Washington Report, September 6, 1982, Page 5

Lobby Activities

For Arabs:

David Sadd, Executive Director of the National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA), gave The Washington Report an upbeat assessment of his organization's first meeting with Vice President George Bush in late August. "We were pleased by the extent of good questioning," said Mr. Sadd. "He seemed genuinely interested in us and our views." Also present at the 45 minute meeting were two of Mr. Bush's close advisors as well as Nicholas Veliotes, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, and Geoffrey Kemp of the National Security Council staff.

Mr. Sadd and four other NAAA representatives urged the Administration to re-direct to Lebanon some of the military assistance funds earmarked for Israel. They said the money should go toward reconstruction. They also gave support to the President's efforts to obtain the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, but expressed their concern that Israel may be intending to keep its forces there for a long period of time.

At the grass roots level, NAAA urged its members and supporters to meet with their Congressmen during the Congressional recess in late August and early September, when many would be campaigning in their home districts.

For Israel:

With the invasion of Lebanon now three months old, American Jewish organizations are still working hard to dispel the misgivings of Americans, especially Jewish Americans, over the Israeli venture.

In late August, they received some help from visiting Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, who told several large audiences of Jewish Americans that the way towards peace had just been opened by Israel's "expulsion" of the PLO from Beirut.

On August 29, while Mr. Sharon was in town, four American Jewish organizations—the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Washington, the Jewish Community Council, the American Jewish Congress and the American Jewish Comittee—sponsored a rally in the Capital which included speeches attempting to justify the war and testimonials by Israel sympathizers who had returned from "fact-finding" tours of southern Lebanon.

A national organization of American Jews with a different vision of achieving peace has launched a campaign in support of a statement calling for mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestinians. The group—the New Jewish Agenda—is seeking signatures on a statement issued in July by three prominent Jewish leaders, including Philip Klutznick, a former U.S. Secretary of Commerce. According to Ken Giles, who is heading the drive in Washington, the names—which he hopes will eventually number several thousand will be given to President Reagan and Prime Minister Begin.