2 - 8 May 2002
Issue No.584
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 2 - 8 May 2002 Issue No.584 |
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Friends till the end
Pro-Israel supporters came out in full force to attend the 43rd annual Policy Conference of AIPAC. Anayat Durrani reports from Washington
The "special" US-Israel relationship and the war against terrorism was the theme of the three-day American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference last week. A day before the conference, entitled "America and Israel Standing Together Against Terrorism," the largest pro-Palestinian rally in US history took place in Washington. Several hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators also protested outside the conference venue at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
Pro-Israeli US Senator Joe Lieberman applauds Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres at the AIPAC conference last week
(photo: Reuters)
AIPAC's 50,000 members wield considerable influence in Washington. It is the only American organisation whose sole purpose is to lobby the US government into strengthening US-Israeli ties. The New York Times described the AIPAC as "the most important organisation affecting America's relationship with Israel," and Fortune magazine ranked AIPAC among America's top lobbying groups.
The power of the organisation can be seen in its list of attendees. This year at least 13 senior members of the Bush Administration, half of the entire US Senate and about one third of Congress were present. Those invited to speak touched on a number of familiar themes: strong criticism of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, America's war against terror as a justification for Israel's actions against Palestinians and renewed commitment to US-Israeli relations. White House Chief of Staff Andrew H Card Jr, speaking to 3,500 delegates, promised President Bush's unyielding support for the state of Israel. His declaration in Hebrew, "The people of Israel live," received a standing ovation.
"Unshakable" was how Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle described the US commitment to Israel. "As long as I am majority leader of the United States Senate, we will be a friend to Israel in fair weather and in foul," he said. He blamed Arafat for the current violence and claimed that the fighting was Arafat's response to Israel's offer of peace at Camp David.
Republican Tom DeLay declared that while he remains in Congress he would use every means possible "to preserve and strengthen America's alliance with the State of Israel." DeLay and Congressman Tom Lantos of California have recently introduced a resolution strongly supporting Israel's right to self-defense and calling for Arafat and the Arab countries to denounce terrorism.
European criticism of Israel's "legitimate security concerns" was dismissed by US Senator John McCain, who supported Israel's current actions saying, "We will defeat terrorism against America, and we will stand with Israel as she fights the same enemy -- I stand before you today, proudly pro-American and pro-Israel."
Arab states and European allies are well aware of the power of the Israel lobby in Washington and they have repeatedly voiced concerns over America's ability to act as an impartial peace broker.
Speaking at the AIPAC conference, former Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, to roaring applause, "There has never been a greater friend of Israel in the White House than President George W Bush." Bush's leaning towards Israel is often said to date from a trip he took to Israel in late 1998 when he was governor of Texas.
In each government administration, the pro- Israel lobby has worked to ensure a solid US-Israel relationship. The Israeli lobby consists of a number of individuals and organisations, the most prominent being AIPAC and the presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations, an umbrella group representing 54 Jewish organisations. AIPAC spends more than $1.1 million on lobbying each year, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics. In the 2000 elections, it helped raise $6.5 million to support Democrat and Republican candidates.
The AIPAC's literature states that as a result of "over 2,000 meetings with members of Congress," Congress has passed more than 100 pro- Israeli legislations, including the $3 billion of US aid given to Israel yearly; 75 per cent of this is military aid. Israel remains the largest recipient of US foreign aid.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres also spoke at the conference. His speech, equating European criticism of Israel's attack on Jenin refugee camp and its incursions into West Bank towns with a resurgence of anti-Semitism, was given loud applause. "I regret the European reaction... Where in Europe, at the beginning, anti-Semitism was against the individual Jewish person, today I am afraid there is anti-Semitism against the Jewish state," he said.
Speaking via satellite from Jerusalem, Sharon said that he needed the support of American Jews more than ever as Israel carries out its part of the global war on terrorism. Parroting President Bush's speech on America's war on terrorism, he said, "Over the last 19 months, Israel has been engaged in a war against Palestinian terrorism -- a war that was imposed on us. This is a war for our homes and way of life. The very foundations of our freedom are under attack." The speech ended by speaking of peace with Palestine, but he also invited all the Jews of the world to settle in Israel saying, "The doors of Israel are open for any Jew who wants to live here. I invite you to join us. We need you now. My goal of bringing one million Jews in the next decade is within our reach and will be achieved."
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