AIPAC draws battle lines

Struggle for Israel exists in various settings

BARRY COHEN
Editor

Many battle lines in defense of Israel exist, ranging from the Red Sea to the halls of Congress, from college campuses to local newspapers, American Israel Public Affairs Committee supporters were told at the local AIPAC annual event.

The event began with Rear Admiral Eli Marum, chief of staff of the Israeli navy, describing a literal battle line - how the Israeli navy intercepted the ship Karine A to prevent it from smuggling weapons to the Palestinians in January 2002.

He told the approximately 600 people in attendance at the Arizona Biltmore April 27 how in the battle between the Palestinians and the Israelis, security must come first to ensure that peace remains a possibility.

While a literal "front line," as described by Marum, exists in Israel, there are other symbolic battle lines, said Jeff Colman, AIPAC deputy legislative director.

"The work that we do in Washington is the second front line in many respects and is no less important for Israel's security than what the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) does," he said.

Local AIPAC supporters can join this front line by encouraging elected officials to support legislation and efforts that protect Israel, said Colman.

One piece of legislation is the Syria Accountability Act - released in the U.S. House of Representatives two weeks ago and soon to be released in the U.S. Senate. While Syria is on a list of nations that support terrorist groups, "it is not subject to the same sanctions that our government places on other state sponsors of terror," he said. "This piece of legislation will address this discrepancy" and put pressure on Syria to decrease its support of terrorist groups, he added.

Syria not only arms Hezbollah, but allows 12 Palestinian terrorist groups to have headquarters in Damascus, he noted.

Colman also described a current effort in Congress to send a bipartisan letter to President George W. Bush encouraging him to "stick to his vision and resolve" to put pressure upon the Pale-stinians to foster peace with the Israelis. This letter urges the president "not to invite the United Nations and the European Union into playing a decisive role equal to that of the United States in ... the peace process," he explained.

The letter will soon be sent to Bush and has support from 85 senators and 287 re-presentatives, Colman added.

Both Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl have signed the letter, in addition to Reps. Rick Renzi (R-1st District), Trent Franks (R-2nd District), John Shadegg (R-3rd District), J.D. Hayworth (R-5th District), Jeff Flake (R-6th District), and Jim Kolbe (R-8th District). Only Rep. Ed Pastor (D-4th District) and Raul Grijalva (D-7th District) have not expressed their support, said Elliot Brandt, AIPAC western states director, who also spoke at the annual meeting.

"I urge all of you who are constituents to call," he added, and thank those who have signed the letter and call for support from those who have not.

"Political activism, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Israel needs to become a Jewish imperative for this community," he noted.

In addition to contacting elected officials, this activism includes writing letters to the editor to respond to those who are unfairly critical of Israel, said Brandt. "If we're not writing back, the assumption is either we don't care or we agree."

To support Israel, AIPAC also needs increased membership and contri-butions "to continue to win the battle that lies ahead of us and will continue to lie ahead of us for years to come," said Sharon Brisk-man, event co-chairwoman.

She warned against inroads made by the Arab-American community to organize and make itself heard in Washington, D.C.

"We should not ever be so complacent as to (overlook) the organized Arab com-munity. They are modeling themselves after (AIPAC). We are good examples for them," she noted.

Another speaker, event co-chairwoman Naomi Goodell, spoke of a battle line in defense of Israel on college campuses.

Pro-Israel students "have been under siege by the anti-Israel movement," said Goodell. In response, AIPAC has implemented "a re-vamped college program to create and train proactive Israel activists to neutralize that anti-Israel movement," she explained.

Jesse Gabriel, studentbody president of the University of California at Berkeley, spoke of the results of this AIPAC college training program.

AIPAC has taught student activists to build pro-Israel relationships on campus with newspapers, other student groups, fraternities and sororities and Hillel, said Gabriel.

"We can win back the campuses, but we can't win back the community," he said. "Please don't let us graduate only to find a community that is silent or apathetic or divided. We should inherit a community that proudly supports and protects Israel."

Irv Shuman, AIPAC state chairman, urged those in attendance to support pro-Israel college activists.

"Do not allow them to be beleaguered and besieged by these Jew-hating, anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian people," he said.

Event participant Michael Sevi noted how Israel-supporters need to foster coalitions on college campus, in response to a setting that has become increasing pro-Palestinian.

"It's important to go out and build the coalitions that are pro-Israel - Jewish and non-Jewish - because the arguments for being pro-Israel have to be more than just 'you are Jewish.' It has to be broader," he explained.

Sevi is a student member of AIPAC who recently grad-uated from Dartmouth and will attend Harvard Law School.

Keynote speaker Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) urged Israel supporters that even as individuals they can make a difference.

"We live in this age of big government, big media, big business, big experts," said Coleman. "Somehow we lose track that all the important change comes about because of people, not institutions."

Event participant Julie Marcus said she plans to contact her elected officials and encourage them to support Israel. In addition, when she does not agree with Israel reporting on National Public Radio and local newspapers, she will voice her displeasure.

"I'm also going to urge my friends to get involved with AIPAC," she said.

Rana Schwartz, event participant and local AIPAC board member, said she is looking forward to the next AIPAC event at the Biltmore, the AIPAC National Summit on Foreign Policy, Oct. 26-27. The event will feature congressional leaders, Middle East scholars and political experts.

Contact the writer at barry_cohen@jewishaz.com.

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