Focus on Arabs and Islam

EAFORD Presents Awards to Five

The International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racism (EAFORD) presented awards to five distinguished authors for their contributions to a better understanding of the Palestine problem at a Washington, DC dinner marking the inauguration of the organization's new quarterly review, Without Prejudice. Awards went to W. Thomas Mallison, and Sally V. Mallison, authors of The Palestine Problem in International Law and World Order, Rabbi Elmer Berger, founder of American Jewish Alternatives to Zionism (AJAZ); Naseer Aruri, editor of Occupation: Israel Over Palestine, and Cheryl Rubenberg, author of Israel and the American National Interest.

EAFORD's new journal, Without Prejudice, is edited by Joseph Schechla, who has previously worked with the Institute of Palestine Studies and the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Annual Subscriptions at $15 for institutions, $10 for individuals, and $7.50 for students in the US may be obtained from EAFORD (USA), 2025 Eye St. N.W., Suite 1020, Washington DC 20006.

NAAA Assisting Task Force for Lebanon

The National Association of Arab Americans has provided office space to a 75-member American Task Force for Lebanon formed this summer by prominent Americans, many of them with ethnic roots in Lebanon's various sectarian communities. The committee is helping the communities in Lebanon restore constructive political dialogue as well as working to involve US government agencies in supporting relief efforts in Lebanon.

ADC Turns Off Misleading CBS Film

The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has called upon its members to register their feelings with local stations about a planned CBS drama depicting a fictional Palestinian terrorist brought to trial in the United States. CBS, which had planned to air the film in November, has now postponed it tentatively until January. In a stiff letter to CBS, ADC press relations director Faris Bouhafa wrote:

"Not surprisingly, defendant Salim Ajami's hatred for America is never once expressed in the context of our country's blind support of Israel. In fact, Israeli policies are hardly ever mentioned in the script." Bouhafa said ADC was "astounded" that Alan Dershowitz, "an avowed and outspoken defender of Israel, was hired to develop a 'credible' defense strategy" for the accused Palestinian.

"Hiring Mr. Dershowitz as a defense strategist for a Palestinian ensured that the American viewing public would be spared any suspicion that Israeli state-sponsored terrorism might be a contributing factor to terrorist attacks against Americans," Bouhafa wrote. "Instead, we are expected to believe that American policies in Central America and the war in Vietnam triggered Ajami's violent activity."

ADC suggested to Kim LeMasters, president of CBS Television Entertainment, that if CBS shows the film, it be followed by a one-hour televised debate on "How Hollywood Deals with Things Arab."

Artists of Baghdad Profiled

A profusely-illustrated article on "the Artists of Baghdad" by Mary King, author of the highly-acclaimed book Freedom Song, appears in the current issue of Oil Progress, a quarterly pictorial magazine. Complimentary copies of the issue may be obtained from the Public Affairs Department, Caltex Petroleum Corporation, P.O. Box 619500, Dallas TX 75261-9500.

Breakfast Meeting with New York Times Correspondent

Legacy International, which works in the field of conflict resolution, is sponsoring a breakfast meeting with Thomas Friedman, New York Times bureau chief in Jerusalem, at 8 a.m. Dec. 15 in Washington, DC. For more information contact Mohammad Darawshe or Milissa Vanasky at 111 South Patrick Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 or telephone (703) 549 3630.