California Republicans Reject AIPAC Attempt to Dominate Convention

By Pat McDonnell Twair

Washington, DC wasn't the only place where the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) overextended itself in September. Israel's US lobby for years has nurtured the image of an unbeatable, unstoppable force. Repeatedly it brings up electoral defeats of Republican Senators Charles Percy and Roger Jepsen, and Republican Representatives Paul N. "Pete" McCloskey and Paul Findley, against whom it mobilized formidable amounts of legal, and sometimes illegal, campaign contributions because they had dared to criticize Israel.

Nonetheless, on Sept. 16, AIPAC suffered a defeat at the hands of Californian political activists who are becoming more aware than ever before of its heavy-handed tactics.

AIPAC Pulls Out the Stops

At the California Republican Party's state convention in Anaheim Sept. 14 to 16, AIPAC pulled out all the stops to defeat three resolutions: 22, 27, and 37A. Letters were mailed on AIPAC stationery to the Resolutions Committee claiming all three resolutions were introduced by groups who "publicly espoused the ideology, programs and actions inspired by Yasser Arafat—who applauded the PLO embrace with Saddam Hussain against the United States."

In actuality, Res. 22, proposed by Orange County developer Mounzer Chaarani, was a commendation of President George Bush for his position on Middle East peace.

Res. 27, introduced by President Norman Tanber of the Orange County Arab American Republican Club, backed President Bush's decision to withhold $10 billion in loan guarantees to Israel until it sits at a peace table.

Res. 37A, the brainchild of Syet Rifad Mahmood, a non-Arab American Muslim, called for a national affirmation of the basic right of all people to self-determination.

AIPAC Regional Director Murray Wood called on far-right Rep. Robert K. Dornan and conservative commentator Bruce Herschensohn to help defeat the resolutions. Herschensohn was well known for his pro-Israel commentaries on KABC-TV until he resigned to join the Republican primary election competition for retiring Alan Cranston's US Senate seat.

Wood brought in AIPAC supporters to the convention sporting green and white buttons proclaiming they were "Republican Jews for Israel. " Competing red, white and blue buttons handed out by Orange County Arab-American Republicans stated: "Arab-American Republicans for America."

When the Resolutions Committee convened Sept. 16, Herschensohn lectured on the dangers of self-determination and Resolution 37A was tabled (killed).

“It was the first time we had a face-to-face confrontation with AIPAC.”

Rep. William Dannemeyer spoke eloquently on the necessity of supporting President Bush's delay of the $10 billion loan guarantees to Israel until after peace talks begin. Then, however, Dornan sought to seize Res. 27 for AIPAC, stating that since few people in the room had been to the Middle East as he had, the issue of the $10 billion loan was too complex for California Republicans to question. That resolution also was tabled.

As for Res. 22, AIPAC insisted that it be amended by adding the sentence, "We oppose the creation of an independent Palestinian state."

Although AIPAC had succeeded in killing two resolutions, Orange County Arab-American Republicans decided to foil the Israeli lobby by defeating the amended Res. 22.

So while AIPAC lobbyists whispered into their walkie-talkies on the periphery of the delegates' floor, State Assemblyman Gil Ferguson urged that Res. 22 be put into perpetual postponement (killed).

When it came time to vote, AIPAC supporters held up large cardboard signs reading NO (to the postponement). Tanber said many Republican delegates were visibly disturbed, commenting that they didn't like to be treated like trained seals by a bunch of outsiders.

Initially a voice vote was called, but so many of the AIPAC non-delegates added their voices to the nays that a standing vote was ordered. Between 60 and 65 percent of the convention delegates voted for postponement.

"It was the first time we had a face-to-face confrontation with AIPAC, " Tanber reported. "They spent a lot of money, brought in their big guns and imported a lot of outsiders, but we showed them what we can do."

Later, Wood reportedly approached Assemblyman Ferguson and angrily threatened that AIPAC has a long memory and "you're going to pay for what you did. " The public threat was the chief topic of conversation among delegates during the closing hours of the convention.

A highlight of the event was a program entitled "Americans by Choice." Here, foreign-born Republicans performed dances, songs and martial arts of 13 nations. It was at this event that Arab-American Omar Turbi handed Rep. Dornan a button reading: "Republicans for a Two-State Solution."

Turbi says Doman studied the button, looked at him and then said, "Okay, let's talk about Gaza."

Pat McDonnell Twair is a free-lance writer based in Los Angeles.