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Jewish World Review Sept. 11, 1998 / 20 Elul, 5758
Jonathan S. Tobin
Those who are wondering what Arab-Americans are thinking about this election
can do no better than read the latest issue of the Washington Report on
Middle East Affairs. The Washington Report is a glossy monthly which has reliably
put forward the opinions of Washington's Arabist lobby for years. It is
connected with the more moderate as well as the more radical (pro-Hamas) Arab-American
organizations.
In the September issue of Washington Report, the magazine published a "Hall
of Fame and Shame," by former Foreign Service officer Shirl McArthur, which
rated the current record of all members of the Senate and House on the
Arab-Israeli dispute, grading each member of Congress on ten issues.
McArthur characterized her rating system by saying that each black mark
against a member was "an action against U.S. and for Israeli interests in
the Middle East." Floor votes were not included because McArthur feels that
sponsorship of "certain anti-Arab resolutions seem to be a better gauge of a
member's true intent."
Those ten indicator issues say a lot about "moderate" Arab opinion as
represented by this magazine. For example, one of the key issues indicating
whether a member was pro-Arab or not was whether they "co-sponsored the
march 1998 resolution calling for an international tribunal to try Saddam Hussein
for crimes against humanity" and urging the administration to take steps to
assure that Saddam is "brought to justice." In other words, in their view,
to be against the butcher of Baghdad is to be anti-Arab!
Other potential black marks against members were support of sanctions
against Iran and Libya, support for the unity of Jerusalem, as well as condemnations
of terrorism and Palestinian non-compliance with the Oslo accords.
Interestingly, the letter circulated by Rep. Sam Gejdenson (D-CT) which
tacitedly supported Administration pressure on Israel, also counted as a bad
deed in the eyes of the Arab lobby because of it supported the concept of
Israeli security.
Whatever one might think of these indicators (pro-Israel groups would grade
members differently and on very different issues), it is interesting to see
who Israel's enemies like and dislike. It is also interesting to note that
Arab heros and villains were spread evenly among both Democrats and
Republicans.
How did the other Jews in the Senate do? California Democrats Barbara Boxer
and Dianne Feinstein each scored only two black marks, as did Carl Levin (D-
Michigan) and Paul Wellstone (D-MN). Wisconsin Democrats Herb Kohl and
Russell Feingold each got three black marks. Oregon's Ron Wyden (D) got four while
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) each earned five.
The heros of the Arab lobby in the Senate were Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Dale
Bumpers (D-AK), Robert Byrd (D-WVA), John Chafee (R-RI), Jim Jeffords (R-VT)
and Pat Leahy (D-VT), each with a perfect anti-Israel record.
Among the pro-Arab heros in the House with perfect records are some familiar
anti-Israel faces such as House Minority Whip Rep. David Bonior (D-MI) and
Rep. Sonny Callahan (R-AL).
Ernest Istook (R-OK) has earned the animosity of most Jewish groups because
of his "Religious Freedom Act" which promotes school prayer but he is
apparently more popular with the Arab lobby as demonstrated by his perfect pro-Arab
record.
Two sons of famous anti-Israel fathers also made the Arab heros list: Jesse
Jackson Jr. (D-IL) and John Sununu (R-NH).
Other members of note who made the Arab heros list were: Rep. John Conyers
(D-MI), John Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Jay Kim (R-CA), Dennis
Kucinich (D-OH), Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Cynthia McKinney
(D-GA), Patsy Minky (D-HI), Ron Paul (R-TX), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Bud
Shuster (R-PA) and Maxine Waters (D-CA).
One surprise (at least for this reporter) was the presence of retiring House
member Joseph Kennedy (D-MA). The Kennedys have alwasy been good at rallying
Jewish support but apparently not this one.
Chief House Zionist villains are Michael Forbes (R-NY) and Jerry Weller
(R-IL) with 8 black marks each. While J.C. Watts (R-OK) who is the House's only
black Republican, Jim Gibbons (R-NV) and former track and field athlete Jim Ryun
(R-KA) had seven each.
Jewish members Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Ben Gilman (R-NY), and Jon Fox (R-PA)
were among those with six.
Other Jews in the House also scored poorly in the pro-Arab ratings: Tom
Lantos (D-CA), Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) had five. Howard Berman
(D-CA), Jane Harman (D-CA), Peter Deutsch (D-FL), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Bob
Filner (D-CA), Democratic House Campaign Chair Martin Frost (D-TX, Nita
Lowey (D-NY) and senior Jewish House member Sidney Yates (D-IL) all had four.
Charles Schumer (D-NY), Steve Rothman (D-NJ), Norman Sisisky (D-VA), Henry
Waxman (D-CA), Robert Wexler (D-FL) had three.
Some Jews did pretty well in the pro-Arab ratings. Liberal Jewish stalwarts
Barney Frank (D-MA) and Sam Gejdenson had two. While Ben Cardin (D-MA) and
Sander Levin (D-MI) each had only one. Cardin escaped the pro-Arab heros
list by participating in the Congressional delegation to Isrel's 50th anniversary
celebration. Levin evaded a similar dubious honor by co-sponsoring the
Congressional resolution on the reuinification of Jerusalem.
How did the leadership of both Houses do? Most were in the middle of the
pack.
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (D-MI) had four black marks while Minority
Leader Tom Daschle (D-ND) had three. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) who
has a reputation as being fervently pro-Israel scored only three black marks
for the Arabs while House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO) did slightly
better with four.
One bright spot for supporters of Israel was House Majority Whip Tom DeLay
(R-TX) who scored five black marks. DeLay who is a favorite to succeed Gingrich
at some point in the future was the only member of either party's top
leadership to be dubbed a "bad guy" by the Washington
Politics ‘98: By their enemies shall ye know them
LIKE IT OR NOT, the election season is upon us. Though there is little
excitement, either locally or nationally, about the races for the U.S.
Congress, it is still important for friends of Israel to keep track of
things on the Hill.
The Arab Hall of Fame and Shame
American Jews and other friends of the Jewish state are perpetually fretting
that turnover and media bashing will cause Congress to abandon Israel. It
hasn't happened yet, as pro-Israel sentiment continues to be strong. Indeed,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has successfully used
Congressional backing for Israel to counter Clinton Administration pressure.
Another concern has been the rising power of the Arab-American community.
Nowadays, Muslims are easily as numerous as Jews in the U.S. and are using
their clout to try and change the balance of power in Congress.
Al D'Amato, Zionist villain
Who is the biggest Zionist in the U.S. Senate according to the Arab lobby?
With ten Jews there, you would think it would have to be one of them. But if
you thought that, you'd be wrong. The number one Zionist is Sen. Al D'Amato
of New York, who scored eight out of a possible ten black marks against Arab
interests. Number two is the Senate's only Orthodox Jew, Connecticut's Joe
Lieberman who scored seven.
JWR contributor Jonathan S. Tobin is executive editor of the Connecticut Jewish Ledger. He was
the recipient of the American Jewish Press Association highest award: First
Place in The Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary and Editorial
Writing. The Rapoport award is named for the longtime editor of the
Jerusalem Post and was given to Mr. Tobin at the AJPA's 1997 Simon Rockower Awards dinner
at Cleveland on June 18, 1998.
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