October 1991, Page 72

Arab-American Activism

By Catherine M. Willford

Mobilizing Against Loan Guarantees

Arab-American organizations are mobilizing to oppose Israel's request for $10 billion in US government guaranteed loans. The Shamir government has stated that the purpose of the loan guarantees is the "absorption" of Soviet Jewish immigrants.

The Arab American Institute (AAI) sent "$10 Billion for Israel—You Must Be Kidding!!", an Action Program and Resource Guide, to the media and a network of over 9,000 activists. The guide explores the fiscal, moral and political myths used by the Shamir government and its US supporters to promote the loan guarantees. Pointing out that Israel's debts to the US have been converted into outright grants, the guide states, "If Israel defaults, US taxpayers will have to bail out more banks for bad loans." The guide also discusses the relationship between congressional support of aid for Israel and the receipt of millions of dollars from pro-Israel political action committees by members of Congress.

In addition to coordinating exchanges of information by Arab-American associations, Jewish peace groups, and publishing, educational and Middle East activists and organizations to address the issue, the National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA) has sent a brochure, "The Facts Regarding Israel's $10 Billion Loan Guarantee Request, " to its membership, supporters and Congress. In discussing the linkage between the loan guarantees and the peace process, NAAA states, "despite Israel's denials, the State Department has found that as many as 10 percent of recent Soviet immigrants have settled in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem. " NAAA notes further that "there is a clearcut and unmistakable connection between massive Soviet immigration to Israel and the increase of settlement activity."

For further information on loan guarantee issues facing Congress, contact AAI at 918 16th St., NW, Suite 601, Washington, DC 20006 or call (202) 429-9210. Contact NAAA at 2033 M St., NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 200363399 or call (202) 467-4800. Other material available includes a booklet comparing Israeli needs with those of state, county and city governments in the 50 US states (the Budget Priorities Project at $5 including postage) and a collection of articles on the subject from the August September issue of this magazine, described on page 92 of this issue and available at $4 including postage. Both may be purchased from the American Educational Trust, PO Box 53062, Washington, DC 20009 or by calling (212) 939-6050 or, outside the Washington, DC area, 1 (800) 368-5788.

After Boston Censorship Attempts, Palestinian Film Series Rescheduled

"Uprising: Videotapes on the Palestinian Resistance" will be screened Oct. 1927 at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University. Originally assembled by the Artists Space of New York, the series is billed as an "all too rare look into the Palestinian voice and their view of contested areas of the Middle East. " The program will be presented under the joint sponsorship of the Harvard Film Archive and the Middle East Philanthropic Fund.

The film series inspired a controversy in Boston this spring, when Steven Grossman resigned from the board of trustees of the Boston Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) after failing to convince the gallery to add a "political panel discussion" to place the films in an "educational context" and give panel participants a chance to debate the curators of "Uprising."

Grossman, a vice president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAQ), is a fundraiser for the ICA and chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. The New England regional office of the Anti Defamation League suggested that Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz be one of the panel members.

Two days after Grossman's resignation, the ICA announced, without the curators, consent, imposition of the panel on the series. Rather than agree, the Artists Space curators withdrew the eight award winning films, accusing the ICA of "selective censorship" and of failing to honor its pledge that the Palestinian series "would stand on its own."

Jim D'Entremont of the Boston Coalition for Freedom of Expression, a group of artists and arts administrators who supported the ICA during protests against its Robert Mapplethorpe exhibit, stated "I don't think the ICA realizes how offended the artistic community was by all of this. " The Boston chapter of the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC) held a press conference to condemn ICA's actions.

In addressing the ICA controversy, Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman, curator of "Uprising," stated that "they don't want Palestinians to stand on their own and present themselves culturally. We are not a problem. We are not a question. We are not numbers. We have a culture of our own and can have an aesthetic discussion."

For information on the film series contact the Harvard Film Archive at (617) 495-3254.

ADC Protests New Republic Fundraising Tactics

The American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC) has demanded a retraction and apology for a letter sent to potential subscribers of the New Republic. In the letter, New Republic Editor-in-Chief Martin Peretz describes Arab civilization as "failed" in contrast to Israeli civilization, which he calls a "success."

The letter refers to the suppression of the Kurdish uprising by Saddam Hussain and asks, "If this is what the Arabs do to fellow Muslims, what would they do to the Jews if they had half a chance?"

Responding to the Peretz letter, which he characterized as "a cheap and insulting attempt to secure funds," ADC President Albert Mokhiber stated, "to categorize the many different Arabs who populate the Middle East as `the Arabs' is to engage in the type of rhetoric employed by the American Nazi Party and the Ku Klux Klan when they refer to `the Jews' and `the Blacks.’”

ADC led a protest against The New Republic marketing letter in front of the magazine's Washington, DC office on July 30.

ABPA Awards Dinner

The Arab-American Business and Professional Association (ABPA) will hold its annual awards dinner on November 13 at the McLean Hilton in McLean, VA. This year the event will honor Dr. Ray Irani, chairman and CEO of Occidental Petroleum, and The Bechtel Group, Incorporated. Representative Mary Rose Oakar (DOH) will be the mistress of ceremonies and the honorary chair of the event will be former Oregon Governor Victor Atiyeh. For information contact ABPA at PO Box 700, 746 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22066 or call (703) 759-2225.

Catherine M. Willford is the circulation director of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.