

Your April 1989 issue listing abuses by B'nai B'rith as persecutor provokes a question. When will someone file charges or law suits against those people for the obvious damage they do?

Our system of law depends greatly on precedents. In the cases filed and won by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the suits were against individuals and organizations where violence and damages were promoted. Thus, it seems dear to me that complaining has done nothing to even slow, must less stop, ADL abuses. The better defense would be direct legal actions filed on behalf of the Los Angeles Eight forced unjustly into court and sadly inconvenienced and put to financial difficulty. All of the serious charges based upon ADL complaints against the resident aliens have been dismissed in federal court. Though they might sue the government, the chances of winning would be small. Nor would a suit against the US government dissuade B'nai B'rith from further misuse or abuse of process.

No more "words, words signifying nothing." Pin their ears back in open court!

M.B. Gilbert, Carbon, TX

Nonviolent Civil Disobedience and the Palestinians

Dear Editors:

I think it worthwhile from time to time to send you information which might be helpful to your campaign for justice and peace in the Middle East. The endorsed op-ed article in yesterday's Boston Globe is especially good.

The massive demonstrations now occurring in Beijing reinforce the experience of Gandhi and his followers in India, as well as the US civil rights movement, that large-scale nonviolent civil disobedience cannot be put down permanently by even totalitarian regimes, to say nothing of those somewhat less repressive. I believe the Palestinians should take a leaf out of that book and simply ignore Israeli curfews. If all the people in communities put under curfew simply went about their normal activities, there is no way the Israeli forces could prevent them. All it takes is collective will and calm courage; A few might be beaten, but the people will win.

Louis A. Wiesner, Cambridge, MA

Dear Mr. Wiesner:

Support from retired foreign service officers who know the territory as you do counts double. It assures us we are on the right track. We've reprinted the Boston Globe article in our "Other Voices" section.

Israel's $2 Billion US Aid Request

Dear Editors:

On the May 20, 1989, the Atlanta Journal published an article on page A-21 concerning Israel's request for another $2 billion. The request was included in a letter from Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir delivered to President Bush by Foreign Minister Moshe Arens.

Shamir claims that he wants the $2 billion to rehabilitate Palestinian refugee camps. What brass this terrorist has! He has destroyed hundreds of Palestinian homes during the past year, and now he says he wants us to foot the bill to build Palestinian villages that will be placed on the most undesirable Palestinian land, completely segregated from the additional Israeli "settlers" he is allowing to take over the remainder of Palestinian land. The little creep hasn't spent one red cent of the $6.8 billion we gave him over the past two years to better the living conditions of the Palestinians. Why should Israel be trusted to come through with humanitarian support of the Palestinians in the future?

If the United States and the world want to help the Palestinians, give the money to the United Nations and let them administer the funds through the Palestine Liberation Organization. Israel should not get another dime from the American taxpayers until they allow the Palestinian people to have an independent nation.

Harold J. Earwood, Jr., Marietta, GA

Dear Mr. Earwood:

In recent issues of the Washington Report, our writers have been speculating as to how, when the US is cutting expenditures, the Israelis would try to increase US aid to cover the mounting costs of settlements and troops in the West Bank and Gaza. The first measure was to float bonds, guaranteed by the US government, but offered at higher interest rates than US treasury notes. What a flap that would be when, in a few years, Israel defaults and the US taxpayer has to reimburse US and European friends of Israel for all the bonds upon which they've made a handsome profit in the meantime. But this solicitation of US funds "for the Palestinians," whom the Israelis are turning into indigents by confiscation of agricultural lands, denial of permits to deepen wells, purchase new equipment, or enlarge buildings, is perhaps the most astonishing scheme yet to take Mr. and Mrs. America for still another ride. Thanks for calling it to the attention of our readers.

University Students Utilize WR; Donate Sub & Books to Library

Dear Editors:

We, the Organization of Arab Students and the Palestine Solidarity Committee, Colorado State University (CSU) chapters, have offered the Washington Report to our university library. The library acquisitions department seems to like your journal. They have refused our proposal of a one-year donation subscription to them but would accept a full three-year subscription to the library of CSU (see attached letter).

First, we would like to know if you have available a three-year donation subscription to libraries, and secondly how much it will cost the donor. And thirdly, what is the possibility of having the back issues since 1982, and how much will it cost to have them?

Now let me introduce you to our two groups and their activities. Our purpose, among other scholarly and political goals, is to educate the American public about the reality of the Middle East conflicts, particularly the Arab-Israeli conflict and Palestinian human rights. Although our two groups are considered minorities on the CSU campus, our activities are respected and have a large appeal to the majority of the campus population.

The activities performed in the past two academic years were the invitation of a number of quality speakers on the Middle East. Examples are former Congressmen Pete McClosky and Paul Findley, former New Mexico governor and Jesse Jackson aide Tony Anaya, your guest columnist Jerome Segal, and an eye witness to the Israeli occupation, David Barsamian, news director of Boulder Public Radio. Our next academic year activities include the invitation of Dr. Alfred Lilienthal and Dr. Edward Said of Columbia University, and the commemoration of the victims of Sabra and Shatila refugee camps.

We are also planning to purchase a list of books from you and donate it to the library. Our group did a survey on CSU library materials on the Arab-Israeli conflict and found—not to our surprise—that there are about 50 books authored by either Zionists or Christian Zionists, and only three books representing unbiased authors. Based on that we decided to compensate the deficiency by purchasing about 50 books that you have listed in your journal under AET Book Club Catalog.

Waleed K. Zubari, Fort Collins, CO

Dear Mr. Zubari:

The ordinary library rate is $15 per year but since you are mailing a donation library subscription, we have a grant which reduces the cost to you to $5 per subscription. The short answer to your question, therefore, is that your donation of a three-year subscription to the university library will cost your group only $15. As for back issues of the Washington Report, normal charges would be $2 per issue starting with the first issue of April 1982. Again, since it is a library donation, we will make each year's set of 12 issues available at $12 a year.

If you wish your donation to cover April 1982 through March 1989, the cost will be $84 for the seven years. Note also that some of the books in the AET Book Club catalog are available at a special library donation rate of $2.50 each. Thanks for your inquiries and good luck with all of your endeavors.

Collecting Data on Unfair Media Representation

Dear Editors:

I would like to use your readers to collect information on media misrepresentation on the Middle East and Islamic countries.

The Committee of Fair Representation is a two-year-old media watch group of activists seeking fairness and accuracy in reporting on Arab and Muslim affairs. We are compiling lists of unfair reporting and, where possible, asking for redress. The information we seek is any inaccuracy on TV, radio, or print on the Middle East or Islam. We need references on such inaccuracies including photocopies or tapes if available and date, names and addresses of sources. Please mail or telephone the information to the address below.

Nabil Al-Hadithy, P.O. Box 9892, Berkeley, CA 94709