September 1995, pg. 68

Arab American Activism

By Shawn L. Twing

Kuwaiti Student Sues George Washington University for Discrimination

Hamad Alqahtani, a Kuwaiti student attending Northern Virginia Community College in Fairfax, VA, has filed a $3 million lawsuit against George Washington University in Washington, DC on charges of discrimination. According to Alqahtani, when he attempted to transfer to GW last year, E. Donald Driver, then director of GW's Office of International Services, told him that he would be admitted if he paid a $10,000 bribe or if he had sex with one of Driver's male colleagues. In response to Alqahtani's bewilderment at the request, Driver allegedly responded that Arabs are known to be "rich and homosexual."

George Washington University has fired Driver for misconduct but it denies any responsibility for his actions. Representing Alqahtani are attorneys Haig Kalbian and Albert Mokhiber, the former president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). Hamzi Moghrabi, the current ADC chair, said: "The ordeal suffered by Mr. Alqahtani is degrading and dehumanizing. Unfortunately, it demonstrates how stereotypes can serve as the basis for discriminatory action."

Lebanese Americans Testify

Spokesmen for the Council of Lebanese American Organizations, an umbrella group for several associations including the American Task Force for Lebanon, expressed their endorsement of Richard Jones, a career diplomat, as the next U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, prior to a July 19 committee hearing on the appointment. Jones has been nominated to replace Mark Hambley, who left Beirut in September because of illness. Daniel Nassif of the Council of Lebanese American Organizations said that "the presence of an American ambassador in Beirut at this stage of the Middle East peace negotiations is a confirmation of Lebanon's independence in the eyes of the Lebanese people and world."

Kraft Withdraws Offensive Ad

Kraft Foods withdrew a television advertisement for Miracle Whip after receiving complaints from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) that its contents were offensive to Arab Americans. The commercial, filmed in Morocco, shows an American tourist being accosted by an Arab man who hands him a jar of Miracle Whip, apparently to distract him, because the American man's female companion is missing after the encounter. Implied in the commercial, according to ADC chair Hamzi Mograhbi, is that Arab men are "devious, cunning and kidnappers of Western women." Kraft first agreed to suspend the ad temporarily to conduct further audience testing including showings to individuals from the Arab-American community, but later decided to withdraw the ad completely. Kraft director of corporate affairs Patricia Shafer said "it was not [Kraft's] intention to offend Arab Americans." ADC Chair Mograhbi responded by saying that "we understand that their intent was not to defame Arab Americans, [but] they should take responsibility for the unintentional insult they inflicted upon our community."

U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce Hosts UAE Ambassador

The Pacific division of the U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce scheduled an Aug. 25 discussion with UAE Ambassador to the United States Mohammad bin Hussein Al Shaali on the future of U.S.-Arab trade. The event was scheduled for the Holiday Inn Square in San Francisco.

Ambassador Al Shaali, chairman of the Economic Committee for the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Washington, DC, planned to describe ways in which U.S. firms in the Western states can take advantage of increasing trade opportunities in the 22 Arab League states.

PAS Reports "Deplorable Conditions" in Occupied Territories

"Israel remains in control of every aspect of Palestinian life," according to eight members of a fact-finding delegation from the Palestine Aid Society (PAS) who returned Aug. 14 from a two-week mission to the occupied territories. Participants, who included Americans and Palestinians from across the United States and Canada, did not bring back good news, according to PAS executive director Taleb Salhab. "It is clear from what the delegates report that...Gaza is a huge prison, with the Israeli army determining who enters and who exits," Salhab said. Among the complaints listed by the fact-finding delegation were the inability of Gaza residents to import or export goods without Israeli permission, severe water shortages, and Israeli settlement policy. Salhab summarized the findings by saying, "The actions of the Israeli government are severely undermining the chances for a just and comprehensive peace in the region."